צוֹפַח
𐤑𐤅𐤐𐤇
Tsofach
H6690 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name, masculine. Tsôwphach/Zophah, identified as an individual in genealogical lists of Israelite tribes. The word functions exclusively as a personal name without independent lexical meaning; its form possibly relates to the idea of spreading or expansion, but this is not contextually attested in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
personal name (of an Israelite in the genealogies); possibly related by sound to the idea of spreading or breadth, but only attested as a proper noun
Root / Etymology
From an uncertain, unused Hebrew root, probably צוּף or צָפַח, thought to carry the idea of 'expansion' or 'spreading.' The precise verbal root is not found elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, and the exact original sense of the name is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צוֹפַח (Tsôwphach/Zophah) appears in 1 Chronicles 7:35 as a descendant of Issachar, marking him within the genealogical structure of the Israelite tribes in the monarchic or post-exilic period. The name occurs only as a personal name and does not appear outside genealogical or tribal lists. English translations sometimes render the name as Zophah; this is a transliteration, not a translation. The ancient tradition links the name to an unused root possibly associated with 'spreading' or 'expansion,' but there is no contextual evidence for this meaning in the text. There is no lexical overlap with similar-sounding words referring to 'watching' (צָפָה) or 'flow' (צוּף). Later traditions and translations (e.g., in the Septuagint) simply transliterate the name, with no attempt at interpretation. This term does not carry ethnic, geographic, or religious implications beyond signifying the individual's genealogical placement among the Israelites.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to expand, breadth; Tsophach, an Israelite; Zophah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צפח (ṣ-p-ḥ) — to expand, to spread out (uncertain, unattested)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6690-01 |
צוֹפַ֥ח | tsofach | HNp |
Zophah | Tsophach | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6690-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:35 | צוֹפַ֥ח | tsofach | HNp |
Zophah | Tsophach |
H6690-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:36 | צוֹפָ֑ח | tsofach | HNp |
Zophah | Tsophach |