תֹּפֶל
𐤕𐤐𐤋
Tofel
H8603 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Tophel: A geographical place name cited in Deuteronomy, primarily designating a location east of the Jordan River, near the wilderness. The exact meaning of the name is uncertain, but it may connote an association with loose, friable soil or an infertile area—possibly "crumbling" or "miry place." The term is used exclusively as a proper noun and does not refer generically to a type of terrain.
Semantic Range
Tophel (a place east of the Jordan); possibly a descriptive place name for an area of friable or infertile soil; not attested as a common noun
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root תפל (t-p-l), which means 'to crumble, be tasteless or insipid.' The place name תֹּפֶל (Tophel) may refer to a location characterized by poor or loose soil, suggesting inhospitable or barren ground, although this is not certain. The connection to the root is based on phonetic similarity rather than an established descriptive function; the precise etymology is thus uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Tophel is referenced only once in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 1:1), in the list of landmarks marking the region through which the Israelites traveled east of the Jordan. Its exact identification remains unknown; proposals place it southeast of the Dead Sea, possibly near Edom. The name is attested solely as a toponym—there is no evidence in the biblical record for its use as a common noun meaning 'quagmire.' Modern English translations usually render it as 'Tophel' without further explanation, due to the lack of additional context. The identification of the site and the original implication of the name remain debated among historical geographers and lexicographers. The connection with תפל 'to be tasteless, to crumble' is primarily lexical and may not reflect ancient usage or understanding of the place name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as תָּפֵל; quagmire; Tophel, a place near the Desert; Tophel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תפל (t-p-l) — to crumble, to be tasteless, to be insipid
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8604 | תִּפְלָה | tastelessness |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8603-01 |
תֹּ֛פֶל | tofel | HNp |
Tophel | Crumbling-Place | Tofel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8603-01 |
Deuteronomy 1:1 | תֹּ֛פֶל | tofel | HNp |
Tophel | Crumbling-Place | Tofel |