Hebrew word · H3518

כָּבָה

tikhbeh

to quench

To go out, be extinguished (of fire or a lamp). In the intensive form, to put out or quench. Used of the altar fire that must never go out (Lev 6:12–13), of unquenchable judgment-fire (Isa 1:31; 34:10; 66:24), and of ending a family line (2 Sam 14:7).

Appears 24 times in 24 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to quench, put out, be put out, be quenched, be extinguished

1a) (Qal) to be quenched, be extinguished

1b) (Piel) to quench, extinguish

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 42:3

Range of meaning

To go out, be extinguished (of fire or a lamp). In the intensive form, to put out or quench. Used of the altar fire that must never go out (Lev 6:12–13), of unquenchable judgment-fire (Isa 1:31; 34:10; 66:24), and of ending a family line (2 Sam 14:7).

Against the English

'Quench' (KJV, ESV), 'snuff out' (NIV), 'extinguish' (BSB, NASB) are all accurate. 'Snuff out' is closest to the deliberate act of pinching out a wick.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isa 43:17 (Egypt's army 'quenched like a wick'); 2 Sam 21:17 (David as 'the lamp of Israel'); 2 Sam 14:7 (the widow's 'coal' as her last surviving son).

From the study of Proverbs 31:18

Range of meaning

To go out, be put out (of fire or a lamp). Also used of anger or of a family line being 'quenched' (2 Sam 14:7).

Against the English

'Go out' and 'be extinguished' are both accurate. NLT 'burns late into the night' changes 'does not go out' into a positive phrase and narrows it to working late.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lev 6:12–13 (Hebrew 6:5–6): the altar fire 'shall not go out' (lōʾ tikbeh). 1 Sam 3:3: 'the lamp of God had not yet gone out.' 2 Sam 14:7: the widow fears her family's 'coal' will be quenched.

From the study of Ezekiel 32:7

Range of meaning

To go out or be quenched (simple form), and to put out or quench (the intensive form used here). It is used of fire, lamps, coals, and by extension of a life, a family line, or a source of hope.

Against the English

BSB, WEB and NASB have 'extinguish' and NIV has 'snuff out,' and both keep the lamp picture. ESV's 'blot you out' swaps it for erasing writing, which is the idea of a different Hebrew verb. KJV's 'put thee out' is accurate in older English, where you 'put out' a candle, but modern readers hear 'throw out' or 'inconvenience.'

How it drifted

There is no drift in the Hebrew. English renderings that drop the fire/lamp image ('blot out', 'destroy') lose the link between Pharaoh as a light and the sky going dark.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is used of the lamp of God in the sanctuary not yet gone out (1 Sam 3:3), of 'the lamp of Israel' (David) that must not be quenched (2 Sam 21:17), of a widow's last 'coal' meaning her son's survival (2 Sam 14:7), and of fire that 'shall not be quenched' (Isa 66:24; Jer 7:20). The Greek Old Testament translates it with the ordinary verb for quenching a fire.

Where it appears

Leviticus · 2

  1. Leviticus 6:12 תִכְבֶּ֔ה it will be extinguished

    The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.

  2. Leviticus 6:13 תִכְבֶֽה׃ ס it will be extinguished

    The fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not be extinguished.

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 3:3 יִכְבֶּ֔ה it was extinguished

    Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.

2 Samuel · 2

  1. 2 Samuel 14:7 וְכִבּ֗וּ and they will extinguish

    Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”

  2. 2 Samuel 21:17 תְכַבֶּ֖ה you will extinguish

    But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”

2 Kings · 1

  1. 2 Kings 22:17 תִכְבֶּֽה׃ it will be quenched

    because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’

    Here: 'It will not go out.' The fire will burn until it has done its work. The same phrase marks irreversible judgment in Jeremiah.

2 Chronicles · 2

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:7 וַיְכַבּוּ֙ and they extinguished

    They also shut the doors of the portico and extinguished the lamps. They did not burn incense or present burnt offerings in the Holy Place of the God of Israel.

  2. 2 Chronicles 34:25 תִכְבֶּֽה׃ it will be quenched

    because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out upon this place and will not be quenched.’

Proverbs · 2

  1. Proverbs 26:20 תִּכְבֶּה־ it is extinguished

    Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.

    Here: "Goes out." The verb form states what always happens: no one has to put the fire out. It dies on its own once nothing is feeding it.

  2. Proverbs 31:18 יִכְבֶּ֖ה it is extinguished

    She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.

    Here: The ordinary word for a flame dying. The imperfect form describes what usually happens: her lamp is one that does not go out. The same verb is used of the lamp of God that 'had not yet gone out' in 1 Samuel 3:3 and of the altar fire that must never go out in Leviticus 6:12–13 (Hebrew 6:5–6).

Song of Songs · 1

  1. Song of Songs 8:7 לְכַבּ֣וֹת to extinguish

    Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

Isaiah · 5

  1. Isaiah 1:31 מְכַבֶּֽה׃ ס [will be one who] extinguishes

    The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.

    Here: 'Quencher', a verb form used as a noun: someone who puts out a fire. 'None to quench' is a stock prophetic phrase for a fire that will not be stopped before it has consumed what it is burning.

  2. Isaiah 34:10 תִכְבֶּ֔ה it will be extinguished

    It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it.

    Here: Feminine, so the subject is 'her land' from v. 9, which has become 'burning pitch'. The exact phrase 'it will not go out' (lo' tikhbeh) is used of the altar fire in Leviticus 6:13 (6:6 in Hebrew), and v. 6 has just called Edom's slaughter the LORD's 'sacrifice'.

  3. Isaiah 42:3 יְכַבֶּ֑נָּה he will extinguish it

    A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

    Here: 'He will put it out.' The verb is intensive and carries an object suffix ('it', meaning the wick). Putting out someone's lamp or coal was a Hebrew picture for ending a life or a family line (2 Sam 14:7; 21:17). The servant will not snuff out what is barely alive.

  4. Isaiah 43:17 כָבֽוּ׃ they were quenched

    who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

    Here: "Quenched, put out." It is the same verb as in Isaiah 42:3, where the servant will not quench a dimly burning wick (same word for "wick"). The God who will not snuff out the weak flame does snuff out the oppressor's power.

  5. Isaiah 66:24 תִכְבֶּ֔ה it will be extinguished

    “As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”

    Here: 'Will (not) be quenched.' The prophets use this phrase for a fire no one can put out (Jer 7:20; 17:27; Isa 1:31). The exact same words describe the altar fire that must never go out (Lev 6:6 [Eng 6:13]).

Jeremiah · 4

  1. Jeremiah 4:4 מְכַבֶּ֔ה [will be one who] extinguishes

    Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”

    Here: Participle: "a quencher," someone who puts out a fire. Once the fire starts, nobody can put it out. That is why the call comes now.

  2. Jeremiah 7:20 תִכְבֶּֽה׃ ס it will be quenched

    Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and the produce of the land, and it will burn and not be extinguished.

    Here: "It will not go out" or "cannot be put out". It is the verb for a fire or lamp dying down. No one can put this fire out, and since v. 16 forbids the prophet to pray for the people, not even intercession can stop it.

  3. Jeremiah 17:27 תִכְבֶּֽה׃ פ it will be extinguished

    But if you do not listen to Me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in its gates to consume the citadels of Jerusalem.’”

    Here: 'And it will not go out': no one will be able to put this fire out until it has done its work. The phrase is about the fire being unstoppable, not about it burning forever.

  4. Jeremiah 21:12 מְכַבֶּ֔ה [will be one who] extinguishes

    O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.

    Here: A form meaning "one who quenches": no person, ally or ritual will be able to stop it once it starts.

Ezekiel · 3

  1. Ezekiel 20:47 תִכְבֶּה֙ it will be extinguished

    Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.

    Here: 'Will not go out'. No human effort will put it out before it has done its work. Verse 48 repeats this. The issue is that the fire cannot be stopped, not that it lasts forever.

  2. Ezekiel 20:48 תִּכְבֶּֽה׃ it will be extinguished

    Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”

  3. Ezekiel 32:7 בְכַבּֽוֹתְךָ֙ when extinguishing you

    When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.

    Here: This is the verb for putting out a lamp or a fire. Pharaoh is pictured as a light that God snuffs out. Everything else in the verse happens 'at' or 'during' that moment: when the lamp goes out, the whole sky goes dark with it.

Amos · 1

  1. Amos 5:6 מְכַבֶּ֖ה [one who] extinguishes [it]

    Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep like fire through the house of Joseph; it will devour everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.

    Here: A participle used as a noun: 'a quencher', someone who puts the fire out. 'None to quench' is a stock prophetic phrase for judgment that cannot be turned back (compare Isaiah 1:31; Jeremiah 4:4; 21:12).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.