seb

שב

'seb' appears to be a nuanced word with a range of meaning around the idea of “resting” or “staying put”. It is in this context that it became the root word of the term “Sabbath”. However, things are not as straightforward as they appear.

Under the guise of several differing strong numbers the traditional interpretation has been stretched somewhat into a series of very similar but slightly different meanings: “abide”1), “remain”2), “stop”3), and “broken”4).

By application of affixes, this set is extended to include: “ripen”5), “consider”6), “scheme”7), “oath”8). The logic here is quite feasible; the act of abiding allows time for consideration, consideration becomes scheming, often ripening into an oath. A parallel etymological path brings us the the meaning “head of grain”9) (after having ripened) and probably also “rod, staff or scepter”10) (as in a ripened stick of wood). This last meaning is also used metaphorically to refer to a “tribe”, for the same reasons that the scepter is still used as a symbolic artifact of royalty/governance.

The idea of “Sabbath”11) stems from a novel interpretation beginning only in the book of Exodus and in the context of the Mosaic law. This also ties in with the number seven12), and “fulfillment” or “satisfaction”13) more variant meaning of the same word 'seb'.

1)
Lex ID 3427
2)
Lex ID 7725
3)
Lex ID 7673
4)
Lex ID 7665
5)
Lex ID 6212
6)
Lex ID 2803
7)
Lex ID 4284
8)
Lex ID 7621
9)
Lex ID 7641
10)
Lex ID 7626
11)
LexID 7676
12)
LexID 7651
13)
LexID 7646