Original Word: דְּבַח
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: dbach
Pronunciation: deh-bakh
Phonetic Spelling: (deb-akh')
KJV: offer (sacrifice)
NASB: offered
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H2076 (זָבַח - sacrifice)]

1. to sacrifice (an animal)

offer sacrifice

(Aramaic) corresponding to zabach; to sacrifice (an animal) -- offer (sacrifice).

see HEBREW zabach

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to zabach
Definition
to sacrifice
NASB Translation
offered (1).

[דְּבַח] verb sacrifice (Biblical Hebrew זָבַח); —

Pe`al Participle active plural דָּֽבְחִין Ezra 6:3, with accusative דִּבְחִין, see following

Linguistic Background

דְּבַח (debach) is an Aramaic noun denoting a sacrifice or slaughtered offering. In Ezra it functions as the Aramaic counterpart to the Hebrew זֶבַח (zebach), underscoring a continuity of sacrificial vocabulary across linguistic boundaries in the post-exilic era.

Canonical Context in Ezra

Ezra 6:3 records the decree of Cyrus permitting the Jerusalem temple to be rebuilt “as a place for offering sacrifices”. The single use of דְּבַח anchors the entire reconstruction project to its primary purpose: reinstating the sacrificial worship ordained by God. The temple was not merely an architectural enterprise; it was the divinely sanctioned locus where atonement, thanksgiving, and covenant fellowship would again be enacted.

Historical Significance in the Restoration Era

1. Political Climate: Cyrus’s edict (Ezra 1:1–4; 6:3) followed Near-Eastern policy that supported native cults to secure loyalty. Yet in biblical theology the decree fulfills prophetic promises of restoration (Isaiah 44:28; Jeremiah 29:10).
2. Liturgical Renewal: The altar had already been erected (Ezra 3:2–6), but full sacrificial ministry required a consecrated sanctuary (Exodus 29:43). The mention of דְּבַח signals the intended revival of daily, festival, and votive offerings (Numbers 28–29).
3. Covenant Continuity: By using Aramaic, the imperial decree speaks to an empire-wide audience, while the content—sacrifice—links the returning remnant to Abrahamic and Mosaic worship (Genesis 8:20; Exodus 20:24).

Theological Implications of Sacrifice

• Atonement: Sacrifice embodies substitutionary atonement (Leviticus 17:11). Rebuilding the temple re-establishes the God-ordained means for dealing with sin.
• Presence: “Let the house be rebuilt” (Ezra 6:3) recalls “that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Sacrifices facilitate divine presence among His people.
• Joy and Thanksgiving: Post-exilic feasts (Ezra 6:16–22) mirror earlier dedication celebrations (2 Chronicles 7:5), showing that sacrifice fosters communal joy and gratitude.

Continuity with Earlier Revelation

Ezra’s use of דְּבַח gathers the theology of sacrifice from earlier texts:

– Dedication of the tabernacle (Leviticus 8–9)

– Dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:62–64)

– Prophetic vision of acceptable worship after exile (Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 33:11)

Thus the term bridges patriarchal, Mosaic, monarchic, and restoration periods, reinforcing Scripture’s unified storyline.

Foreshadowing Christ’s Atonement

While Ezra reinstates animal sacrifices, these offerings, by divine design, prefigure the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:4–10). The Second Temple became the stage where the Messiah later declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19), pointing to His body as the final meeting place between God and humanity.

Ministry Applications

1. Worship Priority: Like the exiles, churches today must place atonement-centered worship above architectural or organizational concerns.
2. Holiness and Mission: The restored sacrificial system called Israel to purity before the nations; believers now proclaim the finished sacrifice of Christ while pursuing holiness (1 Peter 2:9).
3. Stewardship: Cyrus financed the rebuild (Ezra 6:4); believers are likewise stewards of resources for gospel ministry and corporate worship (2 Corinthians 9:7).

דָבְחִ֣ין דבחין ḏā·ḇə·ḥîn ḏāḇəḥîn daveChinInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts