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חוֹף

𐤇𐤅𐤐

chôwph

H2348 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A stretch of land bordering a sea or large body of water; shoreline, seacoast, or shore. In some contexts, refers to a defined strip of land adjacent to the sea and sometimes, by extension, the region or settlements along the coast.

Semantic Range

shoreline, seacoast, strip of land bordering water, coast, seashore, region adjacent to the sea

Root / Etymology

Root חוף (ḥ-w-p), likely meaning 'to cover' or 'to enclose,' though this verb is not attested in the biblical corpus itself. The noun חוֹף, in context, seems to indicate the area covered or lapped by water, i.e., the shore. The etymological connection is inferred from cognate languages and root structure but remains somewhat uncertain due to lack of direct verbal evidence in Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חוֹף refers to the physical shoreline, especially in reference to the Mediterranean coast inhabited by non-Israelite groups such as the Sidonians (e.g., Joshua 9:1) and the territory of Asher (Joshua 19:29). The term generally emphasizes geographical location rather than political or ethnic identity. In later periods, the term can refer to both natural coastal features (sand, beach, bays) and, by extension, the communities situated on or adjacent to such areas. Some English translations render it as 'coast,' 'shore,' or 'region,' but such choices may not always capture the nuance, especially where חוֹף specifically denotes the immediate zone where land meets sea. Unlike other terms (such as גְּבוּל, 'border,' or יָם, 'sea'), חוֹף primarily focuses on the transitional area itself. The word does not inherently carry the meaning of a harbor or haven, though some later uses (in post-biblical Hebrew and in language influence by Greek/Latin) may imply a landing place or shelter. Biblical occurrences are concentrated in narrations concerning territorial allocation and interactions with maritime peoples.

Translation Consistency

primary "shore" 6 occurrences

'Shore' is the most natural, concise English noun that covers the typical semantic range (shoreline, seashore, strip of land bordering water). It is more flexible and idiomatic than 'coast' for both small stretches and general edges of water, and matches the majority of existing renderings.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"shoreline of" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to cover; a cove (as a sheltered bay); coast (of the sea), haven, shore, (sea-) side.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

חוף (Chufam) — to cover, to enclose (root-level, speculative)

Root חוף to cover, to enclose (root-level, speculative)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2349 חוּפָם to Chuphâm

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2348-01 ח֥וֹף chof HNcmsc coast shore of shore of 3
H2348-02 לְ/ח֥וֹף lechof HR/Ncmsc at the shore to the shoreline of to the shore of 3
H2348-03 וּ/בְ/ח֣וֹף uvechof HC/R/Ncmsc and-in-seacoast and in the shore-of and in the shore of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2348-02 Genesis 49:13 לְ/ח֥וֹף lechof HR/Ncmsc shall dwell at the shore to the shoreline of to the shore of
H2348-02 Genesis 49:13 לְ/ח֣וֹף lechof-2 HR/Ncmsc shall be to a shore to the shoreline of to the shore of
H2348-03 Deuteronomy 1:7 וּ/בְ/ח֣וֹף uvechof HC/R/Ncmsc and-in-seacoast and in the shore-of and in the shore of
H2348-01 Joshua 9:1 ח֚וֹף chof HNcmsc coast shore of shore of
H2348-02 Judges 5:17 לְ/ח֣וֹף lechof HR/Ncmsc at the shore to the shoreline of at the shoreline of
H2348-01 Jeremiah 47:7 ח֥וֹף chof HNcmsc seashore shore of shore of
H2348-01 Ezekiel 25:16 ח֥וֹף chof HNcmsc of the coast shore of shore of
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