a.raph denotes the act of killing by breaking an animal’s neck, including prescribed cases and acts of judgment.

The attested use denotes breaking an animal’s neck: it is prescribed for an unredeemed firstborn donkey and for a heifer in the torrent rite, while Hosea applies the action to altars and Isaiah includes a dog in a condemned comparison.

1. Breaking an animal’s neck · dominant

   In Exodus 13:13 and Exodus 34:20, the sequential perfect form occurs in the instruction to break the neck of an unredeemed firstborn donkey. In Deuteronomy 21:4 the plural form describes the elders’ action toward the heifer in the torrent, and Deuteronomy 21:6 identifies that heifer with a passive participle; the APB renders these clauses with “break the neck” and “whose neck was broken.” Hosea 10:2 applies the imperfect form to the destruction of altars, while Isaiah 66:3 uses an active participle in the comparison involving a dog.

   Exodus 13:13Exodus 34:20Deuteronomy 21:4Deuteronomy 21:6Hosea 10:2Isaiah 66:3

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the occurrences, the APB repeatedly renders the action as “break the neck” or “breaks the neck,” and renders the passive participle as “whose neck was broken.” These renderings confirm the verse-level action.