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צָפַן

𐤑𐤐𐤍

tsâphan

H6845 verb

SILEX Entry

Root צפן to hide, to store up, to conceal

Definition

To hide or conceal something, often by covering or storing it; to keep something secret or protected from discovery. This verb also conveys the sense of storing up or laying aside, whether valuables, knowledge, or counsel. In figurative contexts, it may refer to concealing one's intentions or thoughts, or safeguarding an object for future use. The word can also describe both positive acts of preservation (such as God safeguarding the righteous) and negative acts (such as an enemy lying in wait or lurking).

Semantic Range

to hide, to conceal, to store or lay up (treasure, knowledge, counsel), to reserve or hoard, to protect by hiding, to guard a person or thing, to lurk or lie in wait, to treasure or esteem inwardly

Root / Etymology

From the root צ-פ-ן (צָפַן), meaning 'to hide, conceal, store up.' The core sense is the act of covering something so that it is hidden from view or access. The verb derives straightforwardly from this root concept, and is a verbal formation that carries this root meaning directly. There is no indication of borrowed elements or uncertain formation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

צָפַן (tsâphan) appears throughout the Hebrew Bible in both literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it is used for the hiding or storing of physical goods such as treasures or supplies (e.g., Job 23:12; Proverbs 2:1), and of threats, as in the 'hidden ones' set by adversaries (e.g., Psalms 10:8). Figuratively, it often refers to the concealment of wisdom, counsel, or God's intentions (e.g., Proverbs 2:7). In poetry and wisdom literature, it can convey the inward treasuring or valuing of something (not merely its physical concealment). The nuance depends on context: in some passages, God 'hides' the righteous—meaning He guards or protects them (Psalms 31:20); elsewhere, it is used in the context of ambush or negative deception (as in an enemy lurking in secret). Later, in post-exilic Hebrew (e.g., Dead Sea Scrolls), the term continues to bear these senses of hiding and safeguarding. While standard English translations often render the verb as 'hide', 'lay up', or 'conceal', these do not capture the full semantic breadth—spanning both security and secrecy, beneficence and malice.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to hide (by covering over); by implication, to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny; specifically (favorably) to protect, (unfavorably) to lurk; esteem, hide(-den one, self), lay up, lurk (be set) privily, (keep) secret(-ly, place).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

צפן (ts-p-n) — to hide, to conceal, to store up

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4710 מִצְפֻּן his concealed stores
H6827 צְפוֹן to Zephon
H6828 צָפוֹן in the north
H6829 צָפוֹן and Zaphon
H6830 צְפוֹנִי the Northerner

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6845-10 צָפַ֪נְתָּ tsafaneta HVqp2ms you have hidden you have hidden 3
H6845-11 צָפַ֣נְתִּי tsafaneti HVqp1cs I have treasured I hid 3
H6845-22 יִ֝צְפְּנ֗וּ yitsepenu HVqi3mp set an ambush they hide 2
H6845-24 יִצְפֹּֽנוּ yitseponu HVqi3mp they watch they hide away 2
H6845-08 תִּצְפֹּ֥ן titsepon HVqi2ms treasure you will hide 2
H6845-05 נִצְפְּנ֥וּ nitsepenu HVNp3cp are reserved they were hidden 2
H6845-23 יִצְפֹּ֣ן yitsepon HVqi3ms he-stores-up he hides 2
H6845-12 צְפוּנָ֖ה tsefunah HVqsfsa is kept in store hidden 1
H6845-21 יִצְפְּנֵ֨/נִי yitsepeneni HVqi3ms/Sp1cs He will conceal me he will hide me 1
H6845-17 וַֽ/תִּצְפְּנֵ֖/הוּ vatitsepenehu HC/Vqw3fs/Sp3ms and she hid him and she hid him 1

Occurrences in Scripture

34 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6845-17 Exodus 2:2 וַֽ/תִּצְפְּנֵ֖/הוּ vatitsepenehu HC/Vqw3fs/Sp3ms and she hid him and she hid him
H6845-01 Exodus 2:3 הַצְּפִינ/וֹ֒ hatsefino HVhc/Sp3ms hide him to hide him away
H6845-18 Joshua 2:4 וַֽ/תִּצְפְּנ֑/וֹ vatitsepeno HC/Vqw3fs/Sp3ms and she hid them and she concealed him
H6845-03 Jeremiah 16:17 נִצְפַּ֥ן nitsepan HVNp3ms is concealed was concealed
H6845-14 Ezekiel 7:22 צְפוּנִ֑/י tsefuni HVqsmsc/Sp1cs my-secret-place my hidden one
H6845-12 Hosea 13:12 צְפוּנָ֖ה tsefunah HVqsfsa is kept in store hidden
H6845-24 Psalms 10:8 יִצְפֹּֽנוּ yitseponu HVqi3mp watch secretly they hide away
H6845-16 Psalms 17:14 וּֽ/צְפוּנְ/ךָ֮ utsefunekha HC/Vqsmsc/Sp2ms and-your-hidden and your hidden one
H6845-21 Psalms 27:5 יִצְפְּנֵ֨/נִי yitsepeneni HVqi3ms/Sp1cs He will conceal me he will hide me
H6845-10 Psalms 31:20 צָפַ֪נְתָּ tsafaneta HVqp2ms you have stored up you have hidden
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