עַצְלָה

# H6103: עַצְלָה (ats.lah) — Sluggishness The Hebrew word *ats.lah* denotes "sluggishness," a state of inactivity or lack of diligence. Based on its minimal biblical occurrence—appearing only twice—this term occupied a narrow but defined place in biblical vocabulary for describing a particular type of human failing or condition. The rarity of this word's appearance in Scripture suggests it was not a primary concern term for biblical authors, unlike related concepts that appear more frequently. With only two occurrences, *ats.lah* appears to have functioned as a specialized descriptor rather than a dominant ethical category. The word's definition—focused specifically on sluggishness rather than broader laziness or idleness—indicates a precise semantic field concerned with the quality of being slow, inactive, or lacking in vigor. Without access to the specific biblical contexts where this word appears, we can observe that its inclusion in the biblical lexicon reflects ancient Israelite awareness of sluggishness as a recognizable human condition worthy of naming. The term's existence and limited use suggest it held meaning significant enough to encode in Hebrew but perhaps not significant enough to generate extensive usage in the biblical texts that survive.