Original Word: טָבַח
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tabach
Pronunciation: tah-bakh
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-bakh')
KJV: kill, (make) slaughter, slay
NASB: slaughter, slaughtered, slay, make, prepared, slaughters
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to slaughter (animals or men)

kill, make slaughter, slay

A primitive root; to slaughter (animals or men) -- kill, (make) slaughter, slay.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to slaughter, butcher, slay
NASB Translation
make (1), prepared (1), slaughter (3), slaughtered (3), slaughters (1), slay (2).

[טָבַח] verb slaughter, butcher, slay (Late Hebrew id. (rare) and derivatives; Phoenician טבח participle; Assyrian ‰abâ—u Asrb^{Annals iii. 56}; Aramaic , טְבַח (rare) and derivatives; Arabic cook meat, also bake bread; Ethiopic slay) —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular suffix וּטְבָחוֺ consecutive Exodus 21:37; 3feminine singular טָֽבְחָה Proverbs 9:2; 2masculine singular טָבַחְתָּ Lamentations 2:21; 1singular טָבַחְתִּי 1 Samuel 25:11; Imperative וּטְבֹחַ Genesis 43:16; Infinitive construct טְבֹחַ Ezekiel 21:15; לִטְבֿוֺחַ Psalm 37:14 3t. (so Baer; van d. H לִטְבּוֺחַ, except לִטְב֑וֺחַ Jeremiah 51:40); Passive participle טָבוּחַ Deuteronomy 28:31; —

1 slaughter, butcher animals for food Exodus 21:37 (E), Proverbs 9:2 (figurative of Wisdom's furnishing her table); so with accusative of congnate meaning with verb טֶבַח ׳ט Genesis 43:16 (J), טִבְחָה ׳ט 1 Samuel 25:11; compare also Deuteronomy 28:31, where punishment lies in fact that the owner does not eat of the slain ox; כְּכֶשֶׂב אַלּוּף יוּבַל לִטְבֿ֑וֺחַ Jeremiah 11:19 like a mild lamb that is led to slaughter, simile of the prophet exposed to his enemies, Jeremiah 51:40 simile of ׳יs vengeance upon Babylon (see also טֶבַח, טִבְחָה), Jeremiah 25:34 of kings and rulers, under figure of shepherds & choice sheep.

2 in poetry & figurative, slay, kill ruthlessly, with accusative of person Psalm 37:14; absolute Lamentations 2:21("" הָרַג; opposed to חמל); with accusative of congnate meaning with verb טֶבַח ׳ט Ezekiel 21:15 of a sword sharpened for the slaughter of Israel in judgment.

Overview

טָבַח (Strong’s 2873) conveys deliberate slaughter, whether of animals for food and sacrifice or of people in violence and judgment. Its eleven appearances span Torah, Historical, Wisdom, Prophetic, and Exilic texts, allowing a panoramic view of Israel’s daily life, covenant law, and prophetic theology.

Range of Usage in Scripture

1. Slaughter of livestock for hospitality or feasting (Genesis 43:16; 1 Samuel 25:11; Proverbs 9:2).
2. Illegal butchery demanding restitution (Exodus 22:1).
3. Covenant-curse imagery of loss (Deuteronomy 28:31).
4. Predatory violence of the wicked (Psalm 37:14).
5. Prophetic metaphors for judgment on leaders and nations (Jeremiah 11:19; 25:34; 51:40; Lamentations 2:21; Ezekiel 21:10).

Hospitality and Provision

Genesis 43:16 records Joseph’s command, “Bring these men into the house, slaughter an animal, and prepare it…”. Here טָבַח reflects gracious provision, anticipating table fellowship and reconciliation. Likewise, 1 Samuel 25:11 features Nabal’s refusal to share meat already “slaughtered for my shearers,” exposing selfishness that contrasts with the generosity of God.

Legal and Covenantal Framework

Exodus 22:1 ties טָבַח to restitution: “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must repay…”. The term grounds justice in concrete economic terms. Deuteronomy 28:31 reverses the blessing: “Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat of it,” warning that disobedience forfeits covenantal security.

Prophetic Warnings and Divine Judgment

Jeremiah employs the verb three times. In 11:19 the prophet is “like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter,” foreshadowing messianic suffering. In 25:34 and 51:40 it depicts Babylon’s fall: “I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter” (51:40). Ezekiel 21:10 pictures a sword “sharpened to make a great slaughter,” underscoring the inevitability of judgment. Lamentations 2:21 laments, “You have slaughtered them without pity,” acknowledging God’s righteous wrath when the covenant is spurned.

Poetic and Wisdom Literature

Psalm 37:14 applies טָבַח to the wicked who “draw the sword… to slay those whose ways are upright”, yet the context assures their downfall. Proverbs 9:2 shows Wisdom’s opposite impulse: “She has prepared her meat; she has set her table,” using the same verb for life-giving invitation rather than death.

Typology and Christological Insight

The “lamb led to the slaughter” motif (Jeremiah 11:19) echoes forward to Isaiah 53:7 and the passion of Jesus Christ, in whom voluntary, redemptive slaughter fulfills the sacrificial pattern hinted in Genesis 22 and the Passover. Thus טָבַח connects everyday butchery, legal restitution, and prophetic judgment to the ultimate atonement.

Ministry Significance

• Proclamation: The word warns that sin leads to deadly consequences yet also highlights God’s provision of a substitutionary sacrifice.
• Pastoral care: Lamentations 2:21 validates grief while trusting divine justice.
• Ethical exhortation: Exodus 22:1 and Psalm 37:14 remind believers to guard property rights and defend the vulnerable.
• Worship: Proverbs 9:2 and Genesis 43:16 encourage generous hospitality as a reflection of the gospel banquet.

In Scripture, טָבַח moves from the ordinary kitchen knife to the eschatological sword, urging reverence for life, assurance in divine justice, and gratitude for the Lamb who was “slain, yet lives.”

וּטְבָח֖וֹ וּטְבֹ֤חַ וטבח וטבחו טֶ֙בַח֙ טָב֣וּחַ טָבְחָ֣ה טָבַ֖חְתִּי טָבַ֖חְתָּ טבוח טבח טבחה טבחת טבחתי לִ֝טְב֗וֹחַ לִטְב֑וֹחַ לטבוח liṭ·ḇō·w·aḥ liṭḇōwaḥ litVoach ṭā·ḇaḥ·tā ṭā·ḇaḥ·tî ṭā·ḇə·ḥāh ṭā·ḇū·aḥ ṭāḇaḥtā ṭāḇaḥtî ṭāḇəḥāh ṭāḇūaḥ taVachta taVachti taveChah taVuach ṭe·ḇaḥ ṭeḇaḥ tevach ū·ṭə·ḇā·ḥōw ū·ṭə·ḇō·aḥ ūṭəḇāḥōw ūṭəḇōaḥ utevaCho uteVoachInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts