### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **maṭbêach**, represented by `{{H4293}}`, is a specific term for **slaughter**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Derived from the root word for slaughter, its single use carries immense weight, signifying a prepared and deliberate act of judgment rather than a general term for killing.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H4293}}` is in a prophetic declaration in Isaiah. The verse commands, "Prepare **slaughter** for his children for the iniquity of their fathers" [[Isaiah 14:21]]. This act is not random but is presented as a direct consequence of ancestral sin. The purpose of this judgment is explicitly stated: to prevent the descendants from rising to power, possessing the land, and filling the world with their cities, thereby ending a corrupt lineage.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the surrounding text of [[Isaiah 14:21]] give depth to the meaning of `{{H4293}}`:
* `{{H3559}}` **kûwn** (prepare): This word, meaning to set up or establish, shows that the slaughter is a planned and ordained event, not a chaotic one. It is an action being "prepared" [[Isaiah 14:21]].
* `{{H1121}}` **bên** (son): The objects of the slaughter are the "children," highlighting the generational aspect of this judgment [[Isaiah 14:21]]. This concept is also seen where God visits the iniquity of fathers upon their children [[Exodus 20:5]].
* `{{H5771}}` **ʻâvôn** (iniquity): This specifies the reason for the slaughter—the moral evil and perversity of the "fathers." This links the consequence directly to the sin [[Isaiah 14:21]].
* `{{H1}}` **ʼâb** (father): This word identifies the source of the iniquity that leads to the judgment upon the children, establishing a clear line of accountability [[Isaiah 14:21]].
* `{{H6965}}` **qûwm** (to rise): The stated goal of the slaughter is to ensure this wicked lineage does not "rise" again, underscoring the finality and preventative nature of the judgment [[Isaiah 14:21]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4293}}` is concentrated entirely within its context of divine judgment.
* **Generational Judgment:** The term is explicitly used in a context where the consequence of sin is passed down. The slaughter is for the children because of "the iniquity of their fathers" [[Isaiah 14:21]], a principle also seen in God visiting iniquity on future generations [[Exodus 34:7]].
* **Divine Prevention:** The slaughter serves a preventative purpose. It is carried out specifically so that the descendants "do not rise, nor possess the land" [[Isaiah 14:21]]. This demonstrates a divine intervention meant to permanently stop the spread and influence of an evil line.
* **Consequence of Iniquity:** `{{H4293}}` is inextricably linked to `{{H5771}}`, iniquity. The verse presents slaughter as the severe, but direct, repercussion for moral evil, illustrating the gravity with which God views sustained, unrepentant sin.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4293}}` **maṭbêach** is a term of stark and focused severity. Its single biblical instance in [[Isaiah 14:21]] defines it not as a common act of violence, but as a prepared, divinely commanded **slaughter** enacted as a final judgment. It encapsulates the solemn themes of generational iniquity and God's sovereign power to bring a definitive end to a wicked legacy.
TRV