טֶרֶף
𐤈𐤓𐤐
ṭereph
H2964 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
What is taken by force or seized, especially as prey or food; something torn or snatched away. The term commonly refers to prey (animal or food) obtained by predatory animals or by hunting, or to meat sustenance gained violently. It can also refer to a fragment or portion taken away, sometimes metaphorically for possessions, sustenance, or gain acquired abruptly or forcibly. Occasionally used for leaves or vegetation, as what is plucked or freshly gathered.
Semantic Range
prey taken by an animal, food (especially meat) acquired by force, spoil or gain obtained by seizing, something suddenly taken or plucked (such as a leaf or provision), fragment, prey, sustenance
Root / Etymology
Root טָרַף (ṭāraph), meaning 'to tear, to seize, to rend.' The noun טֶרֶף (ṭereph) is a direct derivative, indicating the object or result of tearing or rending — what is torn or snatched. The root's primary sense relates to violent taking, particularly by animals of prey, but may extend metaphorically to human conduct (e.g., seizing spoil).
Historical & Contextual Notes
טֶרֶף is used across the Hebrew Bible to denote food taken by predation, as in the prey caught by wild animals (Genesis 49:9, Amos 3:4). It can refer to meat and sustenance (Proverbs 31:15), emphasizing the notion of that which is obtained by active acquisition, sometimes violently. In a metaphorical or extended sense, it also refers to spoil or gain acquired suddenly (cf. Malachi 3:10–11). The use of טֶרֶף for 'leaf' (as in Proverbs 11:30) leverages the basic idea of something freshly plucked or taken, not suggesting violence but emphasizing freshness or product. In post-exilic and later Hebrew, the term’s range narrows to food or sustenance, often in poetic contexts. English translations as 'prey,' 'food,' or 'meat' do not fully capture the range, especially the connection to forceful acquisition. Unlike מעט in Isaiah 10:14 or other terms for 'spoil,' טֶרֶף regularly has this predatory or seizing nuance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from טָרַף; something torn, i.e. a fragment, e.g. a fresh leaf, prey, food; leaf, meat, prey, spoil.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
טרף (ṭâraph) — to tear apart, to rend, to seize violently, to plunder
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2963 | טָרַף | I tear apart |
| H2965 | טָרָף | fresh-torn meat |
| H2966 | טְרֵפָה | the torn carcass |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2964-07 |
טֶ֖רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey | 9 |
H2964-03 |
טָ֑רֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey | 7 |
H2964-01 |
לַ/טָּ֑רֶף | lataref | HRd/Ncmsa |
for their prey | for the torn prey | for prey | 2 |
H2964-02 |
מִ/טֶּ֖רֶף | miteref | HR/Ncmsa |
from the prey | from torn prey | from the prey | 1 |
H2964-04 |
טַרְפֵּ֔/ךְ | tarepekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
your prey | your torn-prey | your torn-prey | 1 |
H2964-05 |
טַרְפֵּ֤י | tarepey | HAampc |
fresh leaves of | torn-off portions of | torn-off portions of | 1 |
H2964-06 |
טַרְפּ֗/וֹ | tarepo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his prey | his torn prey | his prey | 1 |
H2964-08 |
וְ/טֶ֖רֶף | veteref | HC/Ncmsa |
and prey | torn prey | prey | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
23 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2964-02 |
Genesis 49:9 | מִ/טֶּ֖רֶף | miteref | HR/Ncmsa |
from the prey | from torn prey | from the prey |
H2964-07 |
Numbers 23:24 | טֶ֔רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-07 |
Isaiah 5:29 | טֶ֔רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
of the prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-06 |
Isaiah 31:4 | טַרְפּ֗/וֹ | tarepo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his prey | his torn prey | his prey |
H2964-05 |
Ezekiel 17:9 | טַרְפֵּ֤י | tarepey | HAampc |
fresh leaves of | torn-off portions of | torn-off portions of |
H2964-07 |
Ezekiel 19:3 | טֶ֖רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-07 |
Ezekiel 19:6 | טֶ֖רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-03 |
Ezekiel 22:25 | טָ֑רֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-03 |
Ezekiel 22:27 | טָ֑רֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-08 |
Amos 3:4 | וְ/טֶ֖רֶף | veteref | HC/Ncmsa |
and prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-07 |
Nahum 2:13 | טֶ֣רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | torn prey |
H2964-04 |
Nahum 2:14 | טַרְפֵּ֔/ךְ | tarepekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
your prey | your torn-prey | your torn-prey |
H2964-03 |
Nahum 3:1 | טָֽרֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
the prey | torn prey | torn prey |
H2964-07 |
Malachi 3:10 | טֶ֨רֶף֙ | teref | HNcmsa |
food | torn prey | sustenance |
H2964-03 |
Psalms 76:5 | טָֽרֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
of prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-01 |
Psalms 104:21 | לַ/טָּ֑רֶף | lataref | HRd/Ncmsa |
for their prey | for the torn prey | for their prey |
H2964-07 |
Psalms 111:5 | טֶ֭רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
food | torn prey | food |
H2964-07 |
Psalms 124:6 | טֶ֝֗רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-07 |
Proverbs 31:15 | טֶ֣רֶף | teref | HNcmsa |
food | torn prey | food |
H2964-03 |
Job 4:11 | טָ֑רֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-01 |
Job 24:5 | לַ/טָּ֑רֶף | lataref | HRd/Ncmsa |
prey | for the torn prey | for prey |
H2964-03 |
Job 29:17 | טָֽרֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |
H2964-03 |
Job 38:39 | טָ֑רֶף | taref | HNcmsa |
prey | torn prey | prey |