English · KJV
H2873

טָבַח

ṭâbach /taw-bakh'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto slaughter (animals or men)
KJV usagekill, (make) slaughter, slay.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ṭâbach — 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 ṭâbach, represented by H2873, is a primitive root that means to slaughter animals or men. It is a potent verb used to describe the act of killing, slaying, or making slaughter. It appears 11 times across 11 unique verses, indicating its specific and impactful usage within the biblical text.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its scriptural application, H2873 is used in both literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it refers to the butchering of animals for food, as when Joseph commands his steward to slay beasts for a meal Genesis 43:16 or when Nabal speaks of the flesh he has killed for his shearers 1 Samuel 25:11. It also appears in a legal setting, establishing the penalty for one who steals an ox and kills it Exodus 22:1. Figuratively, the term is used to depict violent death and divine judgment. In Lamentations, God is described as the one who has killed the people in his anger Lamentations 2:21, while Jeremiah prophesies a time for the "slaughter" of the corrupt leaders of the flock Jeremiah 25:34.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller picture of the act of slaughter:

  • H2874 ṭebach (something slaughtered): This noun is derived directly from the verb and refers to the butchered beast, meat, or the act of butchery itself. Wisdom personified is said to have killed her beasts in preparation for a feast Proverbs 9:2.
  • H2026 hârag (to smite with deadly intent): A broader term for killing or slaying, it is used alongside H2873 to emphasize the totality of destruction in God's judgment Lamentations 2:21.
  • H2719 chereb (sword): This word for a cutting instrument is often the means by which slaughter is carried out. The wicked are depicted as drawing out the sword in order to slay the upright Psalms 37:14.
  • H7843 shâchath (to destroy, ruin): This term for destruction appears in the plot against Jeremiah, who sees himself as being led to the slaughter while his enemies conspire to destroy him Jeremiah 11:19.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2873 is significant, often illustrating themes of judgment and persecution.

  • Covenant Curses: The act of slaughter is presented as a consequence of disobedience. As part of the curses for breaking the covenant, an Israelite's ox would be slain before his eyes, but he would not be able to eat it Deuteronomy 28:31.
  • The Innocent Sufferer: The image of an animal being led to slaughter is a powerful prophetic metaphor for the suffering of the righteous. Jeremiah describes himself as "a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter," unaware of the plots against him Jeremiah 11:19.
  • Divine Judgment: The word is used to describe God's active judgment against sin. The sword of the Lord is "sharpened to make a sore slaughter" Ezekiel 21:10, portraying God's wrath as a deliberate and precise act of destruction.

Summary

In summary, H2873 is more than a simple term for butchering. While it has a literal application in preparing food and in legal codes, its primary impact comes from its use as a metaphor. It powerfully conveys the severity of divine judgment, the tragic fate of the persecuted righteous, and the violent consequences of sin, making it a stark and memorable word in the biblical vocabulary.

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 and a noun across 12 occurrences, inflected in 8 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.

  • טְבוֹחַ
  • טְבָח
  • טְבֹחַ
  • טָבוּחַ
  • טָבַחְתִּי
  • טָבַחְתָּ
  • טָבְחָה
  • טֶבַח

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.

H2874 טֶבַח from טָבַח; properly, something slaughtered; hence, a beast (or meat, as butchered); abstractly butchery (or concretely, H2026 הָרַג a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent; destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter) H2719 חֶרֶב from חָרַב; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implemen H7843 שָׁחַת a primitive root; to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively); batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing),

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 11 verses across 9 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Jeremiah (3 verses); never once in the other 30.

1
Genesis
1
Exodus
1
Deuteronomy
1
1 Samuel
1
Psalms
1
Proverbs
3
Jeremiah
1
Lamentations
1
Ezekiel

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.