טוּא
𐤈𐤅𐤀
ṭûwʼ
H2894 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
A verbal root meaning 'to sweep away,' particularly in the sense of removing or clearing off, usually in a figurative or poetic context to describe the erasing, effacing, or wiping away of something—often associated with devastation, judgment, or thorough removal. The verb emphasizes the totality or completeness of the act, whether referring to physical objects, peoples, or conditions.
Semantic Range
to sweep away, to wipe away, to efface, to remove completely (typically in the sense of bringing to desolation or extinction)
Root / Etymology
Root: טוא. The word derives from the Hebrew root טוא, which conveys the idea of sweeping, wiping, or removing. It is a rare root, with limited attestations, suggesting an archaic usage or one that was not widespread in later Hebrew. Its actual lexical meaning, 'to sweep away,' extends from the root sense of removing by sweeping or wiping.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The root טוא is very rare and appears primarily in poetic or highly stylized passages (e.g., Isaiah 14:23), where it is used to express the image of total removal, devastation, or destruction, often in the context of judgment against a city or people. It is typically used in the form of a prophetic threat or divine action, emphasizing the completeness of the removal—leaving nothing behind. While most common English translations render the term as 'sweep away,' this may flatten the metaphorical weight of total erasure or annihilation which the Hebrew often conveys. The term should be distinguished from related verbs like מחה (H4229), 'to wipe off, blot out,' and ספה (H5595), 'to sweep away, destroy,' which also convey removal or erasure but are more frequently used and have broader semantic ranges in Hebrew. In later periods, this root does not occur in post-biblical Hebrew, indicating its archaism or its replacement by other, more common roots for the notion of sweeping or removing.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to sweep away; sweep.
Bantu Hebrew
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טוא (ṭ-w-ʾ) — to sweep, to wipe, to remove
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2894-01 |
וְ/טֵֽאטֵאתִ֨י/הָ֙ | vetetetiha | HC/Vlq1cs/Sp3fs |
and-I-will-sweep-it | and I will thoroughly sweep her away | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2894-01 |
Isaiah 14:23 | וְ/טֵֽאטֵאתִ֨י/הָ֙ | vetetetiha | HC/Vlq1cs/Sp3fs |
and-I-will-sweep-it | and I will thoroughly sweep her away |