טָנַף
𐤈𐤍𐤐
ṭânaph
H2936 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To pollute or make ritually or morally impure, particularly by contact with something considered unclean; to defile, stain, or soil, either in physical, ritual, or metaphorical senses. In biblical usage, most often refers to the act of rendering people, objects, or places ceremonially or morally unclean according to Israelite purity laws.
Semantic Range
to soil physically, to defile ritually, to pollute morally or spiritually, to desecrate a sacred place or relationship
Root / Etymology
Root טנף. The core meaning of the root is 'to soil, make dirty.' The verb טָנַף develops from this root with the nuance of defiling or polluting, especially in ritual or moral contexts. Used in the piel stem with an intensive sense (to thoroughly defile or desecrate).
Historical & Contextual Notes
טָנַף appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Isaiah 24:5; Jeremiah 3:1, 3:2, 3:9; Hosea 5:3), where it describes the defilement of the land or people, often in the context of ritual or moral pollution connected to practices condemned in the prophetic literature, such as idolatry or sexual transgression. The term carries both concrete (physical soiling) and extended (moral, spiritual) senses. While English translations often render טָנַף as 'defile' or 'pollute,' these may understate the word’s strong association with ritual impurity in ancient Israelite religion. Contrast with חָנֵף (ḥānef, H2611, 'to be profane' or 'godless'), which emphasizes moral or religious perversion rather than impurity per se. The sense of טָנַף as ritual or moral pollution is most prominent in exilic and post-exilic texts engaged with questions of land, cult, and covenantal adherence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to soil; defile.
Bantu Hebrew
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טנף (ṭ-n-p) — to soil, to make dirty, to defile
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2936-01 |
אֲטַנְּפֵֽ/ם | atanefem | HVpi1cs/Sp3mp |
shall I soil them | I will thoroughly defile them | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2936-01 |
Song of Songs 5:3 | אֲטַנְּפֵֽ/ם | atanefem | HVpi1cs/Sp3mp |
shall I soil them | I will thoroughly defile them |