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נָפָה

𐤍𐤐𐤄

nâphâh

H5299 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נוף to lift, raise, be prominent, wave

Definition

A prominent, elevated area, hill, or height; by extension, a specific geographic district, region, or elevated range. Additionally, a winnowing sieve, probably so called because of its raised or elevated rim. The word often refers to upland geographic features, occasionally used metaphorically for districts or territories. Less commonly, refers to the physical implement used in sifting or winnowing grain.

Semantic Range

elevated area, hill, height, region, district, upland, borderland; winnowing sieve, sifting basket

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root נוף (nun-vav-peh), meaning 'to lift up, to be prominent, to wave or move to and fro.' The noun form נָפָה likely reflects the concept of something elevated or lifted, such as a hill or plateau, and by extension to regions situated on high ground. The meaning 'sieve' may derive metaphorically from the act of 'lifting' grain in a winnowing basket/sieve.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, נָפָה primarily designates elevated regions or specific topographical districts on high ground (e.g., Josh 11:2, 12:3), particularly in descriptions of territorial borders or tribal allotments. Ancient translations sometimes render נָפָה as 'coast' or 'region,' but it is best understood as an 'upland area' or 'height,' often contrasting with lowlands. The secondary meaning, 'sieve,' appears only in a small number of passages (Isa 30:28), likely due to the implement's upturned edge or motion. Later translation traditions sometimes equate the inhabitants of the 'נפה' with regional identities, but such identification is geographic, not necessarily ethnic. In post-biblical Hebrew, the word more consistently denotes a sieve, reflecting semantic narrowing. The diversity of translation in English Bibles—'coast,' 'region,' 'hill country,' 'border,' etc.—often obscures the underlying sense of elevation or prominence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נוּף in the sense of lifting; a height; also a sieve; border, coast, region, sieve.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נוף (n-w-p̄) — to lift, raise, be prominent, wave

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4649 מֻפִּים Muppim
H5130 נוּף your waving
H5131 נוֹף Prominent Height
H5317 נֹפֶת dripping honey
H8573 תְּנוּפָה the wave-presentation

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5299-01 בְּ/נָ֣פַת benafat HR/Ncfsc with-sieve in upland of 1
H5299-04 וּ/בְ/נָפ֥וֹת uvenafot HC/R/Ncfpc and in the heights and in the upland heights of 1
H5299-02 לְ/נָפַ֥ת lenafat HR/Ncfsc of Naphath to the upland of 1
H5299-03 נָ֣פַת nafat HNcfsc Naphath upland of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5299-04 Joshua 11:2 וּ/בְ/נָפ֥וֹת uvenafot HC/R/Ncfpc and in the heights and in the upland heights of
H5299-02 Joshua 12:23 לְ/נָפַ֥ת lenafat HR/Ncfsc of Naphath to the upland of
H5299-03 1 Kings 4:11 נָ֣פַת nafat HNcfsc Naphath upland of
H5299-01 Isaiah 30:28 בְּ/נָ֣פַת benafat HR/Ncfsc with-sieve in upland of
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