A word meaning cessation (from work): the weekly seventh day of
rest, fundamental in Israelite life, sanctioned by God's rest
from the work of creation (Gen. 2: 1–3) and accepted as such in
all parts of the OT (though not mentioned in the Wisdom
literature). Legislation for the Sabbath is outlined in Exod.
20: 8–11; 31: 12–17; 34: 21; Deut. 5: 12–15. It was a day for
rejoicing (Hos. 2: 11) and for visiting the Temple (Isa. 1: 13).
Before the Exile the discipline was not absolute, and it is
recorded (2 Kgs. 11: 5–9) that Athaliah was arrested and
executed on a Sabbath. Indeed the regulations could hardly go
back to the time of Moses, since they assume an agricultural
society, not a heterogeneous collection of nomads. The prophets
Jeremiah and Ezekiel insisted on strict observance of the
Sabbath (Jer. 17: 19–27; Ezek. 20: 11–24) and it was an
important aspect of Nehemiah's discipline after the Return (Neh.
13: 15–23). From then on it was an increasingly visible part of
the Jewish sense of national identity. Ear