חָבַט
𐤇𐤁𐤈
châbaṭ
H2251 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To beat, strike, or knock off, typically used in the context of detaching something by impact, most often with reference to detaching fruit or grain (such as olives or grain heads) from plants by striking them. In some contexts, it refers metaphorically to figurative or punitive striking.
Semantic Range
to beat or knock off fruit (e.g., olives), to knock out or dislodge by striking, to strike physically, (rarely) to punish or metaphorically strike
Root / Etymology
Root חבט (ḥ-b-ṭ), which in its basic sense means 'to beat, strike, knock.' The root suggests vigorous impact, which is reflected in the derived noun and verb forms; thus, the verb חָבַט directly reflects the core root meaning of striking or knocking, especially to separate or detach something from its source.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָבַט primarily appears in agricultural contexts, especially for knocking olives from trees (e.g., Deuteronomy 24:20) or beating out grain. The method involves using a stick or club to strike the branches and dislodge the produce. In later Hebrew and rabbinic literature, the term continues with similar agricultural meaning, though other specialized words for threshing also appear (e.g., דּוּשׁ for treading grain). The verb's metaphorical extension to striking, beating, or punishment is uncommon in the Hebrew Bible but becomes more apparent in cognate Semitic languages and later usage. The English gloss 'thresh' may misrepresent the word, as classical threshing uses other Hebrew roots (דּוּשׁ), while חָבַט uniquely refers to the striking needed to harvest certain produce. Standard translations sometimes oversimplify as 'beat' or 'thresh,' but the agricultural specificity is important to retain. No theological nuance is inherent in the term; it is a mundane, physical action word.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to knock out or off; beat (off, out), thresh.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חבט (ḥ-b-ṭ) — beat, knock, strike
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2251-03 |
וַ/תַּחְבֹּט֙ | vatachebot | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she beat out | and she knocked off | 1 |
H2251-05 |
יֵחָ֥בֶט | yechavet | HVNi3ms |
is-beaten-out | he will be knocked off | 1 |
H2251-04 |
יַחְבֹּ֧ט | yachebot | HVqi3ms |
will thresh | he will knock off | 1 |
H2251-02 |
תַחְבֹּט֙ | tachebot | HVqi2ms |
you beat down | you knock off | 1 |
H2251-01 |
חֹבֵ֤ט | chovet | HVqrmsa |
threshing | one who beats off | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2251-02 |
Deuteronomy 24:20 | תַחְבֹּט֙ | tachebot | HVqi2ms |
you beat down | you knock off |
H2251-01 |
Judges 6:11 | חֹבֵ֤ט | chovet | HVqrmsa |
threshing | one who beats off |
H2251-04 |
Isaiah 27:12 | יַחְבֹּ֧ט | yachebot | HVqi3ms |
will thresh | he will knock off |
H2251-05 |
Isaiah 28:27 | יֵחָ֥בֶט | yechavet | HVNi3ms |
is-beaten-out | he will be knocked off |
H2251-03 |
Ruth 2:17 | וַ/תַּחְבֹּט֙ | vatachebot | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she beat out | and she knocked off |