Original Word: אִבְחָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ibchah
Pronunciation: ib-khaw'
Phonetic Spelling: (ib-khaw')
KJV: point
NASB: glittering
Word Origin: [from an unused root (apparently meaning to turn)]

1. brandishing of a sword

point

From an unused root (apparently meaning to turn); brandishing of a sword -- point.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
slaughter
NASB Translation
glittering (1).

[אִבְחָה] noun feminine construct אִבְחַת חֶרֶב Ezekiel 21:20; Dl, as above, slaughter; but probably error for טבחת (see טבח) Ges Co; ᵐ5 σφάγια ρὁμφαίας, compare ᵑ7.

אֲבַטִּיחִים see בטח.

אָבִי see ביה.

אֲבִי see אֲבִיָּהוּ below II. אבה.

אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי see אֲבִיעֶזֶר below II. אבה.

אֲבִיָּה see אֲבִיָּהוּ below II. אבה.

אֲבִיהַיִל see אֲבִיחַיִל below II. אבה.

אֶבְיוֺן, אֲבִיּוֺנָה see I. אָבָה.

אֲבִיָּם see אֲבִיָּהוּ below II. אבה.

אֶבְיָסָף see אֲבִיאָסָף below II. אבה.

Canonical Setting

The solitary occurrence of אִבְחָה appears in Ezekiel 21:15, situated within the prophet’s extended “sword oracle” (Ezekiel 21:1-17). Here Ezekiel dramatizes the Babylonian blade poised against Judah. Against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical tension (circa 588-586 B.C.), the term brings the terror of imminent judgment into sharp focus.

Ezekiel 21:15: “So that hearts may melt and many will stumble, I have stationed the sword at every gate. Ah! It is made to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.”

Imagery and Literary Function

1. Intensification of Judgment: The sudden appearance of this rarely used noun heightens the sense of catastrophic loss. By choosing a word that occurs nowhere else, the Spirit underscores the uniqueness and finality of the sentence about to fall.
2. Sword and Lightning: The verse marries the language of lethal violence with the brilliance of lightning—echoing Deuteronomy 32:41 (“My sword flashes”) and foreshadowing Revelation 19:15, where the Warrior-King’s sword executes justice.
3. Sensory Evocation: The polished sword “flashing” evokes a searing visual image. Hearts melt (cf. Joshua 2:11) and knees buckle (Nahum 2:10), demonstrating the visceral effect divine judgment produces.

Historical and Prophetic Significance

• Nebuchadnezzar would soon breach Jerusalem’s gates (2 Kings 25:1-10). אִבְחָה anticipates the indiscriminate devastation awaiting both royal and commoner.
• The sword is explicitly “appointed” by God (Ezekiel 21:3-5). Human armies serve as the Lord’s rod; therefore, the judgment is righteous, not arbitrary.
• Though the oracle is stern, it functions pastorally by calling the remnant to repentance (Ezekiel 21:6-7). The singular noun presses home the urgency—there will be no second chance once the sword strikes.

Theological Themes

• Holiness and Justice: God’s holiness demands the purging of covenantal infidelity (Leviticus 26:25).
• Sovereign Instrumentality: Earthly powers remain subordinate to divine command (Proverbs 21:1).
• Mercy through Warning: Even the harshest pronouncement is a gracious summons to return (Ezekiel 18:32).

Intertextual Echoes

• Isaiah 31:8 – “The sword… shall devour,” sharing the motif of a divinely controlled instrument.
• Hebrews 4:12 – The Word as a two-edged sword, linking physical and spiritual judgment.
• Revelation 1:16; 19:15 – Messiah’s mouth-sword consummates what Ezekiel foreshadowed, transferring the image from Babylon’s steel to Christ’s victorious decree.

Ministry Application

Preaching: אִבְחָה furnishes a sobering reminder that sin invites real consequences. Modern proclamation should balance the gospel’s comfort with its warning (Acts 24:25).

Pastoral Care: When believers face seemingly indiscriminate suffering, Ezekiel 21 affirms God’s control and ultimate purpose, encouraging humble repentance rather than fatalistic despair.

Discipleship: The passage motivates holiness. Just as Judah’s complacency was shattered, contemporary faith communities must guard against presuming upon grace (Romans 11:20-22).

Homiletical Outline (Sample)

1. The Sword Prepared (Ezekiel 21:8-11) – Certainty of judgment.
2. The Sword Personified (21:12-13) – Emotional impact on prophet and people.
3. The Sword Positioned (21:14-17) – All-encompassing reach, highlighted by אִבְחָה.
4. The Sword’s Purpose – To purge and ultimately pave the way for the Righteous Branch (Ezekiel 21:27).

Summary

אִבְחָה, though a single-appearance term, acts as a theological spotlight in Ezekiel’s warning. It concentrates the horror of coming destruction, authenticates the prophet’s message, and, by contrast, magnifies the hope of ultimate salvation accomplished at the cross and consummated at Christ’s return.

אִבְחַת־ אבחת־ ’iḇ·ḥaṯ- ’iḇḥaṯ- ivchatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts