5998. amal

Lexicon

amal: Toil, labor, trouble, weariness

Original Word: עָמַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `amal
Pronunciation: ah-mal
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-mal')
Definition: Toil, labor, trouble, weariness
Meaning: to toil, work severely and with irksomeness

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

take labor in

A primitive root; to toil, i.e. Work severely and with irksomeness -- (take) labour (in).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to labor, toil
NASB Translation
does (1), labor (1), labored (4), laboriously (1), toils (2), work (1), works (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

עָמַל verb labour, toil (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic labour, make; Sabean עמל work (? noun or verb) CIS^{iv. No. 250}; Aramaic עֲמַל, ; Zinjirli עמל; Assyrian nîmelu, gain, possessions); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳ע Ecclesiastes 2:21; 3feminine singular עָֽמְלָה Proverbs 16:26; 2masculine singular עָמַלְתָּ Jonah 4:10; 1singular עָמַלְתִּי Ecclesiastes 2:11 2t.; 3 plural עָֽמְלוּ Psalm 127:1; Imperfect3masculine singular יַעֲמֹל Ecclesiastes 1:3 3t.; — labour (very late): in building Psalm 127:1; tillage, with בְּ Jonah 4:10; Generally, with בְּ Ecclesiastes 2:21, with לְ Proverbs 16:26; Ecclesiastes 5:15, with לְ + infinitive Ecclesiastes 8:17; עֲמָלוֺ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל Ecclesiastes 1:3; Ecclesiastes 5:17, compare Ecclesiastes 2:11,19,20.

II. עָמֵל verbal adjective toiling, only Ecclesiastes, as predicate; — Ecclesiastes 2:18,22; Ecclesiastes 3:9; Ecclesiastes 4:8; Ecclesiastes 9:9.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • While there is no direct one-to-one correspondence in the Greek New Testament for עָמַל (ʿāmal), similar concepts of toil and labor can be found in Greek words such as κόπος (kopos, Strong's Greek 2873), which denotes laborious toil or trouble, and μόχθος (mochthos, Strong's Greek 3449), referring to hardship or toil. These terms capture the essence of laborious effort and the burdensome nature of work, akin to the Hebrew עָמַל.

Usage: The verb עָמַל (ʿāmal) is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe laborious work, often with a connotation of hardship or weariness. It can refer to physical toil, mental exertion, or the burdensome nature of certain tasks.

Context: • The root עָמַל (ʿāmal) appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, often highlighting the strenuous and burdensome nature of work. It is frequently used in contexts that emphasize the futility or oppressive nature of human labor, especially when disconnected from divine purpose or blessing.
• In Ecclesiastes, the term is used to express the vanity and weariness of human endeavors: "What does a man gain from all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:3, BSB). This reflects the existential questioning of the value of labor without eternal significance.
• The Psalms also employ עָמַל (ʿāmal) to describe the distress and hardship faced by the righteous, often in contrast to the apparent ease of the wicked: "For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong" (Psalm 73:3-4, BSB).
• In prophetic literature, the term is used to depict the burdens imposed by oppressive rulers or the consequences of sin, as seen in Habakkuk 1:3: "Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds" (BSB).
• The concept of עָמַל (ʿāmal) serves as a reminder of the fallen state of the world, where labor is often accompanied by pain and frustration, echoing the curse of Genesis 3:17-19. However, it also points to the hope of redemption and rest found in God, who ultimately provides meaning and fulfillment beyond earthly toil.

Forms and Transliterations

יַעֲמֹ֧ל יעמל עָ֣מְלָה עָֽמַל־ עָמְל֣וּ עָמַ֥לְתָּ עמל־ עמלה עמלו עמלת שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל שֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל שֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּי שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי שיעמל שעמלתי ‘ā·mal- ‘ā·mal·tā ‘ā·mə·lāh ‘ā·mə·lū ‘āmal- ‘āmaltā ‘āməlāh ‘āməlū amal aMalta Amelah ameLu še‘āmaltî še·‘ā·mal·tî še·ya·‘ă·mōl šeya‘ămōl sheaMalti sheiyaaMol ya‘ămōl ya·‘ă·mōl yaaMol

Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 127:1
HEB: בַ֗יִת שָׁ֤וְא ׀ עָמְל֣וּ בוֹנָ֣יו בּ֑וֹ
NAS: the house, They labor in vain
KJV: the house, they labour in vain
INT: the house vain labor build lo

Proverbs 16:26
HEB: נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־
NAS: appetite works for him, For his hunger
KJV: that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth
INT: appetite A worker's works for urges

Ecclesiastes 1:3
HEB: בְּכָל־ עֲמָל֔וֹ שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
NAS: his work Which he does under the sun?
KJV: of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
INT: all his work does under east side

Ecclesiastes 2:11
HEB: יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה
KJV: and on the labour that I had laboured to do:
INT: my hands and the labor had laboured had exerted and behold

Ecclesiastes 2:19
HEB: בְּכָל־ עֲמָלִ֔י שֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּי וְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּי תַּ֣חַת
NAS: for which I have labored by acting wisely
KJV: over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise
INT: all the fruit have labored acting under

Ecclesiastes 2:20
HEB: כָּל־ הֶ֣עָמָ֔ל שֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּי תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
NAS: for which I had labored under
KJV: of all the labour which I took under the sun.
INT: all the fruit had labored under the sun

Ecclesiastes 2:21
HEB: וּלְאָדָ֞ם שֶׁלֹּ֤א עָֽמַל־ בּוֹ֙ יִתְּנֶ֣נּוּ
NAS: who has labored with wisdom,
KJV: yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave
INT: to one not has labored gives his legacy

Ecclesiastes 5:16
HEB: יִּתְר֣וֹן ל֔וֹ שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל לָרֽוּחַ׃
NAS: to him who toils for the wind?
KJV: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
INT: what is the advantage toils air

Ecclesiastes 5:18
HEB: בְּכָל־ עֲמָל֣וֹ ׀ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל תַּֽחַת־ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ
NAS: in which he toils under
KJV: of all his labour that he taketh under the sun
INT: all labor toils under the sun

Ecclesiastes 8:17
HEB: בְּ֠שֶׁל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲמֹ֧ל הָאָדָ֛ם לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ
NAS: should seek laboriously, he will not discover;
KJV: a man labour to seek [it] out,
INT: though which laboriously man seek

Jonah 4:10
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־ עָמַ֥לְתָּ בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א
NAS: for which you did not work and [which] you did not cause to grow,
KJV: on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow;
INT: which did not work cause to grow

11 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5998
11 Occurrences

‘ā·mal- — 1 Occ.
‘ā·mal·tā — 1 Occ.
‘ā·mə·lāh — 1 Occ.
‘ā·mə·lū — 1 Occ.
še·‘ā·mal·tî — 3 Occ.
še·ya·‘ă·mōl — 3 Occ.
ya·‘ă·mōl — 1 Occ.