Worship and Service in

the Old Testament

By Matthew Hartford (Pleasantview Church of Christ)

Defining Terms-

• Avad- Hebrew verb meaning "to serve". From this verb comes the word "eved" which means "slave" or "servant."
• Avodah- Hebrew noun which comes from the same root as "avad." It is translated as "work", or "service", or "labor."
• Shachah- Hebrew verb which literally means "to bow down." It is used of bowing before kings, rulers, idols, and God. It is the word that is translated "worship."
• Segad- Aramaic verb which literally means "to bow down." It also is used of bowing to kings, idols, and God. It is also translated "worship." This word is used only 11 times in the Bible. It is used exclusively in the book of Daniel. Ref.: 2:46; 3:5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 28.

Usage of the word "avad"-
In the service of God:
Exodus 3:12; 4:23; 7:16; 8:1; 10:26; 13:5.
Job 21:15.
Psalm 22:30.
Isaiah 19:21.
Jeremiah 2:20.
Malachi 3:14.

In Levitical service:
Numbers 3:7-8; 4:23 (service and work are from the same root); 24, 26, 30, 37, 41, 47; 7:5; 8:11, 15, 19, 22, 25, 26: 16:9; 18:6, 7, 21, 23.
Joshua 22:27.

In celebrating the feast days:
Exodus 12:25-26; 13:5
II Chronicles 35:10, 16. (word used here is "avodah".)

In giving offerings and sacrifices:
Joshua 22:26-28

Usage of the word "avodah"-
In Priestly and Levitical service:
Exodus 30:16; 35:21; 38:21; 39:32, 40.
Numbers 4:19,24, 27, 28, 30, 33, 47, 49; 7:5, 7, 8; 8:11,24, 26; 18:4, 6, 7, 21, 23.
I Chronicles 6:17; 24:3, 19.
II Chronicles 8:14, 19, 22; 31:2, 4,16, 23, 31, 33, 35, 39, 43.
I Chronicles 25:1; II Chronicles 35:15-16. (Temple singers)

Usage of the word "shachah"-
In worship of God:
Genesis 22:5; 24:26, 48, 52; 47:31.
Exodus 24:1; 33:10; 34:8
Deuteronomy 26:10
Judges 7:15
I Samuel 1:3, 19, 28; 15:25;
I Kings 1:47
I Chronicles 16:29
II Chronicles 7:3; 29:29; 20:18-20
Nehemiah 8:6
Job 1:20
Psalm 5:7; 29:2; 66:4; 95:6; 96:9; 99:5, 9; 132:7; 138:2.
Isaiah 27:13; 66:23. (prophecy of continual worship.)
Jeremiah 7:2; 26:2
Ezekiel 46:2, 3

In worship before the Angel of the Lord:
Genesis 18:2;19:1
Numbers 22:31
Joshua 5:14

In worship before idols:
Exodus 23:24
Leviticus 26:1
Numbers 25:2
Deuteronomy 5:9; 8:19; 11:16
Joshua 23:7
I Kings 16:31
II Kings 5:18 (used 3 times); 19:37
II Chronicles 25:14
Isaiah 2:20; 44:15, 17; 46:6

This is not an exhaustive study. However, all the verses using these words were examined and the results are consistent with what is written here. All the verses that used the word "worship" are represented on this paper. Only the words pertaining to the service of God directly are represented in this study. Only the scriptures are represented to allow the reader to make his/her own conclusions as to what worship was and was not in the Jewish system. This is the system that Jesus validated as being the only true worship of the Old Covenant in John 4:20-24.