תַּאֲוָה
𐤕𐤀𐤅𐤄
taʼăvâh
H8379 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Concrete or abstract boundary, the furthest edge or limit; by extension, the uttermost reach or extremity (in spatial, temporal, or figurative senses). In most occurrences, refers to the final or outermost boundary of a territory, area, or concept.
Semantic Range
farthest boundary, extremity, uttermost limit, summit, final edge, outmost point
Root / Etymology
The word derives from the root תאה (t-ʼ-h), which likely means 'to mark, delineate, designate.' תַּאֲוָה (taʾăvâh) is a feminine noun formation, referring to the result or product of this action: a boundary, designated limit, or uttermost edge. The term's concrete root is related to drawing lines or fixing borders, though its form and meaning are distinct from more common words for 'border' such as גְּבוּל (gevul).
Historical & Contextual Notes
תַּאֲוָה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible. It typically occurs in poetic or descriptive passages concerning boundaries, such as the limit or farthest edge of a land or region (see Psalms and prophetic literature). It does not bear the broader or more frequent sense of 'border' associated with גְּבוּל but denotes the furthest possible point, especially in figurative expressions. Later Hebrew (Mishnaic and beyond) shows little or no use of this term, and translation traditions often blend or confuse it with other boundary terms. The sense of 'utmost bound' reflects its use in demarcating the full scope of a place, idea, or period. Occasionally, later lexicography conflated תַּאֲוָה with unrelated homographs stemming from other roots (such as those meaning 'desire' or 'longing'), but in this context it refers strictly to extremity or boundary. English versions sometimes use 'utmost bound,' 'limit,' or 'end,' which capture the sense, though the nuance of outermost extreme is sometimes lost in translation. תַּאֲוָה is distinct in nuance from גְּבוּל (which is any boundary or border) and from קָצֶה (edge, extremity), emphasizing the utmost summit or expansion rather than a simple perimeter.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from תָּאָה; a limit, i.e. full extent; utmost bound.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תאה (t-ʾ-h) — marking, delineating, designating a boundary
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8379-01 |
תַּאֲוַ֖ת | taavat | HNcfsc |
the utmost bound | uttermost boundary of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8379-01 |
Genesis 49:26 | תַּאֲוַ֖ת | taavat | HNcfsc |
the utmost bound | uttermost boundary of |