טָלָא
𐤈𐤋𐤀
ṭâlâʼ
H2921 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To patch, spot, or cover with pieces; to add variegated or mottled appearance to a surface. The verb describes the act of placing or sewing on patches, especially creating visual effect by contrasting materials or colors; more broadly, it can mean to cause something to be marked with spots or patches.
Semantic Range
to patch (a garment), to cover with pieces, to make spotted (as with animals), to create a variegated appearance, to make mottled or piebald
Root / Etymology
From the root טלא, which holds the core idea of patching or covering with pieces. The verb טָלָא is formed directly from this root and is used in the sense of making something piebald, mottled, or patched, whether referring to cloth or animals. There is no evidence of a broader semantic development beyond the idea of patching or variegation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, טָלָא appears chiefly in contexts describing clothing or the appearance of animals (such as sheep or goats) that are spotted or patched in color—an important detail in the patriarchal narratives (Genesis 30–31) concerning the flocks of Jacob. The term emphasizes physical, visible irregularity or diversity in surface appearance, whether intentionally created on cloth (as in patched or variegated garments) or naturally occurring on skin or in animal coloration. Unlike related roots, such as כתם (k-t-m, 'to stain') which stresses discoloration, טלא specifically refers to a pattern or patchiness, not a generalized soiling. In most English Bibles, the rendering 'spotted' or 'clouted' (patched) is common, but these do not always capture the sense of deliberate variegation or patching implied in Hebrew. The concept did not undergo significant semantic shift across biblical periods but remained tied to material culture practices and animal husbandry. The word rarely appears outside of early Israelite narrative and legal texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to cover with pieces; i.e. (by implication) to spot or variegate (as tapestry); clouted, with divers colours, spotted.
Bantu Hebrew
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טלא (ṭ-l-ʾ) — to patch, to spot, to variegate
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2921-06 |
וְ/טָל֗וּא | vetalu | HC/Vqsmsa |
and spotted | and patch-covered | 3 |
H2921-05 |
וְ/הַ/טְּלֻאֹ֔ת | vehateluot | HC/Td/Vqsfpa |
and spotted | and the variegated ones | 1 |
H2921-02 |
וּ/מְטֻלָּאוֹת֙ | umetulaot | HC/VPsfpa |
and-patched | and patch-covered ones | 1 |
H2921-03 |
וּ/טְלֻאִֽים | uteluim | HC/Vqsmpa |
and spotted | and variegated ones | 1 |
H2921-04 |
וְ/הַ/טְּלֻאִ֗ים | vehateluim | HC/Td/Vqsmpa |
and the spotted | patched ones | 1 |
H2921-01 |
טְלֻא֔וֹת | teluot | HVqsfpa |
colorful | patched ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2921-06 |
Genesis 30:32 | וְ/טָל֗וּא | vetalu | HC/Vqsmsa |
and spotted | and patch-covered |
H2921-06 |
Genesis 30:32 | וְ/טָל֥וּא | vetalu-2 | HC/Vqsmsa |
and spotted | and patch-covered |
H2921-06 |
Genesis 30:33 | וְ/טָל֜וּא | vetalu | HC/Vqsmsa |
and spotted | and patch-covered |
H2921-04 |
Genesis 30:35 | וְ/הַ/טְּלֻאִ֗ים | vehateluim | HC/Td/Vqsmpa |
and the spotted | patched ones |
H2921-05 |
Genesis 30:35 | וְ/הַ/טְּלֻאֹ֔ת | vehateluot | HC/Td/Vqsfpa |
and spotted | and the variegated ones |
H2921-03 |
Genesis 30:39 | וּ/טְלֻאִֽים | uteluim | HC/Vqsmpa |
and spotted | and variegated ones |
H2921-02 |
Joshua 9:5 | וּ/מְטֻלָּאוֹת֙ | umetulaot | HC/VPsfpa |
and-patched | and patch-covered ones |
H2921-01 |
Ezekiel 16:16 | טְלֻא֔וֹת | teluot | HVqsfpa |
colorful | patched ones |