שָׁבַת71 H7673a
To cease, desist, rest; in Hifil, to cause to cease, put an end to, remove, or abolish; to observe Sabbath rest.
Shabat is the verbal root behind one of the most iconic words in all of Scripture — Shabbat, the Sabbath. Yet the verb itself is not primarily about rest; its core meaning is cessation, the stopping of activity. God 'ceased' from his work on the seventh day (Gen 2:2-3), the manna 'ceased' when Israel entered the land (Josh 5:12), and summer and winter 'shall not cease' as long as the earth endures (Gen 8:22). In its Hifil causative stem, the verb takes on a forceful, even violent edge — God 'puts an end to' festivals (Hos 2:11), 'abolishes' idolatrous priests (2 Kgs 23:5), and 'removes' leaven from Israelite houses (Exod 12:15). The Arabic cognate sabata ('cut off, interrupt') preserves the verb's original sharpness, while the connection to Akkadian shabātu ('cease, be completed') anchors it in ancient Mesopotamian time-reckoning. The theological genius of the Hebrew Bible is in making cessation itself holy.
6. still, silence — Hifil causative meaning to still, silence, or quell — 2 occurrences where the emphasis is specifically on silencing opposition or disturbance rather than general cessation. In Ps 8:2, God ordains praise from children 'to still the enemy and the avenger,' and in Prov 18:18, casting lots 'silences' contentions between the mighty. Arabic sakkana/askata ('quiet, silence') captures the specifically acoustic or adversarial quelling that distinguishes this from the broader 'cause to cease' of sense 1. The objects silenced are personal agents (enemies, disputants) rather than abstract activities, marking a distinct interpersonal conflict-resolution nuance. 2×
AR["لِتُسْكِتَ","يُسَكِّنُ"]·ben["থামাতে-","নিষ্পত্তি-করে"]·DE["liess-ruhen","zu-noch"]·EN["causes-to-cease","to-still"]·FR["cesser","à-cesser"]·heb["ישבית","ל-השבית"]·HI["चुप-कराने-को","बंद-करता-है"]·ID["mengakhiri","untuk-menghentikan"]·IT["causes-a-cease","cesso'"]·jav["kanggé-nyirnakaken","mungkasi"]·KO["그치게-하느니라","그치게-하려고"]·PT["faz-cessar","para-fazer-calar"]·RU["прекращает","чтобы-смирить"]·ES["hace-cesar","para-hacer-cesar"]·SW["inakomesha","kumnyamazisha"]·TR["sona-erdirir","susturmak-için-"]·urd["-خاموش-کرنے-کو","ختم-کرتا-ہے"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. cause to cease, put an end to — Hifil causative: to cause to cease, put an end to — the largest sense at 33 occurrences, where God or a human agent actively terminates an ongoing activity, condition, or institution. God will 'cause to cease' the mirth of Israel (Hos 2:11), will 'put an end to' war in the land (Lev 26:6), and Pharaoh accuses Moses of making the people 'cease' from their labors (Exod 5:5). Arabic abṭala/awqafa ('nullify/halt') and Spanish hacer cesar ('cause to stop') both select causative cessation vocabulary. The objects terminated range from joy and sacrifice to warfare and memory, giving this sense a sweeping destructive-restorative range in prophetic discourse. 33×
AR["أَبْطَلْتُ","أَبْطَلْتُهُ","فَأُبَطِّلُ","وَ-أُبطِلُ","وَ-أُبِيدُ","وَ-أُبْطِلُ","وَ-لِإِبَادَةِ","وَ-يُبْطِلُ","وَأُبطِلُ","وَأُبَطِّلُ","وَأُبِيدُ","وَأُبْطِلُ","وَأُزِيلُ","وَأُوقِفُكِ","وَيُبِيدُ"]·ben["আমি-থামিয়েছি","আর-আমি-বন্ধ-করব","আর-আমি-বিরাম-করাব","আর-আমি-শেষ-করব","আর-থামিয়ে-দেব-তোমাকে","আর-বন্ধ-করব","এবং-আমি-থামাব","এবং-দূর-করব","এবং-নির্মূল-করবে","এবং-বন্ধ-করব-আমি","এবং-শেষ-করব","ও-আমি-থামাব","ও-থামাবে","ও-শেষ-করতে","বন্ধ-করলাম"]·DE["ruhen","und-ich-bringe-zurueck","und-ich-wird-cause-zu-cease","und-liess-ruhen","und-ruhen"]·EN["And-I-will-cause-to-cease","I-have-made-cease","I-have-made-to-cease","I-make-cease","and-I-shall-cause-to-cease","and-I-will-cause-to-cease","and-I-will-make-to-cease","and-I-will-put-an-end-to","and-I-will-stop-you","and-cause-to-cease","and-to-cause-to-cease","and-will-cut-off"]·FR["cesser","et-cesser","et-je-fera-cause-à-cesser"]·heb["השבתי","ו-השבית","ו-השבתי","ו-השבתתיך","ו-ל-השבית","ו-תשבית"]·HI["और-दूर करूंगा","और-मिटा-दूंगा-मैं","और-मिटा-देगा","और-मिटाने-के-लिए","और-मैं-बंद-करूँगा","और-मैं-बंद-करूंगा","और-मैं-मिटाऊंगा","और-मैं-समाप्त-करूँगा","और-मैं-समाप्त-करूंगा","और-रोकूँगा-तुझे-मैं","और-रोकूँगा-मैं","और-रोकेगा","और-समाप्त-करूँगा","बन्द-कर-दिया-मैंने","मैंने-बंद-कर-दिया","मैंने-बन्द-कर-दिया"]·ID["Aku-akan-hentikan","Aku-hentikan","Aku-mengakhiri","Dan-Aku-akan-mengakhiri","Dan-Aku-akan-menghentikan","dan-Aku-akan-mengakhiri","dan-Aku-akan-menghapuskan","dan-Aku-akan-menghentikan","dan-Aku-akan-menghentikanmu","dan-Aku-mengakhiri","dan-dia-akan-menghentikan","dan-melenyapkan"]·IT["e-io-fara-cause-a-cease","e-io-ricondurro","e-riposare","riposare"]·jav["Ingsun-mendhel","Lan-Kawula-badhe-nyegah","Lan-Kula-badhé-mungkasi","kawula-sampun-mungkasi","lan-Aku-badhé-mandhegaken-panjenengan","lan-Ingsun-mendhel","lan-Ingsun-nyirnakaken","lan-Kawula-badhe-mungkasi","lan-Kawula-mungkasi","lan-Kawula-ngilangi","lan-kangge-numpes","lan-kawula-badhé-nyirnakaken","lan-piyambakipun-badhé-ngentekèkaken","nanging-senopati"]·KO["그러나-멈추게-하리라","그리고-그가-그치게-하리라","그리고-그치게-하겠다","그리고-그치게-하리라","그리고-그치게-할-것이다-내가","그리고-그치겠다-내가","그리고-끝내겠다","그리고-나는-없애것이다","그리고-내가-그치게-하리라","그리고-내가-그치게-하리라-너를","그리고-망하게-하는-자들아","그치게-하리라","그치게-하였다-내가","그치게-하였도다"]·PT["E-farei-cessar","e-farei-cessar","e-farei-cessar-te","e-fará-cessar","e-para-acabar","fiz-cessar"]·RU["И-прекращу","Я-прекратил","и-истребит","и-прекратит","и-прекращу","и-прекращу-тебя","и-удалю","и-уничтожающие","положу-конец","прекратил-я"]·ES["Y-haré-cesar","he-hecho-cesar","y-hará-cesar","y-haré-cesar","y-haré-cesar-te","y-para-hacer-cesar"]·SW["Na-nitakomesha","Na-nitamfanya-akome","na-atakomesha","na-ataondoa","na-kuwafanya-waangamie","na-nitakomesha","na-nitakukomesha","na-nitaondoa","nami-nitakomesha","nimeisimamisha","nimekomesha","nimezikomesha"]·TR["bitirdim","durdurdum","ve-durduracacağım","ve-durduracak","ve-durduğucağım","ve-son-verecegim","ve-son-vereceğim","ve-sona-erdireceğim","ve-uzaklaştıracağım","ve-yok-edecek","ve-yok-etmek-için"]·urd["اور-بند-کروں-گا","اور-بند-کروں-گا-میں","اور-ختم-کرنے-والے","اور-ختم-کروں-گا","اور-ختم-کروں-گا-مَیں","اور-ختم-کروں-گا-میں","اور-ختم-کرے-گا","اور-روکے-گا","اور-مَیں-روکوں-گا-تجھے","اور-مٹاؤں-گا","اور-میں-بند-کروں-گا","میں-نے-بند-کر-دی","میں-نے-بند-کیا","میں-نے-بند-کیں"]
Exod 5:5, Lev 2:13, Lev 26:6, Deut 32:26, Josh 22:25, Ruth 4:14, 2 Chr 16:5, Neh 4:11, Ps 46:9, Isa 13:11, Isa 16:10, Isa 21:2 (+21 more)
2. cease, come to an end — Qal intransitive: to cease, come to an end — 14 occurrences describing natural or circumstantial cessation without an explicit agent causing it. Seedtime and harvest 'shall not cease' (Gen 8:22), the manna 'ceased' on the morrow (Josh 5:12), and Nehemiah's work on the wall did not 'cease' (Neh 6:3). Arabic inqaṭaʿa ('be cut off, stop') and Korean 그치다 ('come to a stop') both capture the intransitive self-cessation. Distinguished from sense 1 by the absence of a causative agent — things simply stop. 14×
AR["انْتَهَتْ","انْتَهَى","انْقَطَعَ","بَطَلَ","تَتَوَقَّفَ","تَتَوَقَّفُ","كَفُّوا","وَ-انقَطَعَ","وَ-سَكَتَ","وَ-يَنْتَهِي","يَكُفُّ"]·ben["আর-থামল","এবং-বন্ধ-হবে","এবং-বন্ধ-হল","থামবে","থামবে-তারা","থেমেছে","বন্ধ-করেছে","বন্ধ-হয়েছে","বিরত"]·DE["Sabbat","liess-ruhen","ruhen","sollen-aufhören","und-ceased","und-liess-ruhen"]·EN["Ceases","Has-ceased","and-ceased","and-ceases","ceases","has-ceased","have-ceased","he-ceases","shall-cease","should-cease","will-cease"]·FR["--cesser","[תשבת]","cesser","et-cessa","et-cesser","sabbat"]·heb["ו-ישבות","ו-ישבתו","ו-שבת","ישבות","ישבתו","שבת","שבתה","שבתו"]·HI["और-चुप-हो-गए","और-बंद-होगा","और-रुक-गया","ठहरा","ठहरी","बंद-हो-गया","बन्द-हो-गई","रुक-गया","रुक-जाएगा","रुकता-है","रुके","रुकेनगे","हट-गए"]·ID["Berhenti","Dan-berhenti","akan-berhenti","berhenti","dan-berhenti","dan-berhentilah","dia-berhenti","harus-berhenti"]·IT["[תשבת]","e-cessò","e-e-ceased","e-e-ceases","riposare","shall-cease"]·jav["Lan-mandeg","Sampun-kèndel","badhe-kendel","kang-nggugah","lan-badhé-kendel","lan-mandheg","mandeg","mandheg","sami-kèndel","sampun-mandheg"]·KO["그리고-그쳤다","그리고-그치리라","그리고-그치였다","그쳤네","그쳤다","그쳤도다","그치는도다","그치니","그치리라","멈추겠느냐","멈출-것이다"]·PT["Cessou","E-cessaram","E-cessou","cessa","cessaram","cessaria","cessará","cessarão","cessou","e-cessará"]·RU["И-прекратился","Прекратилась","и-перестали","и-прекратятся","остановится","перестанет","перестаёт","прекратилась","прекратились","прекратился","прекратятся"]·ES["Cesó","Ha-cesado","Y-cesaron","cesa","cesará","cesarán","cesaría","cesó","ha-cesado","han-cesado","y-cesarán","y-cesó"]·SW["Imekoma","ameacha","amekoma","anaacha","havitakoma","imekoma","isimame","na-ikakoma","na-utaisha","na-walisimama","utakoma","wameacha"]·TR["Durdu","Ve-durdular","ayrıldılar","bitti","duracak","durdu","durur","sona-erer","ve-durdu","ve-durur"]·urd["اور-بند-ہوا","اور-رک گئے","اور-رک-جائے-گی","بند-ہوئی","ختم-ہوئی","ختم-ہوا","رُک-گئی","رُک-گئے","رُکے","رک-جائے-گی","رک-گیا","رکتا-ہے","رکیں-گے"]
3. rest, observe Sabbath — Qal intransitive: to rest, observe Sabbath — 11 occurrences where the cessation from labor is deliberate, commanded, and often sacred. God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2-3), the people rested on the seventh day (Exod 16:30), and even the land itself must 'keep Sabbath' (Lev 25:2). Arabic istarāḥa ('take rest') and Swahili kupumzika ('to rest') both shift from cessation to repose vocabulary. Korean 쉬다 ('rest') likewise distinguishes this from mere stopping. The theological force is that this rest is not passive — it is the culminating act of creation, a cessation that is itself a doing. 11×
AR["اسْتَرَاحَ","اِستَراحَ","تَستَريحُ","تَسْتَرِحْ","تَسْتَرِيحُ","سَبَتَتْ","وَ-اسْتَرَاحَ"]·ben["আর-বিশ্রাম-করলেন","এবং-বিশ্রাম-নিল","তিনি-বিশ্রাম-নিলেন","বিরত-হবে","বিশ্রাম-করবে","বিশ্রাম-করবে;","বিশ্রাম-করলেন","বিশ্রাম-করেছিল"]·DE["du-soll-ruhen","er-ruhte","es-ruhte","es-wird-Ruhe","ruhen","ruhte-er","und-ruhte","wird-Ruhe"]·EN["and-he-rested","and-rested","he-rested","it-rested","it-will-rest","will-rest","you-shall-rest"]·FR["[שבתה]","cela-fera-repos","cela-se-reposa","et-il-se-reposa","et-se-reposa","fera-repos","il-se-reposa","tu---repos"]·heb["ו-שבת","ו-שבתו","שבת","תשבות","תשבית"]·HI["उसने-विश्राम-किया","और-विश्राम-किया","रुको","विश्राम करेगा","विश्राम किया","विश्राम-करेगा","विश्राम-किया"]·ID["Dan-beristrahat","Ia-berhenti","bersabat","dan-berhentilah","dan-ia-akan-menikmati","engkau berhenti","engkau-akan-berhenti","ia-akan-beristirahat","ia-beristirahat"]·IT["[שבתה]","e-egli-riposò","e-riposò","egli-riposò","esso-fara-riposare","esso-riposo","fara-riposare","tu-shall-riposare"]·jav["Lan-kengser","Panjenenganipun-kèndel","kendel","lan-kendel","leren","leren;","panjenengan-badhé-leren,","panjenengan-kedah-kèndel.","panjenengan-kedah-kèndel;","tilem"]·KO["그것이-쉬었다","그리고-쉬셨다","그리고-쉬었다","너는-쉬라","너는-쉴-것이다","쉬셨다","쉬었던","쉬을것이다"]·PT["E-descansou","cessarás","descansará","descansou","e-descansou"]·RU["И-покоился","будет-покоиться","и-почил","покоилась","покоился","покоишься","покойся","почил"]·ES["Y-descansó","descansará","descansarás","descansó","descasarás","reposó","y-reposó"]·SW["alipumzika","ilipumzika","itapumzika","na-akapumzika","na-wakapumzika","shabatah","utapumzika"]·TR["Ve-dinlendiler","dinlendi","dinlenecek","dinleneceksin","dinlenmişti","ve-dinlendi"]·urd["آرام-کر","آرام-کرو","آرام-کیا","اور-آرام-کیا","سبت-منائے-گی","سبت-منایا"]
4. remove, abolish — Hifil causative with emphasis on removal or abolition of specific objects — 5 occurrences where the 'causing to cease' involves physically removing or eliminating altars, idols, leaven, or personnel. Josiah 'abolished' the idolatrous priests (2 Kgs 23:5), 'removed' the horses dedicated to the sun (2 Kgs 23:11), and Israel must 'remove' leaven from their houses before Passover (Exod 12:15). Arabic abṭala/uzīlū ('abolish/remove') and Korean 제거하다 ('eliminate') select specific removal vocabulary. Distinguished from sense 1 by the concreteness of the object removed — not an abstract activity but a physical thing that is taken away. 5×
AR["أَبْطَلْتَ","تُزِيلُونَ","وَأَبْطَلَ"]·ben["এবং-অপসারণ-করলেন","তুমি-দূর-করেছ","তুমি-নিবারণ-করেছ","দূর-করবে"]·DE["du-haben-gemacht-aufhören","du-remove","du-soll-entfernen","und-er-abolished","und-er-removed"]·EN["You-remove","and-he-abolished","and-he-removed","you-have-made-cease","you-shall-remove"]·FR["et-il-abolished","et-il-ôta","le-cesser","tu---ôter"]·heb["השבת","ו-השבית","ו-ישבת","תשביתו"]·HI["और-दूर-किया","तूने-समाप्त-किया","दूर-करोगे","वे-दूर-किया"]·ID["Dan-ia-menghentikan","Dan-ia-menyingkirkan","Engkau-mengakhiri","Engkau-menyingkirkan","singkirkanlah"]·IT["cesso'","e-egli-abolished","e-egli-tolse","tu-shall-togliere"]·jav["Lan-piyambakipun-ngendhegaken","Paduka-sampun-nyingkiraken","Panjenengan-nyirnaké","panjenengan-sedaya-nyingkiraken"]·KO["그리고-그가-제거하였다","그리고-그가-폐지하였다","그치셨나이다","없애셨나이다","제거할지니라-너희가"]·PT["E-fez-cessar","Fizeste-cessar","fareis-cessar","fizeste-cessar"]·RU["и-устранил","прекратил-Ты","удалил-Ты","удалите"]·ES["Hiciste-cesar","Y-eliminó","Y-quitó","haréis-cesar","hiciste-cesar"]·SW["Umeondoa","mtaondoa","na-akawaondoa","umewaondoa"]·TR["kaldırdın","sona-erdirdin","uzaklaştırın","ve-azletti","ve-kaldırdı"]·urd["اور-برطرف-کیا","اور-ہٹا-دیا","ختم-کیا-تُو-نے","دور-کرو","دور-کیا-تُو-نے"]
5. be brought to an end — Nifal passive/middle: to be brought to an end, be made to cease — 4 occurrences where the subject undergoes cessation passively. The fortress 'will cease' from Ephraim (Isa 17:3), the high places 'will be made desolate' and caused to cease (Ezek 6:6), and pomp 'will be brought to an end' (Ezek 30:18). Arabic yantahī/yabṭulu ('comes to an end') and Spanish cesará (passive/middle) confirm the voice distinction from the active Hifil of sense 1. All four occurrences appear in prophetic judgment oracles, giving this passive a distinctly eschatological coloring. 4×
AR["وَ-تَبْطُلَ","وَ-يَنْتَهِي","وَيَبْطُلُ","وَيَنْتَهِي-"]·ben["আর-থামবে","আর-থামবে-","আর-বিরাম-হয়","ও-বন্ধ-হবে"]·DE["und-ruhen"]·EN["and-ceases","and-is-ended-","and-shall-cease","and-will-cease"]·FR["et-cesser"]·heb["ו-נשבת","ו-נשבת-","ו-נשבתו"]·HI["और-नष्ट-होंगी","और-मिट-जाएगा","और-समाप्त-हो-जाएगा","नहीं"]·ID["Dan-akan-berhenti","dan-berhenti","dan-berhenti-","dan-dimusnahkan"]·IT["e-riposare"]·jav["lan-dipunsirnakaken","lan-kapungkur-","lan-kendel","lan-sirna"]·KO["그리고-그치게-될-것이다-","그리고-그치리라","그리고-끊어지리니"]·PT["E-cessará","e-cessará","e-sejam-anulados"]·RU["и-прекратились","и-прекратится","и-прекратится-"]·ES["Y-cesará","y-cesará","y-cesen"]·SW["Na-itakoma","na-kitakomeshwa","na-ziondolewe"]·TR["Ve-son-bulacak","ve-ortadan-kalkmasının","ve-sona-erdi-","ve-sona-erecek"]·urd["اور-بند-ہوگا","اور-ختم-ہو-جائے-گا","اور-ٹوٹ-جائے-گا-","و-بند-ہوں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שָׁבַת71 vb. cease, desist, rest (Assyrian šabâtu, prob. cease, be completed DlWB ZimKAT3. 593 (JenZA iv (1889), 277 f. is sceptical); Arabic سَبَتَ cut off, interrupt; NH has שֶׁבֶת neglect, etc., Aramaic שִׁבְתָּא cost of neglect);— Qal27 Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ Gn 2:3 +; 3 pl. שָׁבָ֑תוּ La 5:14, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשְׁבּוֹת Ho 7:4; יִשְׁבֹּת Pr 22:10 + 2 times; 3 fs. תִּשְׁבֹּת Lv 26:35; תִּשְׁבַּת v 34…