H5659 H5659
servitude, bondage; state of forced service or slavery
This feminine noun denotes servitude, slavery, or bondage—the condition of being in compulsory service. Ezra 9:8-9 uses it twice: God has 'not forsaken us in our bondage' and has 'extended steadfast love to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to...sustain us in our bondage.' Even while serving foreign kings, God provides grace. Nehemiah 9:17 contrasts Israel's rebellion with God's character: instead of abandoning them, God remained forgiving 'and they did not forsake their slavery' in Egypt—though some translations question this reading. The word captures the weight of compulsory service, whether Egyptian slavery or Persian subjugation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Ezra's two uses (9:8-9) acknowledge post-exilic reality: though returned to the land, the community remains under Persian authority—a form of bondage, even if lighter than Egypt's or Babylon's. God's faithfulness extends even into this servitude, granting 'reviving' despite subjugation. Nehemiah's reference (9:17) recalls Egyptian slavery in contrast to wilderness grace—though the phrase is textually difficult. Cross-linguistic renderings use 'bondage/servidumbre/esclavitud' terminology, emphasizing unfreedom. The suffixed forms ('our bondage,' 'their slavery') personalize the condition—this is experienced subjugation, not abstract servitude. 3×
AR["إِلَى-عُبُودِيَّتِهِمْ", "في-عُبُودِيَّتِنا", "وَ-في-عُبُودِيَّتِنا"]·ben["আমাদের-দাসত্বে", "আর-আমাদের-দাসত্বে", "তাদের-দাসত্বে"]·DE["[בעבדתנו]", "[ובעבדתנו]", "[לעבדתם]"]·EN["and-in-our-bondage", "in-our-bondage", "to-their-slavery"]·FR["[בעבדתנו]", "[ובעבדתנו]", "[לעבדתם]"]·heb["ב-עבדתנו-נו", "ו-ב-עבדתנו-נו", "ל-עבדתם-ם"]·HI["पर-हमारी-दासता-में", "हमारी-दासता-में"]·ID["dalam-perbudakan-kami", "dan-dalam-perbudakan-kami", "ke-perbudakan-mereka"]·IT["[בעבדתנו]", "[ובעבדתנו]", "[לעבדתם]"]·jav["dhateng-pangawulanipun", "ing-pangawulan-kawula-sedaya", "lan-ing-pangawulan-kawula-sedaya"]·KO["그들의-종살이-으로", "그리고-에-우리의-종살이", "에-우리의-종살이"]·PT["e-em-nossa-servidão", "em-nossa-servidão", "para-servidao-deles"]·RU["в-рабстве-нашем", "в-рабство-своё", "и-в-рабстве-нашем"]·ES["a-esclavitud-de-ellos", "en-nuestra-servidumbre", "y-en-nuestra-servidumbre"]·SW["katika-utumwa-wetu", "na-katika-utumwa-wetu", "utumwani-mwao"]·TR["kullugumuzda", "köleliklerine", "ve-kullugumuzda"]·urd["اور-غلامی-ہماری-میں", "اپنی-غلامی-کو", "غلامی-ہماری-میں"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [עַבְדוּת] n.f. servitude, bondage;—sf. עַבְדֻתֵנוּ Ez 9:8, 9; עַבְדֻתָם Ne 9:17 (cf. Syriac ܥܰܒܕܽܘܬܳܐ ).