6001. amel

Lexicon

amel: Labor, toil, trouble, hardship

Original Word: עָמֵל
Part of Speech: noun masculine
Transliteration: `amel
Pronunciation: ah-MALE
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-male')
Definition: Labor, toil, trouble, hardship
Meaning: toiling, a laborer, sorrowful

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

that labors, that is a misery, had taken labor, wicked, workman

From amal; toiling; concretely, a laborer; figuratively, sorrowful -- that laboureth, that is a misery, had taken (labour), wicked, workman.

see HEBREW amal

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. עָמֵל noun masculine^{Proverbs 16:26} labourer, sufferer; — ׳ע Proverbs 16:26 2t.; plural עֲמֵלִים Judges 5:26; —

1 labourer, workman: Judges 5:26; Proverbs 16:26.

2 sufferer, Job 3:20 ("" מָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ), Job 20:22.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root עָמַל (ʿāmal), which conveys the idea of laboring or toiling.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G4088: πιέζω (piezo) • This Greek term can mean to press or oppress, often used metaphorically to describe the pressure or burden of labor.
• G4192: πόνος (ponos) • This Greek word refers to toil, labor, or pain, capturing the essence of hardship and suffering associated with work.

The concept of עָמֵל (ʿāmēl) in the Hebrew Bible serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges and often transient nature of human labor, encouraging reflection on the ultimate purpose and value of one's efforts in light of divine wisdom and eternal perspective.

Usage: The word עָמֵל is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe individuals who are engaged in laborious work or who are experiencing the burdens and sorrows associated with toil. It often highlights the strenuous and sometimes futile nature of human effort.

Context: • The term עָמֵל appears in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, often emphasizing the burdensome and wearisome aspects of human labor. It is used to describe the plight of those who work hard yet find little satisfaction or reward in their efforts.
• In Ecclesiastes, the word is frequently employed to illustrate the vanity and fleeting nature of human endeavors. For example, Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 (BSB) states, "I hated all the work at which I toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is futile."
• The term also appears in Job, where it underscores the suffering and hardship experienced by Job and others who endure great toil and sorrow. Job 3:20 (BSB) reflects this sentiment: "Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul?"
• The use of עָמֵל in the Psalms often conveys a sense of lament over the struggles and injustices faced by the righteous, as seen in Psalm 73:16 (BSB): "When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight."

Forms and Transliterations

לְעָמֵ֣ל לעמל עֲמֵלִ֑ים עָ֭מֵל עָמֵ֖ל עָמֵ֗ל עָמֵ֣ל עָמֵֽל׃ עמל עמל׃ עמלים ‘ă·mê·lîm ‘ā·mêl ‘āmêl ‘ămêlîm aMel ameLim lə‘āmêl lə·‘ā·mêl leaMel

Englishman's Concordance

Judges 5:26
HEB: וִֽימִינָ֖הּ לְהַלְמ֣וּת עֲמֵלִ֑ים וְהָלְמָ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙
NAS: And her right hand for the workmen's hammer.
KJV: and her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
INT: right hammer the workmen's struck Sisera

Job 3:20
HEB: לָ֤מָּה יִתֵּ֣ן לְעָמֵ֣ל א֑וֹר וְ֝חַיִּ֗ים
NAS: given to him who suffers, And life
KJV: given to him that is in misery, and life
INT: Why given who is light and life

Job 20:22
HEB: כָּל־ יַ֖ד עָמֵ֣ל תְּבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃
NAS: of everyone who suffers will come
KJV: every hand of the wicked shall come
INT: of everyone the hand who will come

Proverbs 16:26
HEB: נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לּ֑וֹ
NAS: A worker's appetite works
KJV: He that laboureth laboureth
INT: appetite A worker's works for

Ecclesiastes 2:18
HEB: עֲמָלִ֔י שֶׁאֲנִ֥י עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ
NAS: for which I had labored under
KJV: all my labour which I had taken under the sun:
INT: the fruit I had labored under the sun

Ecclesiastes 2:22
HEB: לִבּ֑וֹ שֶׁה֥וּא עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
NAS: with which he labors under
KJV: wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
INT: of his heart wherein labors under east side

Ecclesiastes 3:9
HEB: בַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר ה֥וּא עָמֵֽל׃
NAS: from that in which he toils?
KJV: in that wherein he laboureth?
INT: which he that labors

Ecclesiastes 4:8
HEB: וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־
NAS: [and he never asked], And for whom am I laboring and depriving
KJV: with riches; neither [saith he], For whom do I labour, and bereave
INT: whom I laboring and depriving myself

Ecclesiastes 9:9
HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ אַתָּ֥ה עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
NAS: in which you have labored under
KJV: and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
INT: which you have labored under the sun

9 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6001
9 Occurrences

‘ā·mêl — 7 Occ.
‘ă·mê·lîm — 1 Occ.
lə·‘ā·mêl — 1 Occ.