What does טָבַע (ṭābaʿ) mean in the Bible?
טָבַע (ṭābaʿ): To sink downward into liquid or earth; often used of drowning or being submerged irretrievably
Hebrew · H2883
טָבַע
To sink
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טָבַעH2883
Pronunciationṭābaʿ
What does טָבַע (ṭābaʿ) mean in the Bible?
טָבַע (ṭābaʿ): To sink downward into liquid or earth; often used of drowning or being submerged irretrievably
Full entry for טָבַע (H2883) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2883?
The BSB source-word alignment has 10 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sank (2), are drowned (1), have fallen (1), have sunk (1), I have sunk (1).
Where does טָבַע (ṭābaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 15:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (3), Jeremiah (2), 1 Samuel (1), Exodus (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itsank2×1 Samuel 17:49, Jeremiah 38:22
are drowned1×Exodus 15:4
have fallen1×Psalms 9:15
have sunk1×Lamentations 2:9
I have sunk1×Psalms 69:2
let me sink1×Psalms 69:14
sank down1×Jeremiah 38:6
set1×Job 38:6
were settled1×Proverbs 8:25
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 15:4טֻבְּע֥וּtoare drownedVerb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural1 Samuel 17:49וַתִּטְבַּ֤עtosankConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularJob 38:6הָטְבָּ֑עוּtosetVerb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common pluralPsalms 9:15טָבְע֣וּtohave fallenVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralPsalms 69:2טָבַ֤עְתִּי׀toI have sunkVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularPsalms 69:14אֶטְבָּ֑עָהtolet me sinkVerb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularProverbs 8:25הָטְבָּ֑עוּtowere settledVerb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common pluralJeremiah 38:6וַיִּטְבַּ֥עtosank downConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJeremiah 38:22הָטְבְּע֥וּtosankVerb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common pluralLamentations 2:9טָבְע֤וּtohave sunkVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 15:4
Aligned rows10
Books represented7
Exodus11 Samuel1Job1Psalms3Proverbs1Jeremiah2Lamentations1
Source forms
הָטְבָּ֑עוּ2xhā·ṭə·bā·‘ūJob 38:6, Proverbs 8:25
אֶטְבָּ֑עָה1x’eṭ·bā·‘āhPsalms 69:14
הָטְבְּע֥וּ1xhā·ṭə·bə·‘ūJeremiah 38:22
וַיִּטְבַּ֥ע1xway·yiṭ·ba‘Jeremiah 38:6
וַתִּטְבַּ֤ע1xwat·tiṭ·ba‘1 Samuel 17:49
טָבְע֣וּ1xṭā·ḇə·‘ūPsalms 9:15
טָבְע֤וּ1xṭā·ḇə·‘ūLamentations 2:9
טֻבְּע֥וּ1xṭub·bə·‘ūExodus 15:4
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common plural3xJob 38:6, Proverbs 8:25, Jeremiah 38:22
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural2xPsalms 9:15, Lamentations 2:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular1x1 Samuel 17:49
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1xJeremiah 38:6
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural1xExodus 15:4
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular1xPsalms 69:14
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular1xPsalms 69:2
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To sink downward into liquid or earth; often used of drowning or being submerged irretrievably
Strong'sH2883
Lexical occurrences10 versesWord forms3 forms8 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkJeremiah 38:1-6Source Gloss
to sink
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To sink downward into liquid or earth; often used of drowning or being submerged irretrievably
to sink BDB: sink Usage: drown, fasten, settle, sink.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms8
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action3×
PerfectJer 38:22 · Job 38:6 · Prov 8:253×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense4×
PerfectLam 2:9 · Ps 9:16 · Ps 69:33×
CohortativePs 69:151×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
PerfectExod 15:41×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to sink into mud or mire, literally descending into a pit
Showing 1 selected witness from 10 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
טָבַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.