Proverbs 9:2 — Word Study
WLCטָבְחָ֣ה טִ֭בְחָהּ מָסְכָ֣ה יֵינָ֑הּ אַ֝֗ף עָֽרְכָ֥ה שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃
BSAShe has preparedṭâbach■ [slaughtered, killed] her meatṭebach [beasts, animals] [and] mixedmâçak■ [mingled, blended] her wineyayin [fermented drink] she has alsoʼaph [in addition, furthermore] setʻârak■ [arranged, furnished] her tableshulchân [place of communion, sacred feast]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| טָבְחָ֣ה | she has slaughtered | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| טִ֭בְחָהּ | slaughtering her | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| מָסְכָ֣ה | she has mixed | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| יֵינָ֑הּ | wine her | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אַ֝֗ף | also | Particle |
| עָֽרְכָ֥ה | she has arranged | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃ | table her | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. |
| KJV | She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. |
| ASV | She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table: |
| YLT | She hath slaughtered her slaughter, She hath mingled her wine, Yea, she hath arranged her table. |
| WEB | She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table. |
| BBE | She has put her fat beasts to death; her wine is mixed, her table is ready. |
Translations agree on the actions of Wisdom in preparing a feast.
The sentence consists of one main action followed by two additional actions, showing the completeness of Wisdom's preparations.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbטָבַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 9:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Invitation of Wisdomgenerated
Proverbs 9:2 describes how Wisdom prepares a feast, symbolizing her role in providing sustenance and guidance. This act of preparation is not just about food; it represents the invitation to partake in wisdom and understanding, as seen throughout the chapter. The surrounding verses illustrate the importance of heeding this call, contrasting the wise and the foolish.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 25:6 | On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine. |
| 2 | Matthew 22:3–4 | He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. |
| 3 | 1 Corinthians 5:7–8 | Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. |
| 4 | Genesis 43:16 | When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” |
| 5 | Proverbs 9:5 | “Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טָבְחָ֣ה, ta.ve.Chahgenerated
The verb טָבַח (tabach) means to slaughter, specifically animals, for food. It is used in a literal sense here, indicating the preparation of meat for a feast. The perfect tense indicates a completed action, emphasizing that the feast is ready.
This word carries connotations of violence in other contexts but here serves to highlight the abundance and provision of Wisdom's banquet. The act of slaughtering is foundational to the meal, suggesting a significant preparation for those invited.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around three main actions performed by Wisdom: טָבְחָ֣ה, מָסְכָ֣ה, and עָֽרְכָ֥ה. Each verb indicates a completed action, showing the thoroughness of Wisdom's preparations.
The order of the verbs emphasizes the sequential nature of the actions: slaughtering the meat, mixing the wine, and finally arranging the table, which together create a picture of a well-prepared feast.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates טָבְחָ֣ה as ἔσφαχεν (esphagen), meaning 'she has slaughtered.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on the act of preparation.
The translation of מָסְכָ֣ה as ἐκέρασεν (ekerasen) also reflects the act of mixing, suggesting a direct correlation between the Hebrew and Greek terms used.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 9:2 tells us that Wisdom has made a feast by preparing meat, mixing wine, and setting a table. This shows how Wisdom invites people to partake in her offerings, emphasizing the importance of seeking understanding and knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that Wisdom offers sustenance and guidance to those who seek it, inviting them to partake in understanding.
Slaughtering emphasizes the preparation and provision that Wisdom makes for her guests, highlighting the abundance of her offerings.
Mixing wine symbolizes the joy and celebration associated with the feast, enhancing the experience of those invited.
Setting the table represents the final act of preparation, indicating that Wisdom is ready to welcome and engage with those who seek her.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I seek the wisdom that is offered in this passage?
- How can I prepare my own life to receive the abundance of wisdom?
- What does it mean to partake in the feast of wisdom in my daily life?
- How can I share the invitation to wisdom with others around me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers comment on this verse, drawing connections between Wisdom's feast and spiritual nourishment.
“Wisdom has prepared her table, she has slain her victims, she has mingled her wine in the bowl and cries with a loud voice, Turn in to me and eat the bread which I have prepared for you,Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →
The same food is called “meat,” “bread,” “milk” and “wine.” However, fools say that they take it as [simply] bread and mixed wine.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →
But do you want to eat, do you want to drink? Come to the banquet of wisdom which invites everyone with great preaching, saying: Come and eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mixed for you.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 9 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 9:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShe hath killed her beasts,.... Or, "her sacrifice" (d): a crucified Christ, the principal of the provisions in Wisdom's house, or the church of Christ.
Read John Gill on Proverbs 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryShe hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath killed her beasts - Hebrew, immolated her immolation; sacrificial language.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHath killed her beasts, i.e. made provision for the guests; which is meant of the ordinances, gifts, graces, comforts, and eternal felicities which God doth offer and give to men in and by the church. Hath mingled her wine; either, 1. With spices, to make it strong and delightful, this mixed wine being mentioned as the best, ,30. Or, 2. With water, as they used to do in those hot countries, partly for refreshment, and partly for wholesomeness; whereby also may be intimated that wisdom teacheth us temperance in the use of our comforts. Hath also furnished her table with all necessaries, and now waits for the guests.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 9:2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.Ver. 2. She hath killed her beasts.] Christ provideth for his the best of the best, "fat things full of marrow, wines on the lees," his own "flesh, which is meat indeed, his own blood, which is drink indeed," besides that continual feast of a good conscience, whereat the holy angels, saith Luther, are as cooks and butlers, and the blessed Trinity joyful guests. She hath mingled her wine.] That it may not inflame or distemper. Christ spake "as the people were able to hear," lisping to them in their own low language. So must all his ministers, accommodating themselves to the meanest…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2) She hath killed her beasts.—Comp. Matthew 22:4. She hath mingled her wine—i.e., probably, flavoured it with spices, to improve the flavour. (Comp. Proverbs 23:30.) But the wine used at the Passover (Matthew 26:29, &c.) was mingled with water to decrease its strength. She hath also furnished her table.—“Christ hath furnished His own Table, exhibiting His precious and spotless Body and Blood, which are daily celebrated at that mystic and divine board, being sacrificed in commemoration of that ever-to-be-remembered original table of that mystic and divine supper.”—S. Hippolytus (ed. Lagarde, p. 199), quoted by Wordsworth.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 2. She hath killed her beasts] God has made the most ample provision for the innumerable tribes of animal and intellectual beings, which people the whole vortex of created nature.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. mingled] i.e. with spices. Comp. Proverbs 23:30; Isaiah 5:22.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMingled her wine - i. e., with myrrh and other spices, to give flavor and strength.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 9 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
She has prepared her meat, she has mixed her wine; she also has arranged her table.
Tyndale line
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table:
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
She hath killed her vitailes, drawen her wine, and prepared her table.
Strictly literal
she hath slaughtered her cattle, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also prepared her table;
She hath slaughtered her slaughter, She hath mingled her wine, Yea, she hath arranged her table.
She has slaughtered her slaughter, || She has mingled her wine, || Indeed, she has arranged her table.
She hath killed her cattle; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also set in order her table.
She has slaughtered her animals; she has mixed her wine; and she has set her table.
From the Latin
She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.
Simplified
She has slaughtered her animals for meat; she has mixed her wine; and she has set her table.
She has put her fat beasts to death; her wine is mixed, her table is ready.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse. All seven Hebrew words are matched in the Septuagint, indicating a consistent transmission of the text.
טָבְחָ֣ה טִ֭בְחָהּ מָסְכָ֣ה יֵינָ֑הּ אַ֝֗ף עָֽרְכָ֥ה שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 9:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
טָבַח (tabach) is a primitive root meaning to slaughter or kill, applicable to both animals and humans. It encompasses actions like butchering and slaying ruthlessly, with a figurative sense of killing. The entries consistently emphasize its violent connotations without significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[טָבַח] vb. slaughter, butcher, slay
base
H2873 [טָבַח] slaughter, butcher, slay
2873 tabach taw-bakh'
a primitive root; to slaughter (animals or men):--kill,
(make) slaughter, slay.
טָבַח (ta.vach) — to slaughter.
1) to slaughter, slay, butcher, kill ruthlessly
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to slaughter, butcher
1a2) to slay, kill ruthlessly (fig.)
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
טֶ֫בַח (tebach) refers to slaughtering or the act of slaughter. It denotes something that has been slaughtered, typically animals, and can also refer to butchery or a place where slaughter occurs. The word is derived from a related term, indicating its connection to the process of killing for food.
טֶ֫בַח n.m. slaughtering, slaughter
base
H2874 טֶ֫בַח slaughtering, slaughter
2874 tebach teh'-bakh
from 2873; properly, something slaughtered; hence, a beast
(or meat, as butchered); abstr. butchery (or concretely, a
place of slaughter):--X beast, slaughter, X slay, X sore.
see HEBREW for 02873
טֶ֫בַח (te.vach) — slaughter.
1) slaughter, slaughtering, animal
1a) slaughtering, slaughter (of animals)
1b) slaughter (fig.)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3fs
מָסַךְ (ma.sakh) is a Hebrew verb meaning to mix or mingle, particularly in the context of combining substances like wine with spices. The entries highlight its usage in producing mixtures, with a specific emphasis on the act of pouring or mixing in the Qal form.
מָסַךְ vb. mix, produce by mixing
base
H4537 מָסַךְ mix, produce by mixing
4537 macak maw-sak'
a primitive root; to mix, especially wine (with
spices):--mingle.
מָסַךְ (ma.sakh) — to mix.
1) to mix, mingle, produce by mixing
1a) (Qal) to pour, mix
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
יַ֫יִן (yayin) means 'wine' and is associated with fermentation and intoxication. It appears in various contexts, including banqueting. The word is derived from an unused root that suggests the idea of effervescence.
יַ֫יִן 141 n.m. wine
base
H3196 יַ֫יִן wine
3196 yayin yah'-yin
from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as
fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine,
wine(-bibber).
יַ֫יִן (ya.yin) — wine.
wine
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3fs
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) is a conjunction that indicates addition, often implying something greater. It can mean 'also,' 'yea,' or 'though,' and is used to connect ideas in a sentence. The entries highlight its use as both an adverb and conjunction, with a focus on its additive nature.
אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea
base
H637 אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea
637 'aph af
a primitive particle; meaning accession (used as an adverb or
conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though:--also, +
although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, + how much less
(more, rather than), moreover, with, yea.
אַף (aph) — also.
conj (denoting addition, esp of something greater)
1) also, yea, though, so much the more
adv
2) furthermore, indeed
Aramaic equivalent: aph (אַף "also" H0638)
DirObjM — ParticleHTj
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
עָרַךְ (arak) means to arrange or set in order, applicable in various contexts such as preparing a table, organizing a battle, or stating a legal case. It can also denote valuing or taxing in the Hiphil form. The word encompasses a wide range of meanings related to order and comparison.
עָרַךְ vb. arrange or set in order
Qal
arrange in order, seven altars
set or lay in order, as wood
in common life, arrange a table
arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order
arrange weapons of army in order for battle
arrange words
state in order, set forth a legal case
compare (as result of arranging in order)
intrans. be comparable
base
עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax
base
H6186a עָרַךְ arrange or set in order .. . arrange in order, seven altars
. set or lay in order, as wood
. in common life, arrange a table
. arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order
. arrange weapons of army in order for battle
. arrange words
. state in order, set forth a legal case
. . compare (as result of arranging in order)
. intrans. be comparable
H6186b עָרַךְ vb. denom. Hiph. value (for taxation), tax
6186 `arak aw-rak'
a primitive root; to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order
(in a very wide variety of applications):--put (set) (the
battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem,
estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle),
ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax,
value.
עָרַךְ (a.rakh) — to arrange.
1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place
1a2) to compare, be comparable
עָרַךְ (a.rakh) — to value.
(Hiphil) to value, tax
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
The Hebrew word שֻׁלְחָן (shulchan) means 'table' and is derived from the root meaning to spread out. It can refer to various types of tables, including those used for kings, private use, or sacred purposes. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as a table.
שֻׁלְחָן 71 n.m. table
base
H7979 שֻׁלְחָן table
7979 shulchan shool-khawn'
from 7971; a table (as spread out); by implication, a
meal:--table.
see HEBREW for 07971
שֻׁלְחָן (shul.chan) — table.
1) table
1a) table
1a1) of king's table, private use, sacred uses
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3fs