Word Study for H2878 (טִבְחָה)

ṭibchâh /tib-khaw'/ Ask about this word

Rootfeminine of טֶבַח and meaning the same

Meaning(properly, something slaughtered; hence, a beast (or meat, as butchered); abstractly butchery (or concretely, a place of slaughter))

KJV usageflesh, slaughter.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ṭibchâh — 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 ṭibchâh, represented by H2878, refers to something slaughtered. It appears 3 times in 3 unique verses. Based on its root, it can denote butchered flesh or meat, or abstractly, the act of slaughter itself.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The usage of H2878 highlights a contrast between its literal and figurative meanings. In 1 Samuel, it refers concretely to provisions, where Nabal asks, "Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers...?" 1 Samuel 25:11. In contrast, both Psalms and Jeremiah use the word in the powerful metaphor "sheep for the slaughter." The psalmist uses this phrase to describe the suffering of the faithful, who are "counted as sheep for the slaughter" for God's sake Psalms 44:22. Jeremiah employs the same imagery to call for divine judgment, asking God to "pull them out like sheep for the slaughter" Jeremiah 12:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the concept of slaughter:

H2873 ṭâbach (to slaughter): This is the primitive root from which H2878 is derived. It signifies the direct action of killing, as seen in the phrase "flesh that I have killed for my shearers" 1 Samuel 25:11.
H2028 hărêgâh (slaughter): This synonym for slaughter is used in Jeremiah to specify a "day of slaughter" for the wicked Jeremiah 12:3.
H6629 tsôʼn (flock): This collective name for a flock of sheep or goats provides the key object in the metaphor where people are depicted as helpless "sheep for the slaughter" Psalms 44:22.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2878 comes from its powerful metaphorical use.

The Suffering of the Righteous: In Psalms, the image of being sheep for the slaughter expresses profound despair. The people feel they are being killed with impunity for their faithfulness to God, "counted" as worthless animals destined for butchery Psalms 44:22.
Divine Judgment on the Wicked: Jeremiah turns this metaphor into a cry for justice. He asks God to treat the wicked as one would treat sheep, pulling them out of the flock specifically for the "day of slaughter," a designated time for judgment Jeremiah 12:3.
Literal versus Figurative: The word's use in 1 Samuel 25:11 for literal butchered flesh provides a grounding, concrete meaning. This starkly contrasts with its use as a symbol of helplessness and impending doom in the prophetic and poetic books.

Summary

In summary, H2878 ṭibchâh conveys more than just its literal meaning of butchered flesh. It serves as a potent biblical metaphor for the plight of the helpless and the certainty of judgment. From a simple reference to meat for a meal 1 Samuel 25:11, the term is elevated to describe the suffering of the righteous Psalms 44:22 and the appointed doom of the wicked Jeremiah 12:3. It illustrates how a common word for provision can also become a symbol of ultimate vulnerability.

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 noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

טִבְחָה
טִבְחָתִ

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Samuel, Psalms, and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1 Samuel

Psalms

Jeremiah

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.