Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

EXODUS 23:12KJV
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Exodus 23:12 (KJV)

What does Exodus 23:12 mean?

Exodus 23:12 commands that work should be done for six days, but on the seventh day, there must be rest so that not only people but also animals and servants can be refreshed. The instruction is for everyone in the community, including foreigners and those in humble positions, to benefit from a regular day of rest.

In Exodus 23:12, God is speaking to the Israelites through Moses as part of a series of laws given after the exodus from Egypt. The verse emphasizes that the Sabbath rest is not just for the Israelites themselves, but also for their livestock, servants, and even foreigners living among them. This law highlights a concern for the well-being of all creatures and social fairness within the community.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 23:12

  • שָׁבַת (shavat, "rest"): This word means to cease or stop, not just to relax. The command is about stopping regular work entirely, not just taking it easy.
  • יָנוּחַ (yanuach, "may rest"): This verb is used for the ox and donkey, showing that even animals are to experience relief from labor, not just humans.
  • יִנָּפֵשׁ (yinnafesh, "may be refreshed"): This word comes from a root meaning "to breathe" or "to be revived." It suggests that the Sabbath is meant to restore energy and life, not just to pause activity.

Why Exodus 23:12 matters

  • Exodus 23:12 clarifies that the Sabbath is not an exclusive privilege for a select group, but a gift and protection for everyone in society, including animals and marginalized people.
  • The verse connects the Sabbath command to compassion and social justice, showing that rest is a right for the vulnerable, not just the powerful.
  • In the context of Exodus, this law stands out as a humane and countercultural practice compared to other ancient societies, where slaves and animals often had no guaranteed rest.

Where else these words appear

“refreshed” Hebrew H5314 · used in 3 verses

  • Exodus 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
  • 2 Samuel 16:14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

“handmaid” Hebrew H519 · used in 49 verses

  • Genesis 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
  • Deuteronomy 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
  • 1 Samuel 25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

“rest” Hebrew H5117 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
  • 2 Samuel 21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
  • Isaiah 7:19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.

“rest” Hebrew H7673 · used in 67 verses

  • Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
  • Nehemiah 4:11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
  • Jeremiah 48:35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.