Lexical Summary tebusah: Defeat, treading down, trampling Original Word: תְּבוּסָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance discretion, reason, skillfulness, understanding, wisdom From buwc; a treading down, i.e. Ruin -- destruction. see HEBREW buwc NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bus Definition a treading down, ruin, downfall NASB Translation destruction (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [תְּבוּסָה] noun feminine down-treading = ruin, downfall, construct תְּבוּסַת אחזיהו2Chronicles 22:7 the downfall of Ahaziah. בוע (assumed as √ of following, compare LagBN 10; but √ perhaps בעע; according to Sta§ 257 a quadriliteral Arabic Topical Lexicon Meaning and NuanceTebusah denotes an overthrow so decisive that it resembles being trampled underfoot. The word conveys more than mere misfortune; it speaks of a divinely ordered ruin in which human power is helpless before the purposes of God. While kindred Hebrew terms describe defeat in battle, tebusah highlights the crushing nature of that defeat and its moral cause. Biblical Occurrence 2 Chronicles 22:7 records the sole appearance: “Now Ahaziah’s downfall came from God. And when Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had appointed to destroy the house of Ahab.” The Chronicler uses tebusah to explain not only the fact of Ahaziah’s death but also its theological source. The king’s extinction was not an accident of war; it was a deliberate act of divine judgment. Historical Setting Ahaziah of Judah reigned only one year (circa 841 BC). Following the counsel of his mother Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri, he “walked in the ways of the house of Ahab” (2 Chronicles 22:3). This alliance bound Judah to Israel’s corrupt dynasty precisely when the LORD raised up Jehu to purge that same house (2 Kings 9–10). By joining Joram of Israel at Jezreel, Ahaziah placed himself on the wrong side of God’s redemptive agenda. Tebusah pinpoints that fatal misalignment: when the king ignored prophetic warnings and covenant obligations, his apparent freedom dissolved into unavoidable ruin. Theological Emphases 1. Divine Sovereignty in Judgment Tebusah underscores that God not only permits downfall but directs it when necessary. “The LORD has made everything for His purpose—even the wicked for the day of disaster” (Proverbs 16:4). Ahaziah’s overthrow vindicates the moral order embedded in the covenant. 2. Moral Causality The Chronicler repeatedly links sin with consequence (2 Chronicles 12:2; 28:19). Tebusah encapsulates this pattern: rebellion invites a crushing end, whether for a king or a nation. 3. Covenant Faithfulness Judah’s kings were guardians of the Davidic promise. By imitating Ahab, Ahaziah violated that stewardship. Tebusah therefore protects, rather than threatens, the messianic line; the removal of unfaithful leadership secures the purity of God’s redemptive plan. Related Biblical Concepts • Shattering (Jeremiah 19:10-11) — external image of divine judgment. Practical and Ministry Applications 1. Leadership Accountability Spiritual leaders who adopt ungodly alliances court tebusah. The narrative urges churches and ministries to test partnerships against scriptural standards rather than expediency. 2. Providence and Warning Believers can rest in God’s control over history, yet that same sovereignty summons them to holiness. Tebusah serves as a sober reminder that grace never nullifies accountability (Hebrews 12:28-29). 3. Hope in Discipline Even destructive judgment is purposeful: it clears away corruption so that renewal may follow. After Ahaziah’s death, the Lord preserved the Davidic heir Joash (2 Chronicles 22:10-12), proving that divine trampling can pave the way for restoration. Christological Perspective The Messiah Himself experienced what looked like tebusah at the cross, “stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4). Yet His apparent downfall became the means of ultimate victory. Thus, in Christ, the crushing blow intended for judgment is transformed into salvation for all who believe. Summary Tebusah portrays a ruin that is both total and righteous. In the lone biblical instance, it seals Ahaziah’s fate, demonstrates the inviolability of God’s moral government, and safeguards the unfolding promise of redemption. Whenever Scripture speaks of divine overthrow, the underlying reality of tebusah reminds readers that the Lord’s judgments are true, purposeful, and ultimately redemptive. Forms and Transliterations תְּבוּסַ֣ת תבוסת tə·ḇū·saṯ təḇūsaṯ tevuSatLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Chronicles 22:7 HEB: וּמֵֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הָיְתָה֙ תְּבוּסַ֣ת אֲחַזְיָ֔הוּ לָב֖וֹא NAS: Now the destruction of Ahaziah KJV: And the destruction of Ahaziah INT: God become now the destruction of Ahaziah went 1 Occurrence |
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, efferbuit et commotus fuit (sanguis), 
puteus cujus aqua haurienti propinqua).