לָבַט (la.vat)
la.vat
to ruin
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb laḇaṭ is a rare word that appears only three times in the Old Testament, primarily within the wisdom literature of Proverbs and the prophetic warnings of Hosea. Its core meaning involves a forceful physical action: to thrust down, throw down, or cast away. In its sole grammatical form found in Scripture, the Niphal stem, the sense shifts to passive reception, describing something that has been thrust down or cast aside into ruin.
This imagery of violent displacement gives the word its theological weight. It does not describe a gentle fading or natural decay, but a sudden, forceful overthrow. In Hosea 9:16, for instance, the prophet uses this term to depict Ephraim being "struck down" by God’s hand, emphasizing that their destruction is an active judgment rather than a passive accident. The word conveys the finality of being cast out from a position of stability.
Because of its scarcity and specific context, laḇaṭ serves as a sharp linguistic marker for divine intervention in times of crisis. Translators typically render it as "ruined" or "struck down," capturing the abruptness of the action. The word reminds readers that in the biblical worldview, destruction is often portrayed not as chaos, but as a deliberate act of removal from favor.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word laḇaṭ describes a sudden, forceful overthrow rather than a slow decline. It paints a picture of stability being violently removed, leaving something cast aside into ruin. In the biblical text, this action is often linked to divine judgment, highlighting that destruction is not random chaos but a deliberate removal from favor.
For the believer, this word serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of rejecting wisdom. Proverbs contrasts those who accept correction with the fool who falls. The fall described here is not merely a stumble but a complete collapse of one’s standing. It underscores the seriousness of heeding instruction and the peril of ignoring it.
Yet, this imagery also points to the reality of God’s sovereignty. When Hosea speaks of Ephraim being struck down, it is an act of justice, not caprice. We can find comfort in knowing that God sees the roots of our struggles. His judgments are precise, and His wisdom offers a path away from such ruin. Trusting in His guidance keeps us from the fate of the fool.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he will be ruined2×
- it will be ruined1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִלָּבֵֽט\׃3×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 10:8
The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.
This verse contrasts the wise who accept commandments with the fool who falls, using laḇaṭ to describe the finality of the fool's collapse after rejecting correction.
-
Proverbs 10:10
One who winks with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
Here the act of winking with the eye is linked to sorrow and the subsequent fall of the chattering fool, showing how subtle deceit leads to total ruin.
-
Hosea 4:14
I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute, nor your brides when they commit adultery; because the men consort with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes; so the people without understanding will come to ruin.
The prophet uses this term to describe how people without understanding come to ruin through consorting with prostitutes, emphasizing that ignorance of God's ways leads to destruction.