from שָׁבַת; rest, interruption, cessation; cease, sit still, loss of time.
Transliteration:shebeth
Pronunciation:sheh'-beth
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun שֶׁבֶת (shebeth, `{{H7674}}`) is derived directly from the verbal root שָׁבַת (`{{H7673}}`), meaning "to cease, desist, rest, keep Sabbath." As a noun, שֶׁבֶת denotes the *state* or *act* of ceasing, resting, or interrupting. Its semantic range is multifaceted, encompassing:
* **Rest/Cessation:** A period of inactivity, a stopping of an activity or state. This is the most direct meaning, reflecting the root.
* **Interruption:** A break in continuity, a pause in an ongoing process.
* **Inactivity/Sitting Still:** A state of being idle or not taking action, which can sometimes imply futility or idleness.
* **Loss of Time:** Implies a period where work or progress stops, often with negative connotations of delay or unproductivity.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term שֶׁבֶת (`{{H7674}}`) appears in several significant contexts in the Hebrew Bible, illustrating its diverse applications:
* **Isaiah 30:7**: "For Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her 'Rahab Who Sits Still (שֶׁבֶת).'" Here, שֶׁבֶת denotes an utter lack of effective action or assistance, emphasizing futility and idleness. It describes a state of being ineffective and offering no help.
* **Lamentations 1:7**: "Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and her wanderings all the pleasant things that were hers from days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the foe, with none to help her. The foes saw her and mocked at her cessation (שֶׁבֶת)." In this context of national lament, שֶׁבֶת refers to the cessation of Jerusalem's former glory, prosperity, or even the cessation of her people's presence and activity within the city due to exile and desolation. It signifies a state of forced inactivity and ruin.
* **Lamentations 3:49**: "My eye flows with tears, without ceasing (מִשֶּׁבֶת), because there is no cessation." The phrase מִשֶּׁבֶת (mi-shebeth) literally means "from cessation," implying an unending flow of tears. Here, שֶׁבֶת is used in a negative construction to express continuous, uninterrupted action (or in this case, weeping).
* **Ezra 4:21**: "Therefore issue a decree that these men be stopped (שֶׁבֶת), and that this city not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me." In this administrative decree, שֶׁבֶת is used imperatively to command the cessation of the rebuilding work on Jerusalem, highlighting an imposed interruption.
* **Ezra 4:24**: "Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem ceased (שֶׁבֶת)." This verse reports the direct consequence of the decree in [[Ezra 4:21]], stating that the construction work on the Temple indeed came to a halt. Here, שֶׁבֶת describes the actual cessation of activity.
These occurrences demonstrate שֶׁבֶת's capacity to describe both voluntary and imposed states of inactivity, ranging from futile idleness to devastating desolation and administrative halts.
### Related Words & Concepts
The understanding of שֶׁבֶת (`{{H7674}}`) is greatly enriched by its connection to other terms from the same root:
* `{{H7673}}` (שָׁבַת, shabath): The foundational verbal root, meaning "to cease, desist, rest, keep Sabbath." This verb is crucial for understanding the core concept of stopping activity.
* `{{H7676}}` (שַׁבָּת, shabbath): The most prominent derivative, referring to the "Sabbath" day—the divinely ordained day of rest and cessation from labor. This word embodies the positive, sanctified aspect of cessation.
* `{{H7677}}` (שַׁבָּתוֹן, shabbaton): A noun meaning "a solemn rest, a Sabbath observance." It often describes a special day of complete cessation from work, such as the Day of Atonement or the first and eighth days of the Feast of Tabernacles (e.g., [[Leviticus 23:3]]).
Conceptually, שֶׁבֶת aligns with ideas of rest, interruption, idleness, desolation, and futility. While שַׁבָּת often carries positive connotations of holy rest, שֶׁבֶת can frequently convey a more neutral or even negative sense of cessation, particularly when imposed or indicative of unproductivity.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of שֶׁבֶת (`{{H7674}}`) largely stems from its relationship to the broader biblical concept of cessation, particularly as rooted in the divine pattern of rest.
* **Divine Sovereignty and Order**: While שֶׁבֶת itself doesn't directly refer to the Sabbath day, its root שָׁבַת is foundational to the Sabbath command. God's "resting" on the seventh day of creation ([[Genesis 2:2]]) established a divine pattern of cessation, affirming His sovereignty over time and human labor. The concept of שֶׁבֶת, even in its negative applications, implicitly points to a disruption or imposition upon this divinely ordered activity.
* **Consequences of Disobedience and Judgment**: In contexts like [[Lamentations 1:7]] and [[Ezra 4:21]], [[Ezra 4:24]], שֶׁבֶת describes a forced cessation, often as a direct result of divine judgment or human opposition. The "cessation" of Jerusalem's former glory or the "stopping" of the Temple rebuilding highlights periods of divine discipline or human interference that disrupt God's purposes or the people's well-being. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of straying from God's path.
* **Futility of Human Endeavor Apart from God**: The use of שֶׁבֶת in [[Isaiah 30:7]] to describe Egypt's uselessness as an ally—a "sitting still" that offers no genuine help—underscores a profound theological truth. Human strength, alliances, and plans are ultimately futile and unproductive (שֶׁבֶת) without God's active involvement and blessing. This calls for a reliance on divine power rather than human might.
* **A Call to Trust and Repentance**: The negative connotations of שֶׁבֶת (forced cessation, futility) can serve as a theological impetus for Israel to cease from self-reliance and turn back to God. Rather than experiencing שֶׁבֶת as a consequence of judgment, the ideal is to embrace the שַׁבָּת (Sabbath) as a willing cessation of labor in trust and worship.
### Summary
The Hebrew noun שֶׁבֶת (shebeth, `{{H7674}}`), derived from the verb שָׁבַת (`{{H7673}}`, "to cease, rest"), denotes a state or act of cessation, interruption, or rest. Its semantic range includes simple inactivity, a break in continuity, or even a sense of futility or desolation. While conceptually linked to the sacred rest of the Sabbath, שֶׁבֶת often describes a more general or even negative form of stopping. Biblically, it appears in contexts describing the futility of human alliances ([[Isaiah 30:7]]), the desolation and forced inactivity of a city under judgment ([[Lamentations 1:7]]), the continuous nature of grief ([[Lamentations 3:49]]), and the administrative or actual cessation of work, such as the rebuilding of the Temple ([[Ezra 4:21]], [[Ezra 4:24]]). Theologically, שֶׁבֶת underscores divine sovereignty, the consequences of disobedience, the futility of human efforts apart from God, and implicitly calls for a trust in God that transcends reliance on one's own striving, ultimately pointing towards the greater theological concept of rest found in God alone.
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