Lol
“After all, everyone understands shechita as referring to kosher slaughter.”
No
You are still making the same mistake
shechita does not (only) mean ritual slaughter.
Hardly anyone would even imagine such a thing. It is not hard to look up the word “shechita” in a dictionary to find the modern defitnion, or in a concordance to find it used in Tanach for non-ritual slaughter
R’ Zeira died by shechita (before he was revived)
so did the Bnei Ephraim (Shoftim 12:6) Sons of Achav and family of Achazyah (MElachim 2 10)
“The אבן עזרא explains that the term וישחטם is used instead of the proper term ויהרגם because it took place in the wilderness, where cattle normally graze.”
YES!!!
So it is not only used for cattle. It is sometimes used for people.
Why use such a gruesome word for people? Especially since by the meraglim there was no dying by slaughter. As chazal tell us they dug graves lay in them and many died. How on earth is that “shechita” ??? So the mefarshim explain., as you were kind enough to supply
And besides . Ok so you don’t like this example. Thats ok I have tons more!
So your statement “You will not find שחיטה used in תנ”ך or הלכה outside of the preparation or kosher food or קרבנות.”
Has 3 exceptions now.
Except in the beis hamikdash, except in the wilderness, except by a Goy who is proficient.
what about The Bnei Efraim in Shoftim why is the word Shechita used there?