H2027 H2027
slaughter, mass killing; the act of violent killing, especially in battle or judgment
A masculine noun denoting slaughter or violent killing, used in contexts of warfare and divine judgment. In Esther 9:5 it describes the Jews' slaughter of their enemies, paired with destruction (abdān). Proverbs 24:11 urges rescuing those being dragged away to slaughter, while Isaiah 30:25 envisions a catastrophic 'day of great slaughter' accompanying God's future intervention. The Spanish 'matanza' and French cognates consistently render the sense of mass, purposeful killing.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The act of violent killing or mass slaughter, whether in battle or as divine judgment. Used of Jews striking down enemies in Esther 9:5, of innocents dragged toward death in Proverbs 24:11, and of eschatological devastation in Isaiah 30:25. Spanish 'matanza' and English 'slaughter' converge on deliberate, large-scale killing. Always carries a sense of gravity and finality. 5×
AR["قَتْلٍ", "كَقَتْلِ", "لِلْقَتْلِ", "وَ‒قَتْلٍ"]·ben["-হত্যার-দিকে", "ও-হত্যা", "যেমন-হত্যা", "হত্যা"]·DE["[הרג]", "[כהרג]", "und-toetete", "zu-toetete"]·EN["and-slaughter", "of-great", "of-his-slain", "slaughter", "to-slaughter"]·FR["[הרג]", "[והרג]", "[כהרג]", "meurtre", "להרג"]·heb["הרג", "ו-הרג", "כ-הרג", "ל-הרג"]·HI["और-हत्या", "जैसे-हत्या", "वध-की-ओर", "हत्या-के"]·ID["dan-pembunuhan", "kepada-pembunuhan", "pembunuhan", "seperti-pembunuhan"]·IT["[הרג]", "[והרג]", "[כהרג]", "al-a-slaughter"]·jav["dhateng-pejah", "kados-panyembelihan", "lan-pembantaian", "panyembelihan", "pejahan"]·KO["그리고-죽임과", "살륙의", "죽임-같이", "죽임-에", "죽임을-당할-때에"]·PT["como-morte-de", "e-matánça", "grande", "matança", "para-a-matapança"]·RU["и-убийством", "к-убийству", "как-убийство", "убийства", "убийством"]·ES["como-la-matanza-de", "hacia-la-matanza", "matanza", "y-matanza"]·SW["kama-kuuawa", "kwenye-mauaji", "mauaji", "na-mauaji", "ya-mauaji"]·TR["katliama", "oldurme-gibi", "oldurmeniln", "ve-öldürme", "öldürmenin"]·urd["اور-قتل", "قتل", "قتل-کی-طرح", "قتل-کی-طرف"]
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)H8045 1. destroy, exterminate (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H6571b 1. horseman, cavalryman (52×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† הֶ֫רֶג n.m. Is 30:25 slaughter—ה׳ abs. Pr 24:11 + 2 times + Ez 26:15 (𝔊 Co חֶרֶב); cstr. Is 27:7—of Jews’ slaughter of their enemies Est 9:5 (‖ אַבְדָֿ֑ן); מָטִים לַהֶרֶג Pr 24:11 (‖ לְקֻחִים לַמָּ֑וֶת); כְּהֶרֶג הֲרוּגָיו הֹרָ֑ג Is 27:7; ביום הֶרֶג רַב Is 30:25 (cf. ביום חֲבשׁ י׳ אֶת־שֶׁבֶר עַמּוֹ v 26). Ez 26:15 read with 𝔊 Co supr.