טַבָּח
𐤈𐤁𐤇
ṭabbâch
H2876 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person whose occupation is to slaughter animals, especially for food preparation (cook, butcher), and by extension an official responsible for executions or for serving in the royal guard. In different biblical contexts, refers both to a cook in a domestic or palace setting, and to a functionary tasked with administering capital punishment or guarding prisoners.
Semantic Range
butcher, cook (especially for royal or large households), executioner, official in charge of prisoners (captain of the guard), life-guardsman
Root / Etymology
From the root טבח (ṭ-b-ḥ), meaning 'to slaughter.' The noun derives from the root with the primary idea of 'one who slaughters' — applied both to a cook or butcher and, by extension, to an executioner or royal official involved in capital punishment.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, טַבָּח appears in different roles: Genesis 37–41 refers to an Egyptian court official responsible for the royal butchery, food service, and, by implication, the custody of prisoners (Gen 39:1; 40:2-3; 41:10). The same title later describes Babylonian officials overseeing the destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8; Jeremiah 39:9-10). The semantic range here expands from food preparation (cook/butcher) to high-ranking executioner or guard. Thus, the traditional English renderings (e.g., 'cook,' 'officer,' 'captain of the guard') often reflect context rather than lexical nuance. In later usage, טַבָּח may further develop into a technical term for an executioner. The association with 'guard' or 'captain of the guard' does not indicate ordinary soldiers but specific royal functionaries who possessed authority over prisoners and had the power of life and death, particularly in ancient Near Eastern royal households. The translation 'butcher' captures the core action, but the word's actual function varies by historical setting and text.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from טָבַח; properly, a butcher; hence, a lifeguardsman (because he was acting as an executioner); also a cook (usually slaughtering the animal for food); cook, guard.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
טבח (ṭ-b-ḥ) — to slaughter, butcher, kill (animals)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2873 | טָבַח | to slaughter |
| H2874 | טֶבַח | to the slaughter |
| H2875 | טֶבַח | Tebach |
| H2877 | טַבָּח | the slaughter-executioners |
| H2878 | טִבְחָה | for slaughtered meat |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2876-04 |
טַבָּחִ֛ים | tabachim | HNcmpa |
of the guard | slaughterers | 24 |
H2876-02 |
הַ/טַּבָּחִֽים | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the guard | the slaughterers | 6 |
H2876-01 |
הַ֠/טַּבָּח | hatabach | HTd/Ncmsa |
the cook | the slaughterer | 1 |
H2876-03 |
לַ/טַּבָּ֔ח | latabach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the cook | to the slaughterer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
32 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2876-02 |
Genesis 37:36 | הַ/טַּבָּחִֽים | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the executioners | the slaughterers |
H2876-02 |
Genesis 39:1 | הַ/טַּבָּחִים֙ | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the guard | the slaughterers |
H2876-02 |
Genesis 40:3 | הַ/טַבָּחִ֖ים | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the guard | the slaughterers |
H2876-02 |
Genesis 40:4 | הַ/טַּבָּחִ֧ים | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the guard | the slaughterers |
H2876-02 |
Genesis 41:10 | הַ/טַּבָּחִ֔ים | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the guard | the slaughterers |
H2876-02 |
Genesis 41:12 | הַ/טַּבָּחִ֔ים | hatabachim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the guard | the slaughterers |
H2876-03 |
1 Samuel 9:23 | לַ/טַּבָּ֔ח | latabach | HRd/Ncmsa |
to the cook | to the slaughterer |
H2876-01 |
1 Samuel 9:24 | הַ֠/טַּבָּח | hatabach | HTd/Ncmsa |
the cook | the slaughterer |
H2876-04 |
2 Kings 25:8 | טַבָּחִ֛ים | tabachim | HNcmpa |
of-the-executioners | slaughterers |
H2876-04 |
2 Kings 25:10 | טַבָּחִֽים | tabachim | HNcmpa |
guard | slaughterers |