The meaning of Worker; Workfellow; Workman in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
wur'-der, wurk'-fel-o, wurk'-man (charash, pa'al; ergates, sunergos): "Worker" (artificer) is the translation of charash, "to cut in" (I Kings 7:14, "a worker in brass"), and of charash, "artificer," etc. (I Chronicles 22:15); "workers of stone," rendered "workman," "workmen" (Isaiah 40:20; Isaiah 44:11; Jeremiah 10:3, Jeremiah 10:9, "artificer"; Hosea 8:6); 'asah, "to work," is translated "workers" of iniquity (Psalms 37:1, "them that work unrighteousness"); 'asah mela'khah, "to do work" (II Kings 12:14-15, "workmen," "them that did the work"; I Chronicles 22:15; II Chronicles 24:13, etc.; Ezra 3:9);'aneshe mela'khah, "men of work" (I Chronicles 25:1, "workmen," "them that did the work"); 'amel, "working," "toiling" (Judges 5:26, "put .... her right hand to the workmen's hammer"); pa'al, "to act," "do," when translated "workers," is joined with "iniquity," "workers of iniquity" (Job 31:3; Job 34:8, Job 34:22; Psalms 5:5; Psalms 6:8; Psalms 14:4, etc.; Proverbs 10:29; Proverbs 21:15); ergates, "worker," is translated "workman" (Matthew 10:10, "laborer"; II Timothy 2:15; Acts 19:25), "workers" (of iniquity) (Luke 13:27), "deceitful workers" (II Corinthians 11:13), "evil workers" (Philippians 3:2); dunamis, "power," is translated "(workers of) miracles" (I Corinthians 12:29 margin, the Revised Version (British and American) "powers"); sunergeo, "to work with" (II Corinthians 6:1, "working together with him").
Workfellow is the translation of sunergos, "joint or fellow-worker" (Romans 16:21; Colossians 4:11).
Workmaster occurs in Ecclesiasticus 38:27, as the translation of architekton.
For "of ("with") cunning work" (Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:31; Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:15; Exodus 36:8, Exodus 36:35; Exodus 39:3, Exodus 39:8), the American Standard Revised Version has "the work of the skillful workman," the English Revised Version "of the cunning workman"; instead of "I was by him as one brought up (with him)" (Proverbs 8:30), the Revised Version (British and American) has "I was by him as a master workman.
W. L. Walker
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
