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תֹּעוּ

𐤕𐤏𐤅

Tou

H8583 noun

SILEX Entry

Root תעה to wander, go astray, err

Definition

Personal name designating a non-Israelite king, specifically the ruler of Hamath, mentioned in connection with King David. The word functions as a proper noun and does not carry the meaning of 'error' in these contexts. The semantic range in the Hebrew Bible is limited to this individual's name.

Semantic Range

proper name (king of Hamath); does not denote 'error' in this context; personal name only in narrative about David

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root תעה (t-ʿ-h), meaning 'to stray, wander, go astray,' but the use as a personal name is likely to reflect Northwest Semitic onomastic conventions rather than retain the verbal sense of the root. As common with ancient Semitic royal names, its etymological meaning in the context of a proper name is uncertain, and it should not be read as implying the literal sense of 'error' for the individual.

Historical & Contextual Notes

תֹּעוּ (Tôʻûw, also found as תֹּעִי Toʿi) is used in the Masoretic Text for the king of Hamath who sent gifts to David following his victory over Hadadezer. Variations in spelling (Tôʻûw / Toʿi) occur in parallel passages (2 Samuel 8:9 vs. 1 Chronicles 18:9–10), likely reflecting different oral traditions or scribal conventions in the transmission of the historical account. The Septuagint transliterates the name as Θωΐ or Θωού, showing the ambiguity in how the name was rendered in Greek. Some English translations have historically used 'Toi' (following KJV) or 'Tou,' which are phonetic attempts to reproduce the Hebrew; the rendering 'Tou' is closer to the likely pronunciation based on the Hebrew vowels. This name serves as an early example of cross-cultural contact between the Israelite monarchy and neighboring Aramean states in the early monarchic period. The name is not used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, and it does not carry the later connotations of 'error' or 'wandering' associated with its verbal root in other contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or תֹּעִי; from תָּעָה; error; Tou or Toi, a Syrian king; Toi, Tou.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

תעה (t-ʿ-h) — to wander, go astray, err

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8376 תָּאָה you will cause to wander
H8442 תּוֹעָה wandering error
H8582 תָּעָה in wandering

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8583-01 תֹּ֖עִי toi HNp Toi Toi 3
H8583-02 תֹּ֖עוּ tou HNp Tou Tou 2

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8583-01 2 Samuel 8:9 תֹּ֖עִי toi HNp Toi Toi
H8583-01 2 Samuel 8:10 תֹּ֣עִי toi HNp Toi Toi
H8583-01 2 Samuel 8:10 תֹּ֖עִי toi-2 HNp with Toi Toi
H8583-02 1 Chronicles 18:9 תֹּ֖עוּ tou HNp Tou Tou
H8583-02 1 Chronicles 18:10 תֹּ֖עוּ tou HNp Tou Tou
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