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טָבַע

𐤈𐤁𐤏

ṭâbaʻ

H2883 verb

SILEX Entry

Root טבע to sink, to press in, to embed

Definition

To sink down into a substance (water, mud, quicksand), to be pressed or driven in, or to become submerged; by extension, to cause to sink, to plunge, or to embed (an object). The term can reference the action of a person, object, or mark becoming lost from sight by being forced below a surface, particularly liquid.

Semantic Range

to sink (in water or mud), to be submerged, to cause to sink, to plunge, to embed, to press in (as a stamp or seal), to become lost to view (by sinking)

Root / Etymology

Root: ט־ב־ע. The root טבע carries the core meaning of 'to sink' or 'to be pressed in.' The derived verb טָבַע (ṭâbaʿ) builds upon the idea of motion downward or inward, especially being swallowed up by liquid or viscous material. The root is distinct from but conceptually adjacent to other roots for 'falling' (e.g. נפל), with greater emphasis on submergence or embedding.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, טָבַע most frequently refers to objects or people that sink or are made to sink, particularly in watery environments (e.g. the Egyptian chariots in the Sea of Reeds, Exod 15:4). The root can also be used more metaphorically for objects impressed or embedded, such as a signet in clay (though other roots like חתם are more common for sealing). It is not used for 'drowning' as an act of suffocation per se, but focuses on the act of submersion or descent. In post-biblical Hebrew, the root also gives rise to terms meaning 'to mint' or 'to stamp' (coins), referring to the impression made by sinking an image into a surface, though this sense is not primary in the Hebrew Bible. Standard English translations often use 'sink,' 'drown,' or 'settle,' but these may not fully capture the nuance of forced submergence as opposed to simple falling. The term appears primarily in prose narrative and poetic passages describing dramatic submersion or vanishing from view. The semantic range is narrower than terms for general destruction (cf. אבד 'to perish'), focusing specifically on the physical process of sinking or being submerged.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to sink; drown, fasten, settle, sink.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

טבע (ṭ-b-ʿ) — to sink, to press in, to embed

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2884 טַבָּעוֹת signet rings
H2885 טַבַּעַת in the signet-rings

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2883-05 טָבְע֣וּ taveu HVqp3cp have sunk they sank down 2
H2883-02 הָטְבָּ֑עוּ hatebau HVHp3cp were set/sunk they were made to sink 2
H2883-04 טָבַ֤עְתִּי tavaeti HVqp1cs I have sunk I sank 1
H2883-06 טֻבְּע֥וּ tubeu HVPp3cp are drowned they were submerged 1
H2883-03 הָטְבְּע֥וּ hatebeu HVHp3cp have-sunk they were caused to sink 1
H2883-07 וַ/תִּטְבַּ֤ע vatiteba HC/Vqw3fs and sank she sank down 1
H2883-08 וַ/יִּטְבַּ֥ע vayiteba HC/Vqw3ms and he sank and he sank down 1
H2883-01 אֶטְבָּ֑עָה etebaah HVqh1cs I sink let me sink down 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2883-06 Exodus 15:4 טֻבְּע֥וּ tubeu HVPp3cp are drowned they were submerged
H2883-07 1 Samuel 17:49 וַ/תִּטְבַּ֤ע vatiteba HC/Vqw3fs and sank she sank down
H2883-08 Jeremiah 38:6 וַ/יִּטְבַּ֥ע vayiteba HC/Vqw3ms and he sank and he sank down
H2883-03 Jeremiah 38:22 הָטְבְּע֥וּ hatebeu HVHp3cp have-sunk they were caused to sink
H2883-05 Psalms 9:16 טָבְע֣וּ taveu HVqp3cp have sunk they sank down
H2883-04 Psalms 69:3 טָבַ֤עְתִּי tavaeti HVqp1cs I have sunk I sank
H2883-01 Psalms 69:15 אֶטְבָּ֑עָה etebaah HVqh1cs I sink let me sink down
H2883-02 Proverbs 8:25 הָטְבָּ֑עוּ hatebau HVHp3cp were set/sunk they were made to sink
H2883-02 Job 38:6 הָטְבָּ֑עוּ hatebau HVHp3cp were sunk they were made to sink
H2883-05 Lamentations 2:9 טָבְע֤וּ taveu HVqp3cp have sunk they sank down
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