תִּפְלָה
𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤄
tiphlâh
H8604 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Lack of value, sense, or proper substance; senselessness, absurdity, folly. Used to denote behavior, speech, or ideas that are empty, improper, or lack seriousness, often with the additional nuance of being contrary to accepted order or propriety. The term emphasizes worthlessness or senselessness, rather than simple ignorance.
Semantic Range
senselessness, absurdity, emptiness, lack of worth or substance, impropriety, folly, tasteless speech or behavior
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root תפל (t-p-l), meaning 'to be tasteless, insipid, unseasoned.' The base meaning of the root relates to something that lacks savor or is bland, and by extension applies metaphorically to things or actions that lack proper sense or worth. From this root, תִּפְלָה extends the idea to abstract qualities of emptiness or folly.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, תִּפְלָה appears primarily in poetic or wisdom literature, such as Job and the Prophets, describing actions, speech, or thoughts that are senseless or contrary to propriety. For example, Job rebukes 'words of תִּפְלָה' (Job 24:12) as empty or objectionable speech. The nuance differs from related terms like אִוֶּלֶת (ivvelet, 'folly'), which may imply moral failing or lack of wisdom, whereas תִּפְלָה more strongly emphasizes lack of substance or inappropriate empty content. Later translation traditions, especially in English, sometimes render it simply as 'folly,' which does not fully capture the Hebrew emphasis on emptiness or tastelessness. In post-biblical Hebrew, the foundational sense of 'unseasoned' or 'lacking flavor' persists, but the idiomatic usage of empty or absurd folly remains present. The term is distinct from references to moral evil or wrongdoing, focusing instead on the absence of appropriateness or proper value.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as תָּפֵל; frivolity; folly, foolishly.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תפל (t-p-l) — to be tasteless, to lack savor, to be insipid
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8603 | תֹּפֶל | Crumbling-Place |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8604-01 |
תִפְלָ֑ה | tifelah | HNcfsa |
folly | tastelessness | folly | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8604-01 |
Jeremiah 23:13 | תִפְלָ֑ה | tifelah | HNcfsa |
folly | tastelessness | folly |
H8604-01 |
Job 1:22 | תִּפְלָ֖ה | tifelah | HNcfsa |
foolishly | tastelessness | senselessness |
H8604-01 |
Job 24:12 | תִּפְלָֽה | tifelah | HNcfsa |
their plea | tastelessness | tastelessness |