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טַבָּחָה

𐤈𐤁𐤇𐤄

ṭabbâchâh

H2879 noun

SILEX Entry

Root טבח to slaughter, butcher, prepare food

Definition

A woman who prepares, cooks, or otherwise manages the preparation of food, typically in a domestic, palace, or temple setting. The term designates a female cook, with reference both to food preparation and, in some cases, to responsibilities associated with kitchen work within a larger household or institutional context. While the primary sense is a female cook, it may carry specific connotations depending on the setting (domestic, royal, cultic).

Semantic Range

female cook, woman preparing food, female manager of food preparation; cook (female) in a palace, domestic, or temple setting

Root / Etymology

The word derives from the root טבח, meaning 'to slaughter, butcher, prepare (food),' to which the feminine ending ָה (ah) is added, forming a feminine noun from the masculine טַבָּח (ṭabbāch, 'cook, butcher'). Thus, טַבָּחָה (ṭabbâchâh) indicates a female associated with the profession or task of butchering, preparing, and cooking meat or food.

Historical & Contextual Notes

טַבָּחָה is a rare feminine noun, attested less frequently than its masculine counterpart טַבָּח (ṭabbāch). The term appears primarily in later biblical Hebrew (e.g., in the Persian or early Hellenistic period writings such as Esther 2:18), reflecting perhaps evolving social structures where female roles in royal or large household kitchens became more explicitly defined. While 'cook' is an appropriate translation, the context of royal courts or large households may imply a position of some status or specialization, not merely basic food preparation. In contrast to the masculine טַבָּח, which may also denote a butler or slaughterer (and even, in rare contexts, an executioner), the feminine form is always culinary in focus. Later translations sometimes substitute 'female servant' or simply 'servant,' failing to convey the culinary specificity of the term in its context. The English 'cook' is generally adequate but should not obscure the term's potential for a more formal or specialized role, especially in royal or ritual settings. This term should be distinguished from more general words for female servant or maid, as it denotes a specific vocational assignment. In post-biblical Hebrew, derivatives continue with similar meanings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of טַבָּח; a female cook; cook.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

טבח (ṭ-b-ḥ) — to slaughter, butcher, prepare food

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2873 טָבַח to slaughter
H2874 טֶבַח to the slaughter
H2875 טֶבַח Tebach
H2876 טַבָּח the slaughterer
H2877 טַבָּח the slaughter-executioners

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2879-01 וּ/לְ/טַבָּח֖וֹת uletabachot HC/R/Ncfpa cooks and to female cooks 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2879-01 1 Samuel 8:13 וּ/לְ/טַבָּח֖וֹת uletabachot HC/R/Ncfpa cooks and to female cooks
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