מַדְבַּח
a sacrificial altar
Definition
The Hebrew word מַדְבַּח (madbach) specifically means a sacrificial altar, a structure built for offering sacrifices to God. It is an Aramaic loanword used in the Hebrew Bible, appearing only in Ezra 7:17. In this context, it refers to the altar in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, upon which offerings like bulls, rams, lambs, and grain were to be presented. Unlike the more common Hebrew word for altar (מִזְבֵּחַ, mizbeach), מַדְבַּח highlights the Aramaic linguistic influence during the post-exilic period when the Jewish community was under Persian rule.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Ezra 7:17. It appears in a royal decree from the Persian king Artaxerxes, instructing Ezra to purchase animals and other items for sacrifice on the altar of the temple in Jerusalem. The usage reflects the administrative and legal language of the Persian Empire, where Aramaic was the lingua franca, and it specifically pertains to the official restoration of temple worship after the Babylonian exile.
Etymology
מַדְבַּח (madbach) is an Aramaic noun derived from the root דְּבַח (dᵉvach), meaning 'to sacrifice' or 'to slaughter.' This root is cognate with the Hebrew verb זָבַח (zavach, H2076), which also means 'to sacrifice.' The word entered Biblical Hebrew during the post-exilic period, reflecting the Aramaic influence on the language and culture of the Jewish people who returned from exile under Persian dominion.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, מַדְבַּח is theologically significant as it points to the restoration of proper worship and sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem after the exile. It underscores God's faithfulness in preserving His people and reinstituting the sacrificial system, which foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Understanding this Aramaic term enriches Bible reading by highlighting the historical context of God's work during a time of cultural and linguistic transition.
In its original setting, מַדְבַּח reflects the Aramaic language commonly used in the Persian Empire for official documents and international communication. Its single biblical occurrence in a Persian decree shows how the Jewish community, while maintaining their religious identity, operated within a larger imperial system. The word signifies the altar not just as a religious object but as an institution recognized and supported by foreign authority, marking a unique period in Israel's history.
מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach, H4196) — The standard Hebrew word for 'altar,' used hundreds of times throughout the Old Testament for altars of sacrifice to God or false gods.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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