🔼The name Tabbaoth: Summary
- Meaning
- Impressions, Signet Rings
- Etymology
- From the noun טבעת (tabba'at), signet ring, from the verb טבע (taba'), to stamp or impress.
🔼The name Tabbaoth in the Bible
There's only one man named Tabbaoth in the Bible, namely the patriarch of a family of Nethinim (temple servants) of which an untold number of members returned to Judah from the exile in Babylon (Ezra 2:43, Nehemiah 7:46).
🔼Etymology of the name Tabbaoth
The name Tabbaoth appears to be a plural form of the noun טבעת (tabba'at), meaning ring, or rather: signature emblem, from the verb טבע (taba') meaning to make an impression or seal:
טבע
The verb טבע (taba') means to impress, stamp or sink down in order to make an imprint. The noun טבעת (tabba'at) describes a signet that men of power would commonly keep on their person, particularly on a ring on their finger.
🔼Tabbaoth meaning
For a meaning of the name Tabbaoth, both NOBSE Study Bible Name List and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names read Rings, but it should be stressed that this name primarily refers to a transferable symbol of power: Seal or Signature.
BDB Theological Dictionary does not offer an interpretation of this name but does list it under the root טבע (taba').