תַּחַת
𐤕𐤇𐤕
Tachat
H8480 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Tachath (תַּחַת) is used as a personal name for three distinct individuals in the genealogies of the Israelite tribal lists, as well as a place name in the geographical lists of sites traversed during the Israelites' wilderness journey. The word likely bears a connection to the core meaning of its root, which is 'under' or 'beneath,' but in the case of the proper name its specific significance (if any) is uncertain.
Semantic Range
personal name of Israelite men; place name in the wilderness journey; common noun typically means 'under, beneath, instead of,' but as a proper noun functions only as a name
Root / Etymology
From the common Hebrew preposition תַּחַת (tachat), meaning 'under, beneath, instead of.' The personal and place name form retains the same spelling as the preposition but functions as a proper noun. The exact reason for its adoption as a name or place is not recorded; meanings in naming could include 'underling,' 'subordinate,' or 'one who replaces/an alternate,' but this is conjectural.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, תַּחַת as a proper name appears exclusively in genealogical and geographical lists: (1) as a descendant in the lineages of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:20; 7:25) and Levi (1 Chronicles 6:44 // 6:29 [Eng 44; Heb 29]), and (2) as a desert station listed among the stops of the Israelites on the exodus route (Numbers 33:26-27). The use of common words as personal or place names is a recognized phenomenon in Hebrew naming patterns. In all instances, there is no narrative context to illuminate the rationale for the use of this particular term as a name. In English Bible translation traditions, the name has sometimes been rendered as 'Tahath,' but this is a transliteration, not a translation. There is no evidence that the individuals or place associated with this name had any particular association with the semantic sense of 'under' except through etymology.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as תַּחַת; Tachath, the name of a place in the Desert, also of three Israelites; Tahath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תחת (t-ḥ-t) — to be under, be beneath, replace, succeed
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8460 | תְּחוֹת | beneath |
| H8478 | תַּחַת | under, in place of |
| H8479 | תַּחַת | under him |
| H8481 | תַּחְתּוֹן | the bottommost |
| H8482 | תַּחְתִּי | in the lowest regions of |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8480-04 |
וְ/תַ֣חַת | vetachat | HC/Np |
and Tahath | and under | 2 |
H8480-03 |
תַּ֤חַת | tachat | HR |
son of | under; in place of | 2 |
H8480-01 |
בְּ/תָֽחַת | betachat | HR/Np |
at Tahath | in Tachath | 1 |
H8480-02 |
מִ/תָּ֑חַת | mitachat | HR/Np |
from Tahath | from beneath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8480-01 |
Numbers 33:26 | בְּ/תָֽחַת | betachat | HR/Np |
at Tahath | in Tachath |
H8480-02 |
Numbers 33:27 | מִ/תָּ֑חַת | mitachat | HR/Np |
from Tahath | from beneath |
H8480-03 |
1 Chronicles 6:9 | תַּ֤חַת | tachat | HR |
son of | under; in place of |
H8480-03 |
1 Chronicles 6:22 | תַּ֨חַת֙ | tachat | HR |
under | under; in place of |
H8480-04 |
1 Chronicles 7:20 | וְ/תַ֣חַת | vetachat | HC/Np |
and Tahath | and under |
H8480-04 |
1 Chronicles 7:20 | וְ/תַ֥חַת | vetachat-2 | HC/Np |
and Tahath | and under |