Strong's Number: H8334
Original Word: sharat
Usage Notes: "to minister, serve, officiate." This word is a common term in Hebrew usage, ancient and modern, in various verbal and noun forms. It occurs in ancient Phoenician, and some See it in ancient Ugaritic as well. Sharat is found just under 100 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. The first time it is used in the Hebrew Bible is in the story of Joseph as he becomes the slave of Potiphar: "And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served [rsv, "attended"] him…" (Gen 39:4). As a term for serving or ministering, sharat is to be distinguished from the term for more menial serving, ‘abad, from which the word meaning "slave" or "servant" is derived. Sharat is characteristically used of "serving" done by royal household workers (2Sam 13:17; 1Ki 10:5). In the manner of the modern "public servant" idea, the word is used in reference to court officials and royal servants (1Chron 27:1; 1Chr 28:1; Esth 1:10).
Elisha "ministered" to Elijah (1Kings 19:21). Foreign kings are "to minister" to God's people (Isa 60:10). This term is used most frequently as the special term for service in worship. The Levitical priests "stand before the Lord to minister unto him" (Deut 10:8). They also are "to stand before the congregation to minister unto them" (Num 16:9). In the post-exilic temple, the Levites who had earlier "ministered" in idolatry will not be allowed "to serve" as priests but rather as maintenance workers in the temple (Ezek 44:11-14).
Usage Number: 2
Part of Speech: Noun
Strong's Number: H8334
Original Word: sharat
Usage Notes: "minister; servant." The noun form of the verb appears several times meaning "minister" or "servant." As Moses' right-hand man Joshua is referred to as "minister" (kjv), "servant" (rsv, jb, nasb), "assistant" (neb), or "aide" (nab) in Exod 24:13. Angels are God's "ministers … that do his pleasure" (Psa 103:21; cf. Psa 104:4).
