from שָׁבַת; cessation, i.e. destruction; sabbath.
Transliteration:mishbâth
Pronunciation:mish-bawth'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word מִשְׁבָּת (mishbâth, `{{H4868}}`) is a noun derived from the verbal root שָׁבַת (shâbath, `{{H7673}}`), which signifies "to cease, desist, or rest." As a noun, מִשְׁבָּת denotes the state or act of cessation, a complete and solemn cessation from activity. Its semantic range primarily encompasses:
1. **Cessation/Rest**: The most common and direct meaning, referring to a complete stopping of work or activity. This is evident in its frequent association with the Sabbath.
2. **Sabbath-rest**: Specifically, it describes the nature or quality of the Sabbath day or period, emphasizing its character as a time of absolute cessation from labor. It often appears in construct phrases like "sabbath of solemn rest" (שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן, *shabbat shabbaton*), where מִשְׁבָּת underscores the profound and mandatory nature of the rest.
While the base definition includes "destruction" as a form of cessation, the biblical occurrences of מִשְׁבָּת predominantly emphasize the cessation of human labor in a religious context, rather than physical annihilation. The idea of "destruction" is a more extreme extension of "cessation," where something ceases to exist or function.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term מִשְׁבָּת (mishbâth, `{{H4868}}`) appears exclusively in the Pentateuch, primarily in the books of Exodus and Leviticus, always in the context of divine commands regarding sacred times of rest. Its usage consistently highlights the solemn and complete nature of the commanded cessation.
* **Exodus 16:23**: Here, in the context of the manna provision, Moses declares, "Tomorrow is a sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD." The phrase "sabbath rest" (שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן) uses מִשְׁבָּת to emphasize the absolute cessation from gathering manna on the seventh day, a direct command from God.
* **Leviticus 16:31**: Describing the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), it states, "It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever." Again, מִשְׁבָּת (in שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן) underscores the profound and obligatory nature of the rest and self-affliction on this most holy day.
* **Leviticus 23:3**: When outlining the regular weekly Sabbath, the text commands, "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places." The use of מִשְׁבָּת here reinforces the comprehensive nature of the weekly Sabbath's cessation.
* **Leviticus 23:24**: Referring to the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), it is designated as a "sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation." The term signifies a day of cessation from ordinary labor, set apart for sacred assembly.
* **Leviticus 23:32**: Reaffirming the Day of Atonement, it states, "It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath." The repetition emphasizes the strict adherence required.
* **Leviticus 25:2, 4, 5, 6**: In these verses, מִשְׁבָּת is applied to the Sabbatical Year for the land. The land is commanded to "keep a Sabbath to the LORD" ([[Leviticus 25:2]]), meaning no sowing or pruning. This "sabbath of solemn rest for the land" ([[Leviticus 25:4]]) implies a complete cessation of agricultural labor, requiring profound trust in God's provision. The produce of this year is then referred to as "the sabbath of the land" ([[Leviticus 25:6]]), highlighting its origin from a period of divine rest.
Across all its occurrences, מִשְׁבָּת consistently highlights a divinely mandated, complete cessation from typical activity, whether for a day, a week, or a year, marking these periods as sacred and distinct.
### Related Words & Concepts
The meaning and significance of מִשְׁבָּת (mishbâth, `{{H4868}}`) are profoundly enriched by its relationship with other key biblical terms and concepts:
* **שָׁבַת (shâbath, `{{H7673}}`)**: This is the verbal root from which מִשְׁבָּת is derived, meaning "to cease, desist, or rest." The noun form מִשְׁבָּת describes the *state* or *quality* of that cessation. Understanding the verb is crucial for grasping the full semantic range of the noun.
* **שַׁבָּת (shabbath, `{{H7676}}`)**: This is the most common Hebrew word for "Sabbath," referring to the specific day of rest. While שַׁבָּת denotes the day itself, מִשְׁבָּת often modifies or describes the *type* of rest, emphasizing its solemn, complete, and holy nature (e.g., "sabbath of solemn rest"). The two words are intimately linked, with מִשְׁבָּת providing a deeper qualitative dimension to שַׁבָּת.
* **Rest (נוּחַ - nuach, `{{H5117}}`)**: While שָׁבַת and מִשְׁבָּת specifically denote cessation from work, נוּחַ carries a broader meaning of rest, quietness, or settling down. The Sabbath, characterized by מִשְׁבָּת, is a specific form of נוּחַ divinely ordained.
* **Holy (קֹדֶשׁ - qodesh, `{{H6944}}`)**: The concept of holiness is inextricably linked to מִשְׁבָּת. Days or periods designated as מִשְׁבָּת are always described as "holy convocations" or "holy to the LORD," indicating their separation from the mundane and their dedication to God.
* **Covenant (בְּרִית - berith, `{{H1285}}`)**: The Sabbath, and by extension the מִשְׁבָּת it embodies, is a perpetual sign of the covenant between God and Israel ([[Exodus 31:16-17]]). It serves as a tangible reminder of God's special relationship with His people and His sanctifying power.
### Theological Significance
The concept of מִשְׁבָּת (mishbâth, `{{H4868}}`) carries profound theological weight, extending beyond mere cessation of labor to encompass core aspects of God's character and His relationship with humanity.
1. **Imitation of God**: The command for מִשְׁבָּת directly reflects God's own pattern of rest after the six days of creation ([[Genesis 2:2-3]]). By observing a complete cessation, humanity participates in a divine rhythm, acknowledging God as the Creator who brought order out of chaos and then rested. This act of resting mirrors His perfect completion.
2. **Sanctification and Holiness**: The מִשְׁבָּת periods (weekly Sabbath, Sabbatical Year, Yom Kippur, etc.) are explicitly designated as "holy to the LORD." This cessation is not merely for human rejuvenation but for the purpose of setting apart time for God, allowing for spiritual reflection, worship, and communion. It sanctifies both the time and the people observing it.
3. **Trust and Dependence on God**: Particularly evident in the Sabbatical Year for the land, the command for מִשְׁבָּת demands profound trust in God's provision. Israel was required to cease agricultural labor for an entire year, relying solely on God to provide through the preceding year's harvest and the land's spontaneous growth ([[Leviticus 25:20-22]]). This teaches absolute dependence on the Creator rather than on human effort.
4. **Remembrance of Redemption**: The Sabbath command in [[Deuteronomy 5:15]] explicitly links the rest to Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery. In Egypt, they knew no rest. The מִשְׁבָּת therefore serves as a perpetual reminder of God's liberating power, granting freedom from oppressive labor and a taste of true rest found in Him.
5. **Eschatological Hope**: The concept of מִשְׁבָּת points beyond the temporal to an ultimate, eternal rest. The writer of Hebrews speaks of a "Sabbath-rest" that remains for the people of God ([[Hebrews 4:9]]), a future spiritual rest in God's presence, fulfilling the promise of true peace and cessation from striving. The earthly מִשְׁבָּת is thus a foretaste and a sign of this ultimate reality.
### Summary
The Hebrew term מִשְׁבָּת (mishbâth, `{{H4868}}`), derived from the root שָׁבַת (`{{H7673}}`), denotes a profound and complete cessation from activity, most notably in the context of divinely ordained holy days and periods of rest. While its base definition includes "destruction" as a form of cessation, its biblical usage primarily emphasizes a solemn, mandatory cessation for sacred purposes.
Occurring almost exclusively in the Pentateuch, מִשְׁבָּת consistently describes the quality of rest for the weekly Sabbath, the Day of Atonement, and the Sabbatical Year for the land. It highlights the absolute requirement to cease from labor, marking these times as holy and set apart for the LORD.
Theologically, מִשְׁבָּת is deeply significant. It calls humanity to imitate God's own rest after creation, underscores the principle of sanctification by setting apart time for God, demands profound trust in divine provision, and serves as a perpetual memorial of God's redemptive work in delivering Israel from slavery. Ultimately, the concept of מִשְׁבָּת points to an eschatological hope of a perfect and eternal rest in God, a cessation from all toil and striving in His glorious presence.
TRV