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τάφος

táphos

G5028 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A place for interment; a burial site where the body of a deceased person is laid, most often referring to a grave, tomb, or sepulchre. In broader contexts, can denote any constructed or natural location designated for burial, including rock-cut tombs, mausoleums, or earthen graves. The core meaning is a physical locus for the entombment of the dead, but in some contexts may be used metonymically for death or burial practices.

Semantic Range

grave, tomb, sepulchre, place of burial, burial mound, burial site, (metonymically) death or burial

Root / Etymology

From the verb θάπτω (thaptō), meaning 'to bury'. τάφος is the nominal form denoting the location or structure associated with the action of burying.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, τάφος originally referred to the act of burial and by extension to the mound or monument raised over the dead (a tumulus), often constructed for distinguished persons. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, the term becomes more general, commonly referring to any grave or tomb—whether a simple grave dug in the earth or an elaborate rock-cut family sepulchre, as often found in the region around Jerusalem. The Septuagint uses τάφος frequently for Hebrew קֶבֶר (qeber, 'grave') and גָּבַר (gader, 'enclosure') and similar terms. In the New Testament, τάφος appears especially in the context of burial narratives (e.g., Jesus's burial), where the term denotes a specifically identifiable tomb rather than a generic grave. English translations as 'tomb', 'sepulchre', or 'grave' sometimes obscure nuances between τάφος (the physical burial place), μνημεῖον (a memorial or monument, and by extension a tomb), and σηπεῖον (rare, meaning place of decay/corruption). The semantic range of τάφος is narrower than θάπτω (the act of burying), emphasizing the site or structure rather than the action. Ancient practices in Judea and the eastern Mediterranean often involved family tombs cut into rock, which persists as the dominant image in New Testament texts. Over time, 'sepulchre', 'tomb', and 'grave' became standard English translations, though these choices sometimes reflect interpretive or denominational preference rather than a strict reflection of ancient usage.

Translation Consistency

primary "tomb" 3 occurrences

τάφος primarily denotes a physical place of interment; “tomb” is the natural, commonly used English noun in NT contexts and covers rock-cut tombs, sepulchres, mausoleums and graves. It is concise, fits the typical usage in scripture, and handles both literal burial places and the occasional metonymic sense for death/burial practices.

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"graves" (1x) "burial sites" (1x) "grave" (1x) "burial site" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

masculine from θάπτω; a grave (the place of interment):--sepulchre, tomb.

Root Family

τάφος (taphos) — grave, tomb, burial site, place of interment

Root ταφ- to bury, inter, place in a grave

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5028-02 τάφον taphon N ACC M SG tomb a burial site a tomb 3
G5028-03 τάφος taphos N NOM M SG grave burial site burial site 1
G5028-05 τάφους taphous N ACC M PL tombs burial sites burial sites 1
G5028-04 τάφου taphou N GEN M SG tomb of a grave of a grave 1
G5028-01 τάφοις taphois N DAT M PL tombs to graves to graves 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5028-01 Matthew 23:27 τάφοις taphois N DAT M PL tombs to graves to graves
G5028-05 Matthew 23:29 τάφους taphous N ACC M PL tombs burial sites burial sites
G5028-04 Matthew 27:61 τάφου taphou N GEN M SG tomb of a grave of a grave
G5028-02 Matthew 27:64 τάφον taphon N ACC M SG tomb a burial site the tomb
G5028-02 Matthew 27:66 τάφον taphon N ACC M SG tomb a burial site a tomb
G5028-02 Matthew 28:1 τάφον taphon N ACC M SG tomb a burial site a tomb
G5028-03 Romans 3:13 τάφος taphos N NOM M SG grave burial site burial site
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