טָרָף
𐤈𐤓𐤐
ṭârâph
H2965 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Recently torn or freshly plucked, typically referring to something (such as meat or food) that has just been removed or torn from its source and has not yet undergone decay; emphasizes freshness and immediacy after separation. In narrative texts, commonly describes an animal carcass or meat that has been freshly killed or torn, especially in the context of what may or may not be suitable for human consumption.
Semantic Range
freshly torn, recently plucked, fresh meat, food freshly torn from its source, freshly killed animal
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ט־ר־ף (טרף), meaning 'to tear, to seize, to snatch.' The formation טָרָף (ṭârâph) is a substantive/participle structure, referring to that which is freshly seized or torn apart.
Historical & Contextual Notes
טָרָף appears in contexts dealing with food laws and ritual purity, most notably in Leviticus and Ezekiel, describing meat that has not been slaughtered properly (i.e. not by ritual means but torn by beasts, thus unsuitable for Israelite consumption). Unlike other terms for torn or dead animals, טָרָף consistently highlights the immediacy or freshness of the act—it is not simply dead or carrion, but specifically 'just torn/plucked.' English translations often render it as 'what was torn (by beasts)' or 'freshly killed,' but these may miss the aspect of recentness or freshness that distinguishes it from older, decomposing carcasses (cf. נְבֵלָה 'carcass'). No significant shift in meaning is observed between earlier and later biblical periods, but later Jewish exegetical traditions sometimes connect the term to dietary laws distinguishing between permissible and forbidden food for Israelites.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from טָרַף; recently torn off, i.e. fresh; pluckt off.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
טרף (ṭ-r-p) — to tear, to seize, to snatch
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2963 | טָרַף | I tear apart |
| H2964 | טֶרֶף | for the torn prey |
| H2966 | טְרֵפָה | the torn carcass |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2965-01 |
טָרָ֣ף | taraf | HAamsa |
freshly plucked | fresh-torn meat | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2965-01 |
Genesis 8:11 | טָרָ֣ף | taraf | HAamsa |
freshly plucked | fresh-torn meat |