English · KJV
H5670

עָבַט

ʻâbaṭ /aw-bat'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto pawn; causatively, to lend (on security); figuratively, to entangle
KJV usageborrow, break (ranks), fetch (a pledge), lend
Idioms & phrasesidiom surely.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻâbaṭ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻâbaṭ, represented by H5670, is a primitive root with a core meaning related to financial transactions like to pawn or to lend (on security). It appears 6 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Beyond its financial sense, it can be used figuratively to mean to entangle or, in a specific military context, to break ranks.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical law, H5670 governs the act of lending and handling pledges. It is presented as a sign of God's blessing when Israel is in a position to lend to other nations but does not need to borrow Deuteronomy 15:6. The law commands generosity, stating one must surely lend to a brother in need Deuteronomy 15:8. It also sets boundaries on collecting collateral, forbidding a lender from entering a debtor's house to fetch his pledge Deuteronomy 24:10. In a completely different context, the prophet Joel uses the word to describe the disciplined advance of a mighty army, noting that "they shall not break their ranks" Joel 2:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concepts surrounding H5670:

  • H5667 ʻăbôwṭ (a pawn; pledge): This is the object that is fetched or held in a lending transaction. It is used directly with H5670 when the law specifies how to handle a brother's pledge Deuteronomy 24:10.
  • H5383 nâshâh (to lend or (by reciprocity) borrow on security or interest): This term is often used in parallel with lending, appearing in the same verse as H5670 to describe the action of one who does lend to a brother Deuteronomy 24:10.
  • H4910 mâshal (to rule): The ability to lend without borrowing is directly linked to national prominence, as God promises that Israel will reign over many nations as a result of His blessing Deuteronomy 15:6.

Theological Significance

The use of H5670 carries significant theological and ethical weight.

  • Sign of Divine Blessing: The ability to lend rather than borrow is established as a tangible outcome of obedience to and blessing from God. It is linked with prosperity and the power to reign over other nations Deuteronomy 15:6.
  • Mandate for Social Justice: The term is embedded in laws that demand compassion. The emphatic repetition in "shalt surely lend" (H5670 H5670) underscores the moral obligation to provide for the poor Deuteronomy 15:8. The regulations around fetching a pledge also protect the dignity of the borrower.
  • Metaphor for Order and Discipline: In its figurative sense, the word describes perfect, unbroken discipline. The army in Joel that does not break its ranks Joel 2:7 serves as a metaphor for an unstoppable and divinely directed force, free from entanglement or disorder.

Summary

In summary, H5670 is a versatile word that extends from practical financial law to powerful prophetic imagery. It defines not only the act of lending, borrowing, and taking a pledge but also connects these actions to the larger biblical themes of divine blessing, social righteousness, and unwavering discipline. The word illustrates how a simple root can govern both literal transactions and figurative concepts of order and power.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 6 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • הַעֲבַטְתָּ
  • תַּעֲבִיטֶ
  • הַעֲבֵט
  • יְעַבְּטוּ
  • תַעֲבֹט
  • עֲבֹט

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H5667 עֲבוֹט or עֲבֹט; from עָבַט; a pawn; pledge. H5383 נָשָׁה a primitive root (rather identical with נָשָׁה, in the sense of נָשָׁא); to lend or (by reciprocity) borrow on security H4910 מָשַׁל a primitive root; to rule; (have, make to have) dominion, governor, [idiom] indeed, reign, (bear, cause to, have) rule(-

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

3
Deuteronomy
1
Joel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.