טֶבַח
𐤈𐤁𐤇
ṭebach
H2874 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Slaughter, the act or process of killing animals, typically for food; by extension, a slaughtered animal or meat, and, in some contexts, a place of slaughter. The term can also refer abstractly to carnage or massacre, though this latter sense is rare and context-dependent.
Semantic Range
slaughter, butchery, the act of killing animals, a slaughtered animal, meat, a place of slaughter, mass killing, carnage (rare)
Root / Etymology
From the root טבח (ṭ-b-ḥ), which means 'to slaughter, kill (especially animals for food)'. טֶבַח (ṭebach) is a masculine noun formed from this root, indicating either the act of slaughter, something slaughtered (the product), or the place where slaughter occurs.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, טֶבַח primarily refers to the slaughter of animals, especially in contexts of food preparation or ritual sacrifice (e.g., Gen 43:16 refers to slaughtering for a meal). The word is also used occasionally in contexts of violent killing or large-scale killing, but such usage is less frequent and usually indicated by its placement alongside terms for destruction or violence. During the monarchic and post-exilic periods, ritual slaughter developed more distinct terminology (e.g., זֶבַח for sacrificial offerings), so טֶבַח tended to refer more broadly to non-ritual slaughter or to large-scale killing. In a handful of passages, טֶבַח may refer concretely to the meat resulting from slaughter, or abstractly to the act itself. Standard English translations may render the term as 'slaughter', 'butchery', 'meat', or 'slain', but often do not capture whether the context is ritual, culinary, or violent; careful attention to context is required. The later English term 'butcher' derives from root meanings similar to טבח, but modern associations with commercial meat-selling are not necessarily present in ancient usage.
Translation Consistency
ʻṭebachʻ primarily denotes the act/place/result of killing animals for meat. "Slaughter" is the most natural, common English term that covers the act (to slaughter), the event/place (a slaughter), and related senses (slaughtered meat/carnage). It also matches the majority of existing P2 renderings and keeps a single, consistent base word for all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from טָבַח; properly, something slaughtered; hence, a beast (or meat, as butchered); abstractly butchery (or concretely, a place of slaughter); [idiom] beast, slaughter, [idiom] slay, [idiom] sore.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kikongo | koba | to kill, to massacre, to slaughter | |
| Kikongo | tuba | to kill, to slaughter | |
| Kimbundu | koba | to kill, to murder, to slaughter | |
| Kimbundu | tuba | to kill, to slaughter | |
| Lingala | koba | to butcher, to slaughter (animals) |
Root Family
טבח (Tevach) — to slaughter, kill, butcher
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2873 | טָבַח | to slaughter |
| H2875 | טֶבַח | Tebach |
| H2876 | טַבָּח | the slaughterer |
| H2877 | טַבָּח | the slaughter-executioners |
| H2878 | טִבְחָה | for slaughtered meat |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2874-01 |
לַ/טָּֽבַח | latavach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter | 3 |
H2874-02 |
לַ/טֶּ֣בַח | latevach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter | 2 |
H2874-06 |
טֶ֨בַח֙ | tevach | HNcmsa |
a slaughter | slaughter | slaughter | 2 |
H2874-03 |
לְ/טָֽבַח | letavach | HR/Ncmsa |
for slaughter | for slaughter | for slaughter | 1 |
H2874-04 |
לְ/טֶ֣בַח | letevach | HR/Ncmsa |
for-slaughter | for slaughter | for slaughter | 1 |
H2874-05 |
טָ֣בַח | tavach | HNcmsa |
the slaughter | slaughter | slaughter | 1 |
H2874-07 |
טִ֭בְחָ/הּ | tivechah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
her meat | slaughtering | her slaughtered meat | 1 |
H2874-08 |
וְ/טֶ֥בַח | vetevach | HC/Ncmsa |
and-a-slaughter | slaughter | and a slaughter | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
12 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2874-06 |
Genesis 43:16 | טֶ֨בַח֙ | tevach | HNcmsa |
a slaughter | slaughter | slaughter |
H2874-01 |
Isaiah 34:2 | לַ/טָּֽבַח | latavach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter |
H2874-08 |
Isaiah 34:6 | וְ/טֶ֥בַח | vetevach | HC/Ncmsa |
and-a-slaughter | slaughter | and a slaughter |
H2874-02 |
Isaiah 53:7 | לַ/טֶּ֣בַח | latevach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter |
H2874-02 |
Isaiah 65:12 | לַ/טֶּ֣בַח | latevach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to-the-slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter |
H2874-01 |
Jeremiah 48:15 | לַ/טָּ֑בַח | latavach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter |
H2874-01 |
Jeremiah 50:27 | לַ/טָּ֑בַח | latavach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the slaughter | to the slaughter | to the slaughter |
H2874-06 |
Ezekiel 21:15 | טֶ֨בַח֙ | tevach | HNcmsa |
for slaughter | slaughter | slaughter |
H2874-03 |
Ezekiel 21:20 | לְ/טָֽבַח | letavach | HR/Ncmsa |
for slaughter | for slaughter | for slaughter |
H2874-04 |
Ezekiel 21:33 | לְ/טֶ֣בַח | letevach | HR/Ncmsa |
for-slaughter | for slaughter | for slaughter |
H2874-05 |
Proverbs 7:22 | טָ֣בַח | tavach | HNcmsa |
the slaughter | slaughter | slaughter |
H2874-07 |
Proverbs 9:2 | טִ֭בְחָ/הּ | tivechah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
her meat | slaughtering | her slaughtered meat |