זָבַח134 H2076
to slaughter for sacrifice; to offer cultic sacrifice
This Hebrew verb primarily describes the act of ritual sacrifice in Israel's worship life. The word encompasses both the physical slaughter of an animal and the religious offering itself. The Qal stem usually denotes offering sacrifice to God (though sometimes to idols), while the Piel intensive form describes habitual or persistent sacrificial activity. In some contexts, particularly in narrative settings, the verb can refer simply to the slaughter of an animal for food, though the sacrificial sense remains primary throughout Scripture.
1. Qal: offer sacrifice (cultic) — The cultic act of offering sacrifice to the Lord or to false gods. Multilingual translations consistently use dedicated sacrificial vocabulary (Hindi बलि, Arabic ذَبَحَ, Swahili kutoa dhabihu, Korean 제사하다), distinguishing this religious ritual from mere slaughter. 116×
AR["لِ-ذَبْحِ","لِ-يَذْبَحَ","لِـ-ذَبْحٍ","لِـ-يَذْبَحَ","لِلذَّبْحِ","لِيَذْبَحَ","لِيَذْبَحُوا","وَ-ذَبَحَ","وَذَبَحَ","يَذْبَحُونَ","يُذَبِّحونَ"]·ben["আর-সে-বলি-দিল","উৎসর্গ-করছিলেন","উৎসর্গ-করতে","এবং-বলি-দিলেন","বলি-দিচ্ছিল","বলি-দিত","বলি-দিতে","বলিদান-করতে"]·DE["opfernd","und-er-opferte","zu-Opfer"]·EN["and-he-sacrificed","and-sacrificed","sacrificing","to-sacrifice"]·FR["et-il-sacrifia","et-sacrificed","sacrifiant","à-sacrifice"]·heb["ו-זבח","זובחים","ל-זבוח","ל-זבח","לְ-זַבֵּחַ","לִ-זְבֹּחַ","מזבחים"]·HI["और-चढ़ाया","और-बलिदान-चढ़ाया","चढ़ाने-को","बलि-चढ़ा-रहे-थे","बलि-चढ़ाते-थे","बलि-चढ़ाने-को","बलि-चधने-के-लिये","बलिदान-करने-के-लिए","बलिदान-करने-को","बलिदान-चढ़ाने","यज्ञ-करने-के-लिए"]·ID["Untuk-mempersembahkan-korban","berkurban","dan-berkorbanlah","dan-ia-mempersembahkan","mempersembahkan","mempersembahkan-korban","mempersembahkan-kurban","untuk-berkorban","untuk-berkurban","untuk-mempersembahkan","untuk-mempersembahkan-korban","untuk-menyembelih"]·IT["a-sacrificare","a-sacrificio","e-egli-sacrificò","e-sacrificò","sacrificando"]·jav["kagem-saos-kurban","kangge-kurban-sembelèhan","kangge-nyembelih","kangge-nyembelèh","kanggé-nyaosaken","kanggé-nyembelih","lan-nyembelih","nyaosaken-kurban","nyembelih","piyambakipun-sami-nyembelih-kurban"]·KO["-에-희생하다","그리고-제사하였다","그리고-희생했다","드리고-있었다","드리기-위하여","제물을-드리는","제물을-바치려고","제사드리기-","제사드리기-위해","제사를-드렸다","제사하고-있었다","제사하기-위해","제사하는","제사하도록","제사하라","제사하려고"]·PT["e-sacrificou","para-sacrificar","sacrificando"]·RU["для-заклания","жертвовать","жертвующий","заколоть","и-принёс-в-жертву","и-принёс-жертву","принести","принести-жертву","приносил-жертвы","приносили-в-жертву","приносить-жертву","приносящие-в-жертву","чтобы-жертвовать","чтобы-закалывать","чтобы-заколоть"]·ES["para-sacrificar","sacrificaba","sacrificando","y-sacrificó"]·SW["akatolea","dhabihu","kondoo","kuchinja","kutoa-dhabihu","kutoa-sadaka","na-akatoa-dhabihu","wakitoa-dhabihu","walitoa-dhabihu"]·TR["-kurban-etmek-için","kesmek-için","kurban-ediyorlardı","kurban-etmek-için","kurban-kesenler","kurban-kesiyorlar","kurban-kesiyorlardı","kurban-kesmek-için","ve-kurban-kesti"]·urd["اور-قربانی-دی","ذبح-کرنے","ذبح-کرنے-کے-لیے","قربان-کرتے","قربان-کرتے-ہوئے","قربانی-دینے-کو","قربانی-کرتے-تھے","قربانی-کرنے","قربانی-کرنے-کو","قربانیاں-چڑھاتے-تھے","لئے-ذبح-کرنے-کے"]
Gen 46:1, Exod 3:18, Exod 5:3, Exod 8:27, Exod 8:29, Lev 9:4, Lev 22:29, Deut 16:4, Deut 16:6, Deut 17:1, Judg 16:23, 1 Sam 1:4 (+38 more)
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
2. Piel: sacrifice habitually — The Piel intensive stem marks habitual or repeated sacrificial practice, often in contexts of ongoing idolatry or sustained cultic activity. This form intensifies the iterative aspect of the sacrificial act. 9×
AR["أَذْبَحُ","ذَبَحوا","ذَبَحوهُم","ذَبَحَ","وَ-الـ-مُذَبِّحَاتِ","وَذَبَحَ","يَذبَحُ","يَذْبَحُ","يَذْبَحُونَ"]·ben["উৎসর্গ-করলেন","এবং-বলি-দিলেন","এবং-বলিদান-করত","তারা-বলি-দিল","তারা-বলিদান-দিল","বলি-দিচ্ছিল","বলি-দেব","সে-বলি-দেয়"]·DE["opferte","schlachten","sie-sacrificed","und-er-opferte","und-opfernd","war-opfernd","waren-opfernd"]·EN["I-will-sacrifice","and-he-sacrificed","and-sacrificing","he-sacrifices","sacrificed","they-sacrifice","they-sacrificed","was-sacrificing","were-sacrificing"]·FR["et-il-sacrifia","et-sacrifiant","furent-sacrifiant","fut-sacrifiant","sacrifice","sacrifier"]·heb["ו-זבח","ו-מזבחות","זבח","זבחו","זיבחו","יזבח","מזבח","מזבחים"]·HI["उन्होंने-बलि-चढ़ाई","उन्होंने-बलिदान-दिया","और-बलि-चढ़ानेवालियाँ","और-बलिदान-किया","बलि-चढ़ाता-था","बलि-चढ़ाती-थी","बलिदान-किया","बलिदान-दूँगा","वह-बलिदान-देता-है"]·ID["Dan-ia-mempersembahkan-korban","aku-akan-berkorban","dan mempersembahkan korban","ia-mempersembahkan-korban","mempersembahkan-korban","mereka-korbankan"]·IT["e-egli-sacrificò","e-sacrificando","era-sacrificando","erano-sacrificando","sacrificare","sacrificarono","sacrificio"]·jav["dipunkurbanaken","kula-kurban","lan-nyembelih","nyaosaken-kurban","piyambakipun-nyembelih","sami-nyembelih","saos-kurban"]·KO["그리고-그가-제사를-드렸다","그리고-제물을-드리며","내-가-제사하리라","제사드렸느니라","제사하고","제사하고-있었다","제사하였으니","제사했다"]·PT["E-sacrificou","e-sacrificando","sacrifica","sacrificando","sacrificaram","sacrificarei","sacrificou"]·RU["И-жертвовал","жертвовал","и-приносящих-жертвы","принесу-жертву","приносили-в-жертву","приносит-жертвы"]·ES["Y-sacrificaba","sacrifica","sacrificando","sacrificaron","sacrificaré","sacrificó","y-sacrificando"]·SW["anatoa-dhabihu","na-alitoa-dhabihu","na-kufukiza-ubani","na-wakitoa-dhabihu","nitatolea-dhabihu","walidhabihu","walikuwa-wakitoa-dhabihu","wamedhabihu","zibaּch"]·TR["kurban-ediyordu","kurban-ettiler","kurban-keseceğim","kurban-keser","kurban-kesti","kurban-kestiler","ve-kurban-edenler","ve-kurban-kesti"]·urd["اور-قربانیاں-دیتی-تھیں","اور-قربانیاں-چڑھایا","قربان-کیں","قربانی-دی","قربانی-چڑھاتا-ہے","قربانی-کرتا-تھا","قربانی-کرتی-تھی","قربانی-کی","میں-قربانی-کروں-گا"]
3. Qal: slaughter (kill animal) — The physical act of killing an animal, separate from the religious ritual. Glosses shift to slaughter terminology (Spanish matarás/degolló, Korean 잡았다, Swahili kuchinja) rather than sacrificial language, indicating the semantic distinction between killing and ritual offering. 9×
AR["تَذْبَحُ","تَذْبَحُونَ","فَـ-تَذْبَحُ","وَ-ذَبَحَ","وَ-ذَبَحَهُ","وَذَبَحَ","وَذَبَحَ-","وَذَبَحَتهُ"]·ben["আর-বলি-দিল-","আর-বলিদান-করল","এবং-জবাই-করলেন-এটিকে","এবং-তুমি-বধ-করবে","এবং-বলি-দিল","এবং-বলি-দিলেন","এবং-সে-তাকে-বলি-দিল","তুমি-বধ-করবে","তোমরা-বলি-কর"]·DE["du-moege-slaughter","schlachten","und-du-soll-slaughter","und-er-slaughtered","und-sacrificed","und-schlachten","und-schlachtete","und-slaughtered-es"]·EN["and-he-slaughtered","and-sacrificed","and-slaughtered","and-slaughtered-","and-slaughtered-it","and-you-shall-slaughter","you-may-slaughter","you-slaughter"]·FR["et-il-immola","et-immola-cela","et-sacrifia","et-sacrifier","et-slaughtered","et-tu-devra-slaughter","sacrifier","tu-pourra-slaughter"]·heb["ו-זבח","ו-זבחהו","ו-זבחת","ו-זבחת-הו","ו-יזבח","תזבח","תזבחו"]·HI["और-कअत-उसे","और-चढ़ाया","और-ज़ब्ह-किया","और-बलि-किया","और-बलि-देगा-तू","और-बलिदान-किया","और-बलिदान-किया-","नहीं","बलि-दोगे-तू"]·ID["Dan-ia-menyembelih","Dan-menyembelihlah","dan-dia-menyembelihnya","dan-menyembelih","dan-menyembelihnya","kamu-sembelih;","maka-sembelihlah","sembelihlah"]·IT["e-egli-scannò","e-sacrificare","e-sacrificed","e-scannò-esso","e-slaughtered","e-tu-dovra-scannare","sacrificare","tu-possa-scannare"]·jav["Lan-Yakub-nyembelih","Lan-piyambakipun-nyembelih","lan-nyembelih","lan-nyembelih-","lan-panjenengan-mbelèh","lan-piyambakipun-mbeleh-punika","lan-piyambakipun-nyembelih","panjenengan-kenging-mbelèh","panjenengan-sembelih"]·KO["그리고-잘았다","그리고-잡았다","그리고-잡았다-그것을","그리고-잡으리라-네가","그리고-제사드렸다","너희가-잡으나","잡으리라-네가"]·PT["E-sacrificou","abateis","e-abateu-o","e-sacrificarás","e-sacrificou","e-sacrificou-o","sacrificarás"]·RU["И-заколол","закалываете","зарежь","и-заколол","и-заколол-её","и-заколола-его","и-зарезал-","то-зарежь"]·ES["Y-sacrificó","degolláis;","entonces-matarás","matarás","y-lo-degolló","y-los-sacrificó","y-sacrificó-"]·SW["Na-akachinja","mnachinja","na-akachinja-","na-akamchinja","na-akawachinja","na-akawatoa","unaweza-kuchinja","utachinja"]·TR["Ve-kesti-kurban","kesebilirsin","kesiyorsunuz","ve-keseceksin","ve-kesti","ve-kesti-","ve-kesti-onları","ve-kesti-onu"]·urd["اور-ذبح-کیا","اور-ذبح-کیا-اُسے","اور-ذبح-کیں-","تو-ذبح-کرے-گا","ذبح-کر","ذبح-کرتے-ہو-تم"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G0040 1. the Holy One, Holy Spirit (98×)H2931 1. ritually or morally unclean (88×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
זָבַח134 vb. slaughter for sacrifice (NH id., Ph. זבח; Assyrian zibû DlPr 174 cf. LotzTP 174; Arabic ذَبَحَ, Sab. דֿבח CIS iv. 1, 2, No.; 74 l. 11, 12; Aramaic דְּבַח, ܕܒܰܚ, Ethiopic ዘብሐ ) Qal112 Pf. ז׳ 1 K 8:63; 13:2, זָבַחְתָּ Ex 20:24 + 3 times, זָבַחְתִּי Ez 39:19, זָֽבְחוּ Ex 34:15 Lv 17:5, זְבַחְתֶּם Ex 8:24, זָבַחְנוּ Ex 8:23; Impf. וַיִזְבַּח Gn 31:54 + 14 times; 2 ms. sf. תִּוְבָּחֶנּוּ…