Hebrew Terms Glossary - Biblical Sabbath Words & Meanings

⏰ Time-Related Terms

עֶרֶב

Erev (Ereb)

Pronunciation: EH-rev

Meaning: Evening, dusk, sunset
Root meaning: To grow dark, to mix (as light mixes with darkness)
Significance: Marks the beginning of the biblical day

Genesis 1:5 - "And the evening (erev) and the morning were the first day."

בֹּקֶר

Boker

Pronunciation: BOH-ker

Meaning: Morning, dawn, daybreak
Root meaning: To break forth, to penetrate (as light breaks through)
Significance: The second part of the biblical day

Psalm 30:5 - "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (boker)."

יוֹם

Yom

Pronunciation: yohm

Meaning: Day (24-hour period or daylight portion)
Context determines: Can mean daylight hours or full evening-to-evening cycle
Plural: Yamim (days)

Genesis 1:5 - "And Elohim called the light Day (yom)."

לַיְלָה

Laylah

Pronunciation: LIE-lah

Meaning: Night, nighttime
Period: From darkness after sunset until dawn
Note: Part of the biblical day that begins at evening

Genesis 1:5 - "And the darkness he called Night (laylah)."

בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם

Bein Ha'arbayim

Pronunciation: bayn ha-ar-BAH-yeem

Literal meaning: "Between the evenings"
Time period: Late afternoon to sunset (approximately 3 PM to sunset)
Usage: Time for evening sacrifice and Passover lamb

Exodus 12:6 - "And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening (bein ha'arbayim)."

🕊️ Sabbath-Specific Terms

שַׁבָּת

Shabbat

Pronunciation: shah-BAHT

Meaning: Sabbath, rest, cessation
Root: Shavat - to cease, desist, rest
Timing: Friday evening to Saturday evening
Plural: Shabbatot (Sabbaths)

Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the sabbath (shabbat) day, to keep it holy."

שַׁבָּתוֹן

Shabbaton

Pronunciation: shah-bah-TONE

Meaning: Special sabbath, high sabbath, sabbath of rest
Usage: Describes annual feast sabbaths and Day of Atonement
Emphasis: Complete cessation from work

Leviticus 23:32 - "It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest (shabbat shabbaton)."

מְלָאכָה

Melakhah

Pronunciation: meh-lah-KHAH

Meaning: Work, occupation, craftsmanship
Sabbath context: Prohibited creative work
39 categories: Traditional Judaism lists 39 prohibited works

Exodus 20:10 - "But the seventh day is the sabbath of Yahuah thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work (melakhah)."

קֹדֶשׁ

Kodesh (Qodesh)

Pronunciation: KOH-desh

Meaning: Holy, sacred, set apart
Related: Kadosh (holy one), Kedoshim (holy ones)
Application: Sabbath is kodesh - set apart time

Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (kodesh)."

🎺 Feast & Festival Terms

מוֹעֵד

Moed

Pronunciation: moh-EHD

Meaning: Appointed time, festival, season
Plural: Moedim (appointed times)
Significance: Yahuah's calendar appointments with His people

Leviticus 23:2 - "The feasts (moedim) of Yahuah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations."

חַג

Chag

Pronunciation: khahg

Meaning: Festival, feast, pilgrimage feast
Three main chagim: Passover/Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Tabernacles
Root: To circle, dance, celebrate

Exodus 23:14 - "Three times thou shalt keep a feast (chag) unto me in the year."

פֶּסַח

Pesach

Pronunciation: PEH-sakh

Meaning: Passover, to pass over, to spare
Date: 14th of Aviv/Nisan at evening
Commemoration: Exodus from Egypt

Exodus 12:11 - "It is Yahuah's passover (pesach)."

🙏 Worship & Prayer Terms

הַלְלוּיָהּ

HalleluYah

Pronunciation: hah-leh-loo-YAH

Meaning: Praise Yah (Yahuah)
Components: Hallelu (praise ye) + Yah (short form of Yahuah)
Usage: Expression of worship and joy

Psalm 150:6 - "Let every thing that hath breath praise Yahuah. Praise ye Yahuah (HalleluYah)."

בָּרוּךְ

Baruch

Pronunciation: bah-ROOKH

Meaning: Blessed, to kneel, to bless
Common phrase: Baruch HaShem (Blessed be the Name)
Feminine: Beruchah

Psalm 119:12 - "Blessed (baruch) art thou, O Yahuah: teach me thy statutes."

תְּפִלָּה

Tefillah

Pronunciation: teh-fee-LAH

Meaning: Prayer, intercession
Root: Palal - to judge, intercede, pray
Plural: Tefillot (prayers)

2 Chronicles 7:15 - "Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer (tefillah) that is made in this place."

✨ Sacred Names

⚠️ Important Note: We use the true names revealed in Scripture, not titles that honor false deities. "Lord" = Ba'al in Hebrew. "God" sounds like Gad/Gawd (fortune deity).

יהוה

YHWH / Yahuah

Pronunciation: yah-HOO-ah

Meaning: The eternal, self-existent One
Tetragrammaton: Four Hebrew letters Yod-Hey-Waw-Hey
Related to: Hayah (to be, to exist)
Never use: Lord (Ba'al), Adonai, or the adversary's name from Enoch 69:6

Exodus 3:14-15 - "I AM THAT I AM... YHWH Elohim of your fathers... this is my name for ever."

יהושע

Yahusha

Pronunciation: yah-HOO-shah

Meaning: Yahuah is salvation
Components: Yahu (from Yahuah) + sha (salvation)
Not: Jesus (no J in Hebrew), Yeshua (missing Yah's name)

Matthew 1:21 - "Thou shalt call his name Yahusha: for he shall save his people from their sins."

אֱלֹהִים

Elohim

Pronunciation: eh-loh-HEEM

Meaning: Mighty One(s), plural of majesty
Singular: Eloah
Related: El (mighty one)

Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth."

💬 Common Hebrew Phrases

שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם

Shabbat Shalom

Pronunciation: shah-BAHT shah-LOHM

Meaning: Sabbath peace, peaceful Sabbath
Usage: Greeting on the Sabbath
Response: Shabbat Shalom u'mevorach (Sabbath peace and blessings)

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל

Shema Yisrael

Pronunciation: sheh-MAH yees-rah-EL

Meaning: Hear, O Israel
Full verse: "Hear, O Israel: Yahuah our Elohim, Yahuah is one"
Reference: Deuteronomy 6:4

תּוֹרָה

Torah

Pronunciation: toh-RAH

Meaning: Instruction, teaching, law
Root: Yarah - to shoot, direct, teach
Scope: First five books, or all of Yahuah's instructions

מִצְוָה

Mitzvah

Pronunciation: meets-VAH

Meaning: Commandment, precept
Plural: Mitzvot
Count: 613 commandments in Torah

📖 Hebrew Terms Glossary