תּוֹלָע (H8438) — Hebrew Lexicon

תּוֹלָע

𐤕𐤅𐤋𐤏

tôwlâʻ

H8438 noun

SILEX Entry

Root תולע to swallow, consume voraciously, worm, maggot

Definition

A worm or maggot, specifically referring in many biblical contexts to the 'crimson worm' (coccus ilicis), from which a deep red dye was extracted; by extension, used for the color crimson or scarlet, or for cloths dyed with that color. The term primarily denotes an insect, but its usage also encompasses the vivid crimson dye obtained from it, as well as items colored by that dye.

Semantic Range

worm, maggot; crimson worm (coccus ilicis); crimson or scarlet dye; crimson or scarlet colored-cloth; figurative references to lowliness or decay

Root / Etymology

Root: יַלַע (y-l-ʻ), meaning 'to swallow, consume voraciously'. The noun תּוֹלָע (tôlāʻ) is derived as a feminine noun describing a worm or maggot, noted for its voraciousness. Extended forms, such as תּוֹלֵעָה and תּוֹלַעַת, reflect variations in vocalization. Though the semantic shift to denote the 'crimson worm' may have arisen due to the economic and ritual importance of the dye produced from these insects, the fundamental sense remains 'worm' or 'larva'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, תּוֹלָע most often refers literally to maggots or worms (e.g., Job 25:6, Isaiah 14:11), often in contexts of decay or humility. However, when paired with שָׁנִי (shani, 'crimson'), or elliptically replacing it, תּוֹלָע refers to the scale insect (coccus ilicis) used to produce an expensive and vivid red dye valued for textiles and sacred objects (Exodus 25:4, 26:1, and elsewhere). The term 'scarlet' or 'crimson' in English versions is often a translation both of the insect and of the product derived from it; the Hebrew text may elide the technical process, using the worm metonymically for the dye. The distinction between literal and color usage is context-dependent. Notably, the broader semantic field distinguishes תּוֹלָע (the color-producing insect) from other Hebrew words for worm (e.g., רִמָּה rimmah), which carry strictly negative or putrefactive connotations. Over time, especially in postbiblical and Aramaic usage, the word's association with color and dye sometimes overtook its insect meaning. English versions sometimes render תּוֹלָע תּוֹלֵעָה or תֹּלַעַת as 'scarlet', 'crimson', or in some literal contexts, 'worm'. Care must be taken not to conflate ritual/technical language about dye with more general or metaphorical references to worms or maggots.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

and (feminine) תּוֹלֵעָה; or תּוֹלַעַת; or תֹּלַעַת; from יָלַע; a maggot (as voracious); specifically (often with ellipsis of שָׁנִי); the crimson-grub, but used only (in this connection) of the colorfrom it, and cloths dyed therewith; crimson, scarlet, worm.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

תולע (y-l-ʿ) — to swallow, consume voraciously, worm, maggot

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H8439	תּוֹלָע	to Tola
H8440	תּוֹלָעִי	the Tolaite
H8529	תָּלַע	crimson-dyed ones

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8438-10`	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncbsc`	and scarlet	and worm of	20
`H8438-05`	תּוֹלַ֥עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	scarlet	crimson worm of	11
`H8438-02`	הַ/תּוֹלַ֖עַת	hatolaat	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the worm	the worm	4
`H8438-08`	תּוֹלֵעָֽה	toleah	`HNcfsa`	worm	voracious worm	2
`H8438-04`	תוֹלָ֔ע	tola	`HNcbsa`	purple	Worm	1
`H8438-07`	תּוֹלָעִ֖ים	tolaim	`HNcbpa`	worms	worms	1
`H8438-09`	וּ/בְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	uvetolaat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and in scarlet	and in crimson-worm-of	1
`H8438-06`	תוֹלַעְתָּ֞/ם	tolaetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their-worm	their worm	1
`H8438-01`	בְּ/תוֹלַ֧עַת	betolaat	`HR/Ncfsc`	in scarlet	in crimson-worm of	1
`H8438-03`	כַ/תּוֹלָ֖ע	khatola	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like-crimson	crimson worm	1

Occurrences in Scripture

43 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8438-07`	Exodus 16:20	תּוֹלָעִ֖ים	tolaim	`HNcbpa`	worms	worms
`H8438-10`	Exodus 25:4	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncbsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 26:1	וְ/תֹלַ֣עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 26:31	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 26:36	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 27:16	וְ/תוֹלַ֧עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and-scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-05`	Exodus 28:5	תּוֹלַ֥עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	scarlet	crimson worm of
`H8438-05`	Exodus 28:6	תּוֹלַ֧עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	scarlet	crimson worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 28:8	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 28:15	וְ/תוֹלַ֧עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 28:33	וְ/תוֹלַ֣עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 35:6	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 35:23	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-05`	Exodus 35:25	תּוֹלַ֥עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	scarlet	crimson worm of
`H8438-01`	Exodus 35:35	בְּ/תוֹלַ֧עַת	betolaat	`HR/Ncfsc`	in scarlet	in crimson-worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 36:8	וְ/תוֹלַ֣עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 36:35	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 36:37	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 38:18	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and-worm-of	and worm of
`H8438-09`	Exodus 38:23	וּ/בְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	uvetolaat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and in scarlet	and in crimson-worm-of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 39:1	וְ/תוֹלַ֣עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 39:2	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-05`	Exodus 39:3	תּוֹלַ֥עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	the scarlet	crimson worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 39:5	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 39:8	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 39:24	וְ/תוֹלַ֣עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-10`	Exodus 39:29	וְ/תוֹלַ֥עַת	vetolaat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and scarlet	and worm of
`H8438-05`	Leviticus 14:4	תוֹלַ֖עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsa`	yarn	crimson worm of
`H8438-02`	Leviticus 14:6	הַ/תּוֹלַ֖עַת	hatolaat	`HTd/Ncfsa`	yarn	the worm
`H8438-05`	Leviticus 14:49	תוֹלַ֖עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsa`	yarn	crimson worm of
`H8438-02`	Leviticus 14:51	הַ/תּוֹלַ֗עַת	hatolaat	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the-worm	the worm
`H8438-02`	Leviticus 14:52	הַ/תּוֹלָֽעַת	hatolaat	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the worm	the worm
`H8438-05`	Numbers 4:8	תּוֹלַ֣עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	of scarlet	crimson worm of
`H8438-05`	Numbers 19:6	תוֹלָ֑עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsa`	yarn	crimson worm of
`H8438-02`	Deuteronomy 28:39	הַ/תֹּלָֽעַת	hatolaat	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the worm	the worm
`H8438-03`	Isaiah 1:18	כַ/תּוֹלָ֖ע	khatola	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like-crimson	crimson worm
`H8438-08`	Isaiah 14:11	תּוֹלֵעָֽה	toleah	`HNcfsa`	worms	voracious worm
`H8438-05`	Isaiah 41:14	תּוֹלַ֣עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsc`	worm	crimson worm of
`H8438-06`	Isaiah 66:24	תוֹלַעְתָּ֞/ם	tolaetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their-worm	their worm
`H8438-05`	Jonah 4:7	תּוֹלַ֔עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsa`	a worm	crimson worm of
`H8438-05`	Psalms 22:7	תוֹלַ֣עַת	tolaat	`HNcfsa`	am a worm	crimson worm of
`H8438-08`	Job 25:6	תּוֹלֵעָֽה	toleah	`HNcfsa`	worm	voracious worm
`H8438-04`	Lamentations 4:5	תוֹלָ֔ע	tola	`HNcbsa`	purple	Worm

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