Original Word: עָצַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `atsal
Pronunciation: ah-tsale'
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-tsal')
KJV: be slothful
NASB: delay
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to lean idly, i.e. to be indolent or slack

be slothful

A primitive root; to lean idly, i.e. To be indolent or slack -- be slothful.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be sluggish
NASB Translation
delay (1).

[עָצֵל] verb Niph`al be sluggish (Late Hebrew in derived species, and derivatives; compare Arabic III. stick fast in coitu, Lane²⁰⁸⁶; Syriac be stupid); — Imperfect2masculine plural אַלתֵּֿעָֽצְלוּ לָלֶכֶת Judges 18:9 be not sluggish in going.

Occurrence and Sense

The verb עָצַל appears a single time in the Hebrew Scriptures, Judges 18:9, where it depicts a reluctance to act. The Danite spies, having scouted Laish, rebuke their brethren: “Arise! Let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and indeed it is very good. Will you do nothing? Do not hesitate to go there to take possession of the land” (Judges 18:9). The word translated “hesitate” (or “be slack”) is עָצַל.

Historical Setting in Judges 18

1. Tribal Pressure: Dan, the last tribe to receive its inheritance (Joshua 19:47), struggled under Philistine pressure.
2. Reconnaissance Mission: Five warriors surveyed Laish, an isolated Sidonian colony in the northern reaches.
3. Call to Action: Upon their favorable report, the six hundred armed Danites marched north, seized Laish, and renamed it Dan (Judges 18:27–29). The exhortation “Do not hesitate” proved pivotal; failure to respond would have perpetuated Dan’s displacement.

Moral and Theological Themes

• Diligence versus Apathy – The spies contrast decisive faith with paralyzing inertia. Scripture consistently warns against slothfulness (Proverbs 6:6–11; 10:4; 13:4).
• Courage in Divine Promises – Israel’s history is marked by victories that hinge on prompt obedience (Joshua 1:6–9). Delay, symbolized by עָצַל, jeopardizes inheritance.
• Corporate Responsibility – The plural address (“Will you do nothing?”) underscores communal accountability. Spiritual lethargy by a few endangers the many (Numbers 13:31–33; Hebrews 3:12–19).

Canonical Resonances

Proverbs often employs different roots to condemn laziness, yet the conceptual overlap is clear:

– “The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied” (Proverbs 13:4).

– “Through laziness the roof sinks in, and through idleness the house leaks” (Ecclesiastes 10:18).

The New Testament echoes the same call: “Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12, cf. Romans 12:11).

Ministry Significance

1. Exhortation to Initiative – Leaders can model the Danite spies by urging believers to seize God-given opportunities for mission, service, and stewardship.
2. Warning Against Spiritual Drift – Congregations must guard against complacency that mutes evangelistic zeal and erodes doctrinal fidelity (Revelation 3:15–17).
3. Encouragement for Church Planting – Judges 18 offers a constructive paradigm: reconnaissance, unified action, and possession of strategic territory for the Lord’s glory.

Practical Application

• Personal Assessment: Where might hesitation be robbing you of God’s intended fruitfulness?
• Corporate Action: How can the local church move from observation to occupation in its community?
• Devotional Prayer: “Father, deliver us from the inertia of עָצַל; empower us to act promptly upon Your word.”

Summary

Though appearing only once, עָצַל crystallizes a timeless admonition: God’s people must never allow hesitation to eclipse obedience. Prompt, Spirit-led action secures the blessings already pledged by the Lord.

תֵּעָ֣צְל֔וּ תעצלו tê‘āṣəlū tê·‘ā·ṣə·lū teAtzeLuInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts