English · KJV
H2251

חָבַט

châbaṭ /khaw-bat'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto knock out or off
KJV usagebeat (off, out), thresh.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of châbaṭ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word châbaṭ, represented by H2251, is a primitive root meaning to knock out or off; beat (off, out), thresh. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses, typically describing the agricultural act of separating produce, like grain or fruit, by striking.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its literal biblical usage, H2251 depicts specific harvesting techniques. Gideon is found using this action to threshed wheat in a winepress, a secretive measure to hide the grain from the Midianites Judges 6:11. Similarly, Ruth beat out the barley she had gleaned in the field Ruth 2:17. The law in Deuteronomy commands that when one beatest an olive tree, they should not go over the boughs a second time, leaving the remainder for the poor Deuteronomy 24:20. The word also illustrates a nuanced approach to threshing, noting that delicate spices like fitches and cummin are beaten out with a staff or rod, not a heavy threshing instrument Isaiah 28:27.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a broader understanding of threshing and its associated concepts:

  • H1758 dûwsh (to trample or thresh): This term often implies a more intense or forceful action than H2251. It is used to describe threshing Gilead with iron instruments Amos 1:3 and the figurative treading down of enemies Isaiah 25:10.
  • H2742 chărûwts (a threshing-sledge (having sharp teeth)): This word refers to the actual implement used for heavy threshing. The Bible specifies that fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument H2742 but are instead beaten out H2251 with a staff Isaiah 28:27, highlighting the difference in methods.

Theological Significance

The meaning of H2251 is also applied figuratively to describe God's actions and moral laws.

  • Divine Gathering: In a powerful metaphor for restoration, the LORD promises that He shall beat off the children of Israel from the rivers, gathering them one by one like carefully harvested fruit Isaiah 27:12. This portrays a meticulous and personal act of salvation.
  • Mandated Provision: The act of "beating" an olive tree is directly tied to a law of social justice. The harvester is forbidden from going back over the branches, ensuring that what remains is left for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow Deuteronomy 24:20.
  • Appropriate Action: The distinction in how different crops are threshed serves as a parable for using appropriate measures. One does not use a heavy cart wheel on cummin but gently beats it out with a rod, suggesting wisdom and precision Isaiah 28:27.

Summary

In summary, H2251 is a specific verb that, while limited in use, provides a clear picture of a particular kind of agricultural work. It moves from the literal threshing floor of Gideon and Ruth to the foundation of laws for the poor and becomes a metaphor for God's careful, deliberate gathering of His people. It demonstrates how a simple, physical action can be imbued with significant theological and ethical meaning.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 5 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • יֵחָבֶט
  • תַּחְבֹּט
  • תַחְבֹּט
  • יַחְבֹּט
  • חֹבֵט

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1758 דּוּשׁ or דּוֹשׁ; or דִּישׁ; a primitive root; to trample or thresh; break, tear, thresh, tread out (down), at grass (Jeremiah H2742 חֲרוּץ or חָרֻץ; passive participle of חָרַץ; properly, incised or (active) incisive; hence (as noun masculine or feminine) a t

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 5 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (2 verses); never once in the other 35.

1
Deuteronomy
1
Judges
1
Ruth
2
Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.