שַׁבָּת111 H7676
Sabbath; the seventh day of rest and worship, used of weekly observance, sabbatical years, and as a sign of God's covenant.
Shabbat is one of the most culturally defining words in the Hebrew Bible, rooted in the verb shabat ('to cease, rest'). Far more than a calendar marker, it names an institution that touches creation theology, covenant identity, and eschatological hope. The weekly seventh-day rest (Exod 20:8-10) is its heartland, but the word extends to sabbatical-year rest for the land (Lev 25:4), solemn festival rest days, and God's own possessive claim over the institution — 'my sabbaths' as covenant sign (Exod 31:13). The multilingual evidence is remarkably uniform: Spanish sábado, French sabbat, and German Sabbat all transliterate rather than translate, reflecting the word's irreducible cultural weight. Even languages like Korean (안식일, 'rest-day') and Swahili preserve the 'cessation' core while acknowledging its sacred distinctiveness.
Senses
1. weekly Sabbath day — The weekly Sabbath day — the seventh day set apart for rest and worship, commanding the largest cluster at 68 occurrences. This is the Sabbath of the Decalogue (Exod 20:8-10), the manna narrative (Exod 16:25-29), and prophetic calls to honor the day (Isa 58:13). Spanish el sábado, French le sabbat, and German der Sabbat all retain the Hebrew loanword rather than using native 'rest-day' vocabulary, confirming its status as a proper institution name rather than a generic descriptor. Korean 안식일 ('rest-day') and Arabic السبت (as-sabt) each reflect the cessation root differently but converge on a dedicated lexical item for this day alone. 68×
AR["ال-سَّبْتِ", "السَّبتِ", "السَّبْتِ"]·ben["-বিশ্রামবার", "-বিশ্রামবারে", "-বিশ্রামবারের", "বিশ্রামদিনের", "বিশ্রামবার", "বিশ্রামবারের", "বিশ্রামের", "সেই-বিশ্রামের"]·DE["der-Sabbat", "der-Shabbat"]·EN["the-Sabbath", "the-Shabbat", "the-sabbath"]·FR["der-sabbat", "le-Shabbat", "le-sabbat"]·heb["ה-שבת"]·HI["शब्बत-के", "शब्बात-का", "सब्त", "सब्त-के", "सब्तको", "सब्बत"]·ID["Sabat", "Sabat-itu", "hari-Sabat"]·IT["[השבת]", "il-Shabbat", "il-sabato"]·jav["Sabat", "Sabat."]·KO["그-안식일", "그-안식일을", "그-안식일의", "안식일-의"]·PT["do-sábado", "o-Shabbat", "o-sábado", "sábado"]·RU["в-субботу", "из-субботы", "субботой", "субботу", "субботы"]·ES["el-shabat", "el-sábado"]·SW["Sabato", "cha-Sabato", "ya-Sabato", "ya-sabato"]·TR["-Şabatın", "Şabat'in", "Şabat'ta", "Şabat'ı", "Şabat'ın", "şabatın"]·urd["-سبت-کے", "سبت", "سبت-کا", "سبت-کو", "سبت-کے"]
Exod 16:25, Exod 16:26, Exod 16:29, Exod 20:8, Exod 20:10, Exod 20:11, Exod 31:15, Exod 35:3, Lev 23:3, Lev 23:11, Lev 23:15, Lev 23:16 (+38 more)
2. my sabbaths (covenantal) — God's sabbaths as covenantal possession — 15 occurrences where the possessive 'my sabbaths' (shabbtotay) marks the institution as a sign between God and Israel. Concentrated in Exodus 31:13, Leviticus 19:3, 19:30, 26:2, and the Ezekiel sabbath-profanation oracles (Ezek 20:12-24; 22:8; 23:38). The first-person possessive transforms Sabbath from a temporal regulation into a relational marker — God stakes personal ownership. Spanish mis sábados and German mein Sabbate both preserve the possessive force. Isaiah 56:4 extends this covenantal claim to foreigners and eunuchs who 'hold fast my sabbaths,' making covenant inclusion the theological pivot. 15×
AR["سُبوتي", "سُبُوتِي", "وَعَنْ-سُبُوتِي"]·ben["আমার-বিশ্রামদিনগুলি", "আমার-বিশ্রামবারগুলি", "আমার-বিশ্রামবারগুলিকে", "আমার-বিশ্রামবারগুলো", "এবং-বিশ্রামবারগুলি-আমার-থেকে", "বিশ্রামবারগুলি-আমার"]·DE["Sabbat", "Sabbate-mein", "mein-Sabbate", "meine-Sabbate", "und-von-meine-Sabbate"]·EN["My-sabbaths", "and-from-sabbaths-my", "my-Shabbatot", "my-sabbaths", "sabbaths-my"]·FR["et-sabbat", "mes-sabbats", "mon-sabbaths", "sabbat", "sabbats-mon"]·heb["ו-מ-שבתותי", "שבתותי", "שבתתי"]·HI["अपने-सब्तों", "और-मेरे-सब्तों-से", "मेरे-विश्राम", "मेरे-विश्रामों", "मेरे-शब्बतों", "मेरे-सब्तों", "मेरे-सब्बतों", "मेरे-सब्बतोंको"]·ID["Sabat-Sabat-Ku", "Sabat-sabat-Ku", "dan-dari-Sabat-Sabat-Ku", "hari-hari-Sabat-Ku", "sabat-sabat-Ku"]·IT["e-sabato", "mio-sabati", "mio-sabbaths", "sabati-mio", "sabato"]·jav["Sabat-Kawula", "Sabat-Kula", "Sabat-Sabat-Kawula", "Sabat-Sabat-Kula", "lan-saking-sabat-sabat-Kawula", "sabat-Kawula", "sabat-sabat-Kawula"]·KO["그리고-내-안식일들에서", "나의-안식일들", "나의-안식일들을", "내-안식일들을"]·PT["e-de-meus-sábados", "meus-shabatot", "meus-shabbatot", "meus-sábados", "shabatot-meus", "sábados-meus"]·RU["Мои", "дал-им", "за-", "и-нечистым", "и-сказал", "и-субботы", "оскверняли", "очень", "святите", "субботы-Мои"]·ES["mis-sábados", "sábados", "sábados-míos", "y-de-mis-sábados"]·SW["Sabato-zangu", "na-Sabato-zangu", "sabato-zangu", "zangu"]·TR["Shabat'larimi", "ve-şabatlarımdan", "Şabatlarımı", "şabatlarımı"]·urd["اور-سبتوں-سے", "سبتوں-میرے", "میرے-سبتوں"]
Exod 31:13, Lev 19:3, Lev 19:30, Lev 26:2, Isa 56:4, Ezek 20:12, Ezek 20:13, Ezek 20:16, Ezek 20:20, Ezek 20:21, Ezek 20:24, Ezek 22:8 (+3 more)
3. sabbath rest (construct/intensified) — Sabbath in construct state denoting solemn or intensified rest — 10 occurrences of shabbat shabbaton ('a sabbath of complete rest') and similar construct forms. This distinctive doubling appears for the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:31), the weekly Sabbath commandment (Exod 31:15; 35:2), the sabbatical year (Lev 25:4), and the first formulation of Sabbath rest in Exod 16:23. The construct intensifies the cessation — not merely rest but rest-of-rest, a superlative. French sabbat-de and German Sabbat-von attempt to render the construct, while Spanish Shabat-de preserves the Hebrew texture. This form signals the most solemn, non-negotiable quality of the cessation. 10×
AR["بِ-سَبْتِهِ", "سَبتُ", "سَبْتُ", "فِي-سَبْتِهِ"]·ben["তার-বিশ্রামবারে", "তার-বিশ্রামে", "বিশ্রাম", "বিশ্রামবার", "বিশ্রামবার-"]·DE["Sabbat", "Sabbat-von", "Sabbat-von-", "auf-sein-Sabbath", "ein-Sabbat-von"]·EN["a-sabbath-of", "on-its-Sabbath", "sabbath-of", "sabbath-of-", "to-its-Sabbath"]·FR["sabbat", "sabbat-de", "sabbat-de-", "sur-son-Sabbath", "un-sabbat-de"]·heb["ב-שבתו", "שבת"]·HI["प्रत्येक-सब्त-पर", "शब्बत", "शाबात", "सब्त", "सब्त-", "सब्त-अपने-में", "सब्बत"]·ID["Sabat", "Sabat-", "ke-Sabatnya", "pada-Sabatnya", "sabat"]·IT["sabato", "sabato-di", "sabato-di-", "su-suo-Sabbath", "un-sabato-di"]·jav["Sabat", "Sabat-", "ing-Sabat-ipun", "ing-Sabatipun", "sabat"]·KO["그-안식일-에", "그-안식일마다", "안식", "안식일", "안식일-의", "안식일이", "안식일이라"]·PT["Shabat", "Shabbat", "em-shabat-seu", "shabat-de-", "shabbat", "shabbat-de", "sábado-de-"]·RU["в-субботу-её", "суббота", "суббота-"]·ES["Shabat-de-", "Sábado-de", "el-sábado-de", "en-su-sábado", "en-sábado-de-él", "sábado-de"]·SW["Sabato", "Sabato-ya-", "kila-Sabato", "sabato", "sabato-yake"]·TR["-Şabatında-onun", "sebt", "Şabat", "şabat", "şabat-", "şabatı-", "şabatında"]·urd["اُس-کے-سبت-میں", "سبت", "سبت-اپنے-میں"]
4. its/her/your sabbaths (possessive) — Possessive sabbaths of the land, city, or people — 10 occurrences where sabbaths 'belong to' an entity other than God. Leviticus 26:34-35 is the theological center: the exiled land will 'enjoy its sabbaths' that Israel failed to observe, a striking personification where the soil itself rests. Leviticus 25:8 counts 'seven sabbaths of years,' and 2 Chronicles 36:21 interprets the exile through this lens. Spanish sus sábados and German Sabbate-von both render the possessive. The land-as-sabbath-keeper imagery connects ecological rest to covenant faithfulness in a way unique to this sense. 10×
AR["سَبْتَكُمْ", "سُبُوتَهَا", "سُبُوتِ", "سُبُوتِهَا", "فِي-سُبُوتِكُمْ", "وَسُبوتِها"]·ben["এবং-তাঁর-বিশ্রামবার", "তার-বিশ্রামবার", "তার-বিশ্রামবারগুলি", "তার-বিশ্রামবারগুলি।", "তোমাদের-বিশ্রামবার", "তোমাদের-বিশ্রামবারগুলিতে", "বিশ্রামবার", "বিশ্রামবারগুলো"]·DE["Sabbat", "Sabbate-von", "dein-Sabbat", "in-dein-Sabbate", "sein-Sabbate", "und-Sabbat"]·EN["and-her-sabbaths", "in-your-sabbaths", "its-Sabbaths", "its-sabbaths", "sabbaths-of", "your-sabbath"]·FR["dans-ton-sabbats", "et-sabbat", "sabbat", "sabbats-de", "son-sabbats", "ton-sabbat"]·heb["ב-שבתתיכם", "ו-שבתה", "שבת-ה", "שבתכם", "שבתת", "שבתתיה"]·HI["अपने-शब्बतों", "उसके-सब्तों", "और-सब्त-उसका", "तुम्हारा-शब्बत", "तुम्हारे-शब्बतों-में", "शब्बतों"]·ID["Sabat-kamu", "dan-sabat-sabatnya", "hari-hari-Sabat", "pada-sabat-sabatmu", "pada-waktu-ia-sepi", "sabat", "sabat-sabatnya", "semua"]·IT["e-sabato", "in-tuo-sabati", "sabati-di", "sabato", "suo-sabati", "tuo-sabato"]·jav["Sabat", "Sabat-Sabat", "Sabat-ipun", "Sabat-ipun-sira.", "Sabat-ipun.", "dinten-Sabat-ipun", "lan-Sabatipun", "wonten-Sabat-sira"]·KO["그것의-안식일들을", "그리고-안식일-그녀의", "너희의-안식일", "너희의-안식일들에", "안식들을", "안식들의", "안식일들-의"]·PT["Shabbatot-de", "e-sábado-dela", "em-vossos-shabbatot", "seus-shabbatot", "shabbatot", "shabbatot-de", "sábados-dela", "vosso-Shabbat"]·RU["в-субботы-ваши", "и-субботу-её", "суббот", "субботами-своими", "субботу-вашу", "субботы-свои"]·ES["en-vuestros-sábados", "los-sábados-de", "sus-sábados", "sábados-de", "vuestro-sábado", "y-su-sábado"]·SW["Sabato-yenu", "Sabato-za-", "Sabato-zake", "katika-Sabato-zenu", "na-Sabato-zake", "shabּtwoteyha"]·TR["-de-şabatlarınızda", "ve-Şabat'ını", "Şabatlarını", "şabatları-", "şabatlarını", "şabatınızı"]·urd["اور-سبت-اُس-کا", "اپنے-سبتوں", "تمہارے-سبت", "سبتوں", "سبتوں-اپنے", "سبتوں-تمہارے-میں", "سبتیں"]
5. sabbaths (plural, collective observance) — Sabbaths in the plural as collective institution — 8 occurrences referring to regular sabbath observance as a category alongside new moons and festivals (1 Chr 23:31; 2 Chr 2:4; 8:13; 31:3; Neh 10:33). The liturgical calendar lists place sabbaths alongside burnt offerings and feast days, treating the word as an institutional plural rather than counted individual days. French sabbats, Spanish los sábados, and German Sabbate all use standard pluralization. Lamentations 1:7 mourns Jerusalem remembering 'all her pleasant things from days of old,' and 2:6 describes God causing 'sabbath and appointed feast to be forgotten' — the collective plural marks the entire rhythm of sacred time now lost. 8×
AR["ال-سُبُوتُ", "سُبُوتٍ", "فِي-السُّبُوتِ", "لِـ-السُّبُوتِ", "لِلسَّبْتِ", "لِلسُّبوتِ", "لِلسُّبُوتِ", "وَ-فِي-السُّبُوتِ"]·ben["-বিশ্রামদিনে", "-বিশ্রামবারে", "এবং-বিশ্রামবারে", "বিশ্রামদিনগুলির-জন্য", "বিশ্রামবার", "বিশ্রামবারগুলিতে", "বিশ্রামবারে"]·DE["Sabbat", "Sabbate", "in-Sabbate", "und-in-Sabbate", "zu-Sabbate"]·EN["and-at-the-sabbaths", "for-the-Sabbaths", "on-the-sabbaths", "sabbaths", "the-Sabbaths"]·FR["et-sabbat", "sabbat", "sabbats"]·heb["ב-שבתות", "ה-שבת", "ו-ב-שבתות", "ל-ה-שבת", "שבתות"]·HI["और-विश्रामों-में", "के-लिए-सब्तों", "में-शब्बातों", "शब्बत", "शब्बतों-के", "सब्तों-के-लिए", "सब्तों-को", "सब्बतों-को"]·ID["Sabat", "dan-pada-hari-Sabat", "hari-hari-Sabat", "pada-hari-Sabat", "pada-hari-hari-Sabat", "untuk-hari-Sabat", "untuk-hari-hari-Sabat"]·IT["e-in-sabati", "in-sabati", "sabati", "sabato"]·jav["Sabat", "dhateng-sabat", "ing-Sabat-Sabat", "ing-dinten-Sabat", "kanggé-Sabat", "kanggé-dinten-Sabat", "lan-ing-Sabat-Sabat", "para-Sabat"]·KO["그-안식일들", "그-안식일들-에", "그-안식일들-을-위하여", "그리고-에-그-안식일들에", "안식일들", "에-그-안식일들", "에-안식일들에", "에게-그-안식일들"]·PT["Shabbatot", "e-nos-sábados", "nos-sábados", "os-sábados", "para-os-sábados"]·RU["в-субботы", "для-суббот", "и-в-субботах", "суббот", "субботам"]·ES["en-los-sábados", "los-sábados", "para-los-sábados", "sábados", "y-en-los-sábados"]·SW["Sabato", "kwa-Sabato", "lashaּbaּtwot", "na-Sabato", "siku-za-Sabato"]·TR["için-şabatlar", "ve-Şabatlarda", "Şabatlar-için", "Şabatlarda", "Şabatlarda-", "Şabatların", "şabatlar"]·urd["اور-سبتوں-میں", "سبتوں", "سبتوں-میں", "سبتوں-پر", "سبتوں-کو", "سبتوں-کے-لیے", "سبتیں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שַׁבָּת111 n.f. Ex 31:14 + m. Is 56:2, 6; 66:23, (under infl. of יוֹם in freq. יוֹם הַשּׁ׳, AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 47) Sabbath (= ת + שׁבת; NH שַׁבָּת, Aramaic שַׁבְּתָא, ܫܰܒܬܳܐ; perhaps Assyrian šabattum (‖ ûm nûḫ libbi, day of rest of heart (i.e. propitiation) [of deity]: only in lex. tablets); cf. Lotz Quaest. de hist. Sabbati, 1883 Jen ZA iv (1869), 274 ff. (doubts connexion of Assyrian word…