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זֶבַח

𐤆𐤁𐤇

zebach

H2077 noun

SILEX Entry

Root זבח to slaughter, to sacrifice, to slay ritually

Definition

A slaying or slaughter, especially the ritual slaughter of an animal as an offering to a deity; more specifically, an animal sacrifice presented in a communal or fellowship context, typically accompanied by a meal shared among worshipers, sometimes with priests or family; may refer to the act, the offering itself, or, by extension, a feast connected with such sacrifice.

Semantic Range

ritual animal sacrifice, slaughtered animal for offering, act of sacrificing, communal feast associated with a sacrifice, object of sacrifice (i.e., the animal), sacrificial victim, occasion of sacrificial meal

Root / Etymology

Root: זבח (z-b-ḥ), core meaning: to slaughter, sacrifice by slaughter. The noun זֶבַח derives from this verbal root and denotes the result or object of the ritual act (the animal killed for sacrifice) or, by extension, the communal event surrounding the sacrificial meal. The root is well-attested both in Northwest Semitic languages and in Hebrew inscriptional evidence, consistently connected with ritual animal slaughter.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, זֶבַח typically designates a category of sacrifices distinct from offerings such as עֹלָה ('olah, burnt offering) or מִנְחָה (minḥah, grain offering). זֶבַח is most often paired with terms like שְׁלָמִים (shelamim, 'peace offerings'), emphasizing its role in communal worship and covenantal meals rather than total burnt consumption. The term is found in patriarchal narratives (Genesis 31:54), indicating early practice, and throughout the period of the monarchy. By the post-exilic period, its meaning continues, though the standardization of cultic practices narrows its form. Unlike עֹלָה, which is wholly burned for deity, the זֶבַח typically involved distribution of meat to participants. Later translations (e.g., LXX and English Bibles) sometimes render זֶבַח as 'sacrifice,' but this may obscure its more relational and communal aspect. In ancient Israel, 'sacrifice' was not merely an act of destruction but an occasion for covenant reaffirmation and community fellowship, often with specific ritual distinctions (see also חַג, hag, 'festival sacrifice,' and עֹלָה, 'whole burnt offering').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from זָבַח; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act); offer(-ing), sacrifice.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

זבח (z-b-ḥ) — to slaughter, to sacrifice, to slay ritually

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2076 זָבַח I will sacrificially slaughter
H2078 זֶבַח and like Sacrifice
H4196 מִזְבֵּחַ on the sacrifice-altar

Word Forms

39 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2077-30 זֶ֨בַח֙ zevach HNcmsa sacrifice ritual slaughter-offering 53
H2077-35 זִבְחֵ֧י zivechey HNcmpc sacrifices slaughter-sacrifices of 16
H2077-18 וּ/לְ/זֶ֖בַח ulezevach HC/R/Ncmsc and for a sacrifice and for slaughter-sacrifice of 13
H2077-33 זְבָחִ֔ים zevachim HNcmpa sacrifices ritual slaughters 11
H2077-29 זָֽבַח zavach HNcmsa sacrifice ritual slaughter-offering 7
H2077-12 מִ/זֶּ֣בַח mizevach HR/Ncmsc from the sacrifice from a ritual slaughter 6
H2077-13 מִ/זִּבְחֵ֣י mizivechey HR/Ncmpc from the sacrifices from ritual slaughters of 4
H2077-36 זִבְחֵי/הֶם֮ zivecheyhem HNcmpc/Sp3mp their sacrifices their ritual slaughters 4
H2077-21 וּ/זְבָחִ֖ים uzevachim HC/Ncmpa and sacrifices and ritual slaughter-offerings 3
H2077-05 הַ/זֶּ֖בַח hazevach HTd/Ncmsa the sacrifice the slaughter-sacrifice 3

Occurrences in Scripture

162 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2077-30 Genesis 31:54 זֶ֨בַח֙ zevach HNcmsa a sacrifice ritual slaughter-offering
H2077-33 Genesis 46:1 זְבָחִ֔ים zevachim HNcmpa sacrifices ritual slaughters
H2077-33 Exodus 10:25 זְבָחִ֣ים zevachim HNcmpa sacrifices ritual slaughters
H2077-30 Exodus 12:27 זֶֽבַח zevach HNcmsc sacrifice ritual slaughter-offering
H2077-21 Exodus 18:12 וּ/זְבָחִ֖ים uzevachim HC/Ncmpa and sacrifices and ritual slaughter-offerings
H2077-38 Exodus 23:18 זִבְחִ֑/י zivechi HNcmsc/Sp1cs of My sacrifice my sacrificial slaughter
H2077-33 Exodus 24:5 זְבָחִ֧ים zevachim HNcmpa sacrifices ritual slaughters
H2077-13 Exodus 29:28 מִ/זִּבְחֵ֣י mizivechey HR/Ncmpc from the sacrifices from ritual slaughters of
H2077-15 Exodus 34:15 מִ/זִּבְחֽ/וֹ mizivecho HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms of his sacrifice from his sacrificial slaughter
H2077-38 Exodus 34:25 זִבְחִ֑/י zivechi HNcmsc/Sp1cs of my sacrifice my sacrificial slaughter
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