נֹף
𐤍𐤐
Nof
H5297 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Nōph refers to a major city in ancient Egypt, specifically the city known later as Memphis, serving as a principal royal and administrative center. In biblical texts, נֹף designates this city as a center of Egyptian political power and religious significance during multiple periods of Israelite contact with Egypt.
Semantic Range
Nōph (Memphis) as a city; principal city in Egypt; political, administrative, and religious center; symbol of Egypt's national power in prophetic discourse
Root / Etymology
The term נֹף appears to be a variant of the more common מֹף (Moph), both referring to the same city. Its precise etymology is uncertain, but it is likely derived from Egyptian Men-nefer (meaning: enduring and beautiful). The Hebrew form adapts the Egyptian place name, reflecting the Israelite encounter with Egyptian toponymy.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Nōph (נֹף) appears primarily in the prophetic books (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea), consistently referring to the Egyptian city Memphis. While the form מֹף (Moph) occurs in Hosea 9:6, נֹף is more typical in the later prophetic literature. This city, located near modern Cairo, was a central administrative and religious hub throughout much of Egypt's history. In these texts, נֹף symbolizes not only geographic proximity but also Egypt's political and military power, as well as potential alliances or threats to Israel and Judah. English translations often render נֹף as 'Noph' or 'Memphis,' but the original Hebrew preserves the older Near Eastern pronunciation. The term is never used as a synonym for the person of Egypt, but always for the distinct city. No evidence exists for any religious or ethnic sense attached to the word beyond its place-name function in the biblical corpus.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a variation of מֹף; Noph, the capital of Upper Egypt; Noph.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נף (n-p) — to be elevated, to stand out, prominence
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5297-02 |
נֹ֑ף | nof | HNp |
Noph | Nōph | 3 |
H5297-04 |
בְ/נֹ֖ף | venof | HR/Np |
and Noph | Nōph | 2 |
H5297-01 |
מִ/נֹּ֔ף | minof | HR/Np |
from Memphis | from Nōph | 1 |
H5297-03 |
וּ/בְ/נֹ֔ף | uvenof | HC/R/Np |
and in Noph | and in Nōph | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5297-02 |
Isaiah 19:13 | נֹ֑ף | nof | HNp |
Noph | Nōph |
H5297-02 |
Jeremiah 2:16 | נֹ֖ף | nof | HNp |
Noph | Nōph |
H5297-03 |
Jeremiah 44:1 | וּ/בְ/נֹ֔ף | uvenof | HC/R/Np |
and in Noph | and in Nōph |
H5297-04 |
Jeremiah 46:14 | בְ/נֹ֖ף | venof | HR/Np |
in Noph | Nōph |
H5297-02 |
Jeremiah 46:19 | נֹף֙ | nof | HNp |
Noph | Nōph |
H5297-01 |
Ezekiel 30:13 | מִ/נֹּ֔ף | minof | HR/Np |
from Memphis | from Nōph |
H5297-04 |
Ezekiel 30:16 | וְ/נֹ֖ף | venof | HC/Np |
and Noph | Nōph |