### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻâtsêb**, represented by `{{H6092}}`, refers to **a (hired) workman** or **labour**. It is a very rare term, appearing only **1 times** across **1 unique verses** in the Bible. Its sole usage provides a sharp critique of religious hypocrisy, contrasting outward acts of piety with the inward reality of exploitation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single appearance of `{{H6092}}` is in [[Isaiah 58:3]], where God admonishes the people of Israel. They question why God does not see their fasting or acknowledge when they afflict their souls. God's response reveals their hypocrisy: "Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your **labours**" [[Isaiah 58:3]]. Here, the word is used to expose how their religious observance is a sham, as they simultaneously pursue their own selfish interests and oppress their workers.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H6092}}` is clarified by several words used alongside it in its only verse:
* `{{H5065}}` **nâgas** (to exact, oppress, taskmaster): This word is directly paired with `{{H6092}}` in [[Isaiah 58:3]]. It describes the action of driving or harassing someone, often a workman or debtor. Its use in [[Exodus 3:7]] to describe the Egyptian **taskmasters** afflicting Israel provides a powerful parallel to the kind of oppression God condemns.
* `{{H2656}}` **chêphets** (pleasure, desire, a valuable thing): In the same verse, the people are accused of finding **pleasure** on their fast day. This stands in direct contrast to the purpose of a fast. True delight is found in God's law [[Psalms 1:2]], not in selfish pursuits during a time of supposed humility.
* `{{H6031}}` **ʻânâh** (to afflict, humble, deal hardly with): The people claim to have **afflicted** their souls, but their actions prove otherwise. True humbling is an act of God, as when He humbled Israel in the wilderness to teach them dependence on Him [[Deuteronomy 8:2]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6092}}` is significant despite its rarity, as it anchors a key lesson on the nature of true worship.
* **Critique of Empty Ritualism:** The word's context in [[Isaiah 58:3]] serves as a powerful biblical condemnation of religious practices devoid of genuine righteousness. Fasting is meant to be an act of humility, but here it is coupled with exacting **labour**, showing that the ritual was meaningless.
* **Social Justice as True Piety:** The condemnation of exacting "labours" places social justice at the heart of acceptable worship. God is not pleased with fasting when it is accompanied by the oppression of workers. The verse implicitly connects genuine faith with how one treats others.
* **The Heart of an Oppressor:** The combination of finding "pleasure" `{{H2656}}` while exacting "labour" `{{H6092}}` reveals a heart that is self-serving, not God-serving. It uses the language of oppression, seen in the related term for taskmaster, `{{H5065}}` **nâgas**, to define the character of their false piety.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6092}}` is a highly specific term whose single biblical appearance delivers a profound message. It is not merely a word for "labour" but is used specifically to illustrate the sin of exploiting workers under the guise of religious devotion. Its context in [[Isaiah 58:3]] makes it a cornerstone for understanding that true worship is inseparable from acts of justice and mercy, and that God rejects any piety that serves as a cover for oppression.
TRV