LESSON III.
The lexicons seem tenacious that a very usual signification of the word עבדʿbd ebed is labour, both as a noun and verb; and inasmuch as to many there may seem some relation between the ideas slavery and labour, we wish to be particular in examining the Hebrew use of the terms expressive of these ideas. It appears to us that the Hebrew word יָגַעyāgaʿ yaga, it simply our idea of labour, more closely than any other word. Yet this word is never disconnected with the idea fatigue and weariness, and perhaps something of the same character will be perceived to be attached to our word labour. In Gen. xxxi. 42, it is used and translated, “the יְגִיֽעַyĕgiyʿa labour of my hands.” xxv. 18, “and when thou wast faint and וְיָגִ֑עַwĕyāgiaʿ weary.” 3: “And make not all the people to תְּיַגַ֥עtĕyagaʿ labour thither.” xxiv. 13: “And I gave you a land for which you did not יָגַ֣עְתָּyāgaʿtā labour.” 2 Sam. xvii. 2: “And I will come upon him while he is יָגֵעַyāgēaʿ weary.” Neh. v. 13: “So shall God shake out every man from his house and from his וּמִ֣יגִיע֔וֹûmîgîʿô labour.” Job iii. 17: “And the יְגִ֣יעֵיyĕgîʿê weary be at rest.” ix. 29: “If I be wicked, why then אִיגָע֖ʾîgāʿ labour I in vain.” x. 13: * * “despised the יְגִ֣יעַyĕgîaʿ work of thy hands * *.” xxviii. 18: “That which he יָגָעyāgāʿ laboured for shall he restore.” xxxix. 11: * * “Wilt thou leave thy יְגִיעֶֽךָ֖yĕgîʿekā labour to him.” 16: * * * “ her יְגִיעָ֣הּyĕgîʿāh labour is in vain without fear?” Ps. lxix. 4: “They that hate me without a cause;” the idea is, they that labour to injure, &c. “And their וִ֜יגִעָםwîgiʿom labour unto the locust.” cix. 11: “let the stranger spoil his יְגִיע֥וֹyĕgîʿô labour.” cxxviii. 2: “For thou shalt eat the יְגִ֣יעַyĕgîaʿ labour of thy hands.” Prov. xxiii. 4: “תִּיגַע֥tîgaʿ labour not to be rich.” Eccl. xii. 12: “Much study is יְגִעַ֥תyĕgiʿat weariness to the flesh.” Isa. xliii. 22, 23, 24: “But thou hast been יָגַ֥עְתָּyāgaʿtā הֽוֹגַעְתִֽיךָhôgaʿtîkā wearied thee with incense.” “Thou hast הֽוֹגַעְתַּ֖נִיhôgaʿtanî wearied me with thine iniquities.” xlv. 14: “The יְגִ֨יעַyĕgîaʿ labour of Egypt.” xlvii. 15: “with whom thou hast יָגָ֑עַתְּyāgāʿat laboured.” lv. 2: “And your וִיגִיֽעֲכֶם֖wîgiyʿăkem labour for that which satisfieth not.” lxv. 23: “They shall not יִֽגְעוּ֨yigĕʿû labour in vain.” Jer. iii. 24: “For shame hath devoured the יְגִי֥עַyĕgiyʿa labour.” xx. 5: “And all the יְגִיעָ֖הּyĕgîʿāh labours thereof.” xlv. 3: “I יָגַעְתִּיyāgaʿtî fainted in my sighing.” The idea is, my sighing was a labour of great weariness, &c. Ezek. xxiii. 29: “And shall take away all thy יְגִיעֵךְyĕgîʿēk labour.” Hag. i. 11: “And upon all the יְגִי֥עַyĕgiyʿa labour of thy hands.” Mal. ii. 17: “Ye have הֽוֹגַעְתֶּם֤hôgaʿtem wearied the Lord with your words, yet ye say, Wherein have we הוֹגָ֑עְנוּhôgāʿĕnû wearied him?” Eccl. i. 8: “All things are full of יְגֵעִ֔יםyĕgēʿîm labour.” x. 15: “The (עָמָלʿāmāl amal) labour of the foolish (תִּיגָעֶנּוּtîgāʿennû) every one of them.” The word labour in this sentence is translated from amal, another Hebrew word, which signifies labour, but in its signification is implied the association of the idea grief, sorrow, &c. The adjective quality of this word is mental—in yaga, it is physical. This word amal seems to be derived from the Arabic عَملمنࣨʿamln amelan, and from thence the Syriac ܥܰܠܢܵܐ, having nearly the same signification. In Arabic the signification is put down by Castell, operator, mercenarius; and in Syriac, labore defessus. It is used in Hebrew as follows: Gen. xli. 51: “And Joseph called the name of his first-born Manessa; for God, said he, hath made me forget all my עֲמָלִיʿămālî toil,” (labour, sorrow.) The word manessa means to forget, to cause to forget, &c. Num. xxiii. 21: “He hath not beheld עָמָ֖לʿāmāl iniquity in Jacob,” i.e. labour designed to give trouble, perplexity, or sorrow. Deut. xxvi. 7: “The Lord heard our voice and looked upon our affliction, and our עֲמָלֵנ֭וּʿămālēnû labour and our oppression.” Judg. v. 26: “And her right hand to the workman’s (עֲמֵלִי֑םʿămēliym labourer’s) hammer.” Job iii. 10: “Nor hid עָ֜מָׄלʿāmāl sorrow from mine eyes.” 20: “Wherefore is light given unto him that is in לְעָמֵ֣לlĕʿāmēl misery.” iv. 8: “They that plough iniquity and sow עָמָ֣לʿāmāl wickedness shall reap the same.” v. 7: “Yet man is born to לְעָמָ֣לlĕʿāmāltrouble.” vii. 3: “So I am made to possess months of vanity, and עָ֝מָלʿāmol wearisome nights are appointed to me.” xv. 35: “They conceive עָ֭מָלʿāmol mischief and bring forth vanity.” xvi. 2: עָמָ֣לʿāmāl “Miserable comforters are ye all.” xx. 22: “In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in עָמֵ֣לʿāmēl straits.” But it should be remembered that the Hebrew copy of Job is itself a translation. Ps. vii. 15: “He made a pit and digged it, and has fallen into the עָ֜מָׄלʿāmāl ditch (sorrow bringing labour) which he made.” 16: “His עֲמָ֣לוֹʿămālô mischiefs shall return upon his own head.” x. 7: “Under his tongue is עָמָלʿāmāl mischief and vanity.” 14: “Thou beholdest עָ֘מָ֤לʿāmāl mischief and spite.” xxv. 18: “Look upon mine affliction and my וַֽעֲמָלִ֑יwaʿămālî pain, and forgive my sin.” “Yet is their strength עָמָ֣לʿāmāl labour and sorrow.” cv. 44: “And they inherit the וַֽעֲמַ֖לwaʿămal labour of the people.” cxxvii. 1: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain.” Prov. xvi. 26: “He that עָֽמְל֣וּʿāmĕlû laboureth עָ֣מְׄלָה עָ֭מֵלʿāmĕlâ ʿāmēl Isa. liii. 11: “He shall see of the מֵעֲמַלmēʿămal travail of his soul,” (labour producing sorrow, &c.) “And that write עָמָלʿāmāl grievousness which they have prescribed,” (a labour producing sorrow, &c.) Jonah iv. 10: “Thou hast had pity on the gourd for which thou hast not עָמַ֥לְתָּʿāmaltā laboured.” Eccl. i. 3: “What profit hath a man of all his עֲמָלוֹʿămālô labour which he taketh under the sun?” ii. 10: “For my heart rejoiced in all my עֲמָלִיʿămālî labour.” 11: “And then I looked on all the work that my hands had wrought, and on all the וּבֶֽעָמָ֖לûbeʿāmāl labour that I had שֶֽׁעָמַ֣לְתִיšeʿāmaltî laboured.” I hated all my עֲמָלִיʿămālî labour which I had עָמֵ֖לʿāmēl taken (laboured) under the sun.” 19: “Yet shall he have rule over all my עֲמָלִ֔יʿămālî labour wherein I have שֶֽׁעֽמַ֥לְתִּיšeʿmaltî laboured.” 20: “Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the הֶ֣עָמָלheʿāmol labour which I שֶׁ֥עָמַ֖לְתִּיheʿāmol took (laboured) under the sun.” 21: “For there is a man whose שֶֽׁעֲ֗מָל֛וֹšeʿămālô labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity—yet to a man that hath not עָ֥מַלʿāmal laboured herein shall he leave it for his portion.” 22: “For what hath man of all his עֲמָל֔וֹʿămālô labour and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath עָמֵ֖לʿāmēl laboured under the sun?” iv. 4: “Again I considered all עָמָלʿāmāl travail,” (labour and sorrow.) 8: “Yet there is no end to all his עֲמָל֔וֹʿămālô labour, neither saith he, For whom do I עָמֵ֗לʿāmēl labour.” iii. 9: “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he עָמֵ֥לʿāmēl laboureth?” v. 18: “And to enjoy the good of all his בַּֽעֲמָל֑וֹbaʿămālô labour.” vi. 7: “All the עֲמַ֥לʿămal labour of a man is for his mouth.” ix. 9: “For that is thy portion in this life and in thy וּבַעֲמָ֣לְךָ֔ûbaʿămālĕkā labour.” x. 15: “The עֲמַ֥לʿămal labour (amal) of the foolish תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּtĕyaggĕʿennû wearieth every one of them.”
מְלָאכָה֜mĕlāʾkāh melahkah is also quite analogous in its signification to our word labour, insomuch that our word labour may be often used in translation without impairing the sense. Gen. ii. 2: “On the seventh day God ended his work,” מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹmĕlaʾktô labour. xxxix. 11: “Joseph went into the house to do his business,” (labour.) Exod. xx. 9: “And do all thy work,” מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָmĕlaʾktekā 10: “In it thou shalt not do any work,” (labour, מְלָאכָ֜הmĕlāʾkâ.) xxxi. 3: “All manner of workmanship,” מְלָאכָֽהmĕlāʾkâ. 14: “For whosoever doeth any work,” מְלָאכָ֔הmĕlāʾkâ. 15: “Six days may work מְלָאכָה֒mĕlāʾkāh be done.” Lev. xiii. 48: “Of any thing made מְלֶ֥אכֶתmĕleʾket of skin,” (done, laboured, manufactured.) Ezra iii. 8: “To set forward the work of the house.” 9: “To set forward the workman,” הַמְּלָאכָ֖הhammĕlāʾkâ. Esther iii. 9: “And those that have charge of the king’s business,” הַמְּלָאכָ֔הhammĕlāʾkâ. ix. 3: “And officers הַמְּלָאכָה֙hammĕlāʾkāh of the king. Without multiplying examples, it may suffice to say, that this word, as expressive of labour, is ever associated with the idea of particularity, or class of labour, business, employment or job, without reference to any other adjective quality; and hence it came to mean a message, or one charged with a message, and is therefore sometimes used to mean an angel, because they were supposed to be messengers, charged to do a particular labour; hence, also, applied to a prophet; and hence, also, the prophet Malachi’s name.
עָשָׂהʿāśâ Asa properly means work or labour, as the result of making, procreating, producing, doing, acting, or performing, without any regard to the condition of the agent or actor. Gen. i. 7: “God made וַיַּעַשׂwayyaʿaś the firmament.” 16: “God made וַיַּעַשׂwayyaʿaś two great lights.” ii. 2: “God ended his work מְלַאכְתּוֹmĕlaʾktô which he had made,” עָשָׂ֥הʿāśâ. This word is also used to express the result of labour in acquiring slaves and other property generally, as in Gen. xii. 5: “All their substance that they had gathered, and the souls they had gotten in Haran,” i. e. all the property and slaves that they had laboured for, &c. עָשׂ֣וּʿāśû. Exod. xxxi. 4: “To work in gold and silver.” 5: It is used with malabkah, thus: “to work לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹתlaʿăśôt in all manner of workmanship,” (מְלָאכָֽהmĕlāʾkâ malakah.) These two words occur together again in Neh. iv. 15, the iv. 21 of the English text: “So we laboured עֹשִׂ֣יםʿōśîm in the work,” בַּמְּלָאכָ֑הbammĕlāʾkâ. Ezek. xxix. 20: “I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour,” עָ֣שׂוּʿāśû. Exod. xxx. 25: “And thou shalt make it (וְעָשִׂ֣יתָwĕʿāśîtā labour it) an oil of holy ointment, an ointment composed after the art of the apothecary.” Art is here translated from מַ֥עֲשֵׂ֣הmaʿăśē maase, which is another word of very similar import, and is derived from עָשָהʿāšâ, and expresses the idea of labour, as of a thing done, or wrought, a work, deed, action, concern, business, i. e. a labour emanating from a habit, or an occupation of business. Gen. xliv. 15: “What deed הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֥הhammaʿăśe is this that ye have done?” xlvii. 3: “What is your occupation?” מַּֽעֲשֵׂיכֶ֑םmaʿăśêkem. Exod. xxiii. 16: “And the feast of the harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours מַֽעֲשֶׂיךָmaʿăśêkā, which thou hast sown in the field, and the first of the ingathering, which is the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours,” מַעֲשֶׂ֖יךָmaʿăśêkā. Hag. ii. 17: “And I smote you with blasting and with hail in all the labours מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣הmaʿăśē of your hands.” Hab. iii. 17: “Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine, the labour מַֽעֲשֵׂהmaʿăśē of the olive shall fail.”
סֵבֶלsēbel sebel is sometimes translated labour, but it more often means something consequent to labour, as the burthen of labour is consequent to the labour: it is sometimes used to mean the produce of labour, and hence the Syrian Ephraimitish word סִבֹּלֶהsibbōle siboleth, which is said to mean an ear of corn, because an ear of corn was the produce of labour. Hence, it is sometimes used to mean prolific and fruitful, because the produce of labour is prolific and fruitful; and because to sustain a burthen, as of labour, carries with it the idea of physical ability and strength, it is used in the sense of bearing up, to elevate, to deliver from, &c. A few instances of its use will suffice. Exod. i. 11: “To afflict them with their burthens,” בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑םbĕsiblōtām. Ps. lxxxi. 7: “I delivered מִסֶּ֣בֶלmissebel thee.” cxliv. 14: “That our oxen may be strong to labour,” מְֽסֻבָּ֫לִיםmĕsubbālîm. The Hebrews had thus several ways by which they could express the idea labour accompanied with different adjective qualities. So the word עֶבֶדʿebed ebed may express the idea labour; but when so, it is always slave-labour, the labour peculiar to, or performed by a slave as in Isa. xix. 9: “They that work עֹֽבְדֵ֥יʿōbĕdê in fine flax.” The meaning is, they that labour or slave themselves in fine flax. The working in fine flax was slave-labour. If it were good English for us to say, they that slave in fine flax, it would be exactly what the prophet did say in this passage. So in Exod. xx. 9: “Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work.” Here labour is translated from ebed תַּ֥עֲבֹ֔ד֮taʿăbōd, as a verb “do” is from וְעָשִ֣֭יתָwĕʿāšîtā and “work” from מְלַאבְתְ֥ךָmĕlaʾbtĕkā. The literal meaning of this is—Six days shalt thou slave and labour all thy work;—or, more plainly—Six days shalt thou slave thyself (i.e. do slave labour) and וְעָשִ֣֭יתָwĕʿāšîtā labour, or make all thy מְלַאבְתְ֥ךָmĕlaʾbtĕkā particular, accustomed, professional or usual work or labour. This command is addressed to all mankind, and the propriety of it, as here explained, will be seen in the succeeding verse. “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do תַֽעֲשֶׂ֣הtaʿăśe any work כָל־מְלָאכָ֜ה֡kol-mĕlāʾkāh thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, (עַבְדְּךָʿabdĕkā, ebeddeka, slave.)” So, then, if this particular word had not been used, we could not have said that the command applied to slaves.
But the Hebrews had a way of expressing the idea of labour alone, associated with the idea of industry as its adjective quality: Should I say; By your hands you shall be sustained, the idea would be that you shall be sustained by your labour; that is, your personal industry. So the Hebrews used the words עַל־יָדʿal-yād el yod, which means “by hand,” and is used to mean labour. Thus, Prov. xiii. 11: “He that gathereth by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathereth by labour (עַל־יָ֣דʿal-yād by hand, i. e. by his own industry) shall increase.” Is it not clear, then, that the Hebrews stood in no need of the word ebed to mean labour generally. They did use it to mean slave-labour, and slave-labour alone, as we shall more fully see hereafter.
This language enabled its writers to express the distinctive shades of meaning—those adjective qualities associated with the idea labour. These facts may appear to the mere English scholar as matters of no importance—not worth investigation. But, touching the Hebrew use of this word עבדʿbd ebed and its compounds, as it affects and expresses the institution of slavery, amid the eras of Divine inspiration, we hope to be sustained in the consideration of its very great importance.