עֳפֶא
𐤏𐤐𐤀
ʻŏpheʼ
H6073 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A leafy branch or bough, specifically of a tree, with emphasis on its foliage as covering or shading; used with a sense of abundance or lushness.
Semantic Range
leafy branch, bough, foliage, covering branch, abundant branch
Root / Etymology
Root consonants: עטפ. Likely derived from an unused root meaning 'to cover, envelop,' with the nominal form referring to something that covers or shades, such as a leafy branch. The actual usage is restricted to the noun עֳפֶא in Biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term עֳפֶא appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (Daniel 4:9 [Eng. 4:12]), describing the luxuriant foliage of the great tree in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The emphasis in this passage is clearly on the abundance of the leafy branches that cover and shade, rather than simply the woody part of the branch. This term is thus distinct from other Hebrew terms for branch (e.g., זֵית, סָעִף, נֵצֶר), which might focus on the woody part, shoot, or specific types of branches. The use in Daniel (during the Babylonian exile) reflects Aramaic influence in vocabulary and morphology, with parallels in Aramaic (cf. עֲפַע). In most English translations 'bough' or 'branch' is used, but these may underemphasize the leafy, covering aspect. In later Jewish liturgy and literature, the word does not persist, and its rarity limits its semantic development to the one usage in Daniel.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to cover; a bough (as covering the tree); branch.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עטפ (ʿ-ṭ-p) — to cover, envelop, shade
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6073-01 |
עֳ֝פָאיִ֗ם | ofayim | HNcmpa |
the branches | leafy covering branches | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6073-01 |
Psalms 104:12 | עֳ֝פָאיִ֗ם | ofayim | HNcmpa |
the branches | leafy covering branches |