לָפַת
𐤋𐤐𐤕
lâphath
H3943 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To bend, curve, or wrap around; in extended usage, to grasp, clasp, or take hold of, especially in the sense of enveloping or binding. Reflexively, to turn oneself aside or to wrap oneself up. The term often conveys a physical action where something is encircled, grasped, or brought together tightly.
Semantic Range
to bend, to curve, to wrap around, to clasp, to seize, to take hold of, to turn oneself aside, to embrace (figurative)
Root / Etymology
From the root לפת meaning 'to bend, wrap, clasp.' The verb formation conveys a sense of movement involving encircling or causing to bend. It is a primitive Semitic root, attested only in Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Usage of לָפַת is rare in the Hebrew Bible. It appears most notably in poetic and wisdom contexts (e.g., Proverbs 4:8) to describe the binding or embracing action of wisdom, often metaphorically for the act of holding fast or cherishing. Elsewhere, it refers to a literal act of clasping or seizing. Over time, related nouns like לֶפֶת (turnip, possibly referencing a round and clasped shape) emerged. The action described by לָפַת is distinct from more common terms for 'grasp' or 'hold,' such as תפשׂ or אחז, and tends to emphasize wrapping, clasping, or an enveloping movement. Standard English translations like 'take hold' or 'clasp' only partially capture the nuance, sometimes omitting the imagery of enveloping or curving. Notably, the term lacks religious or cultic connotations and retains a physical or metaphorical sense of grasping or binding. There is no attestation beyond the biblical period, limiting evidence for semantic development.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to bend, i.e. (by implication) to clasp; also (reflexively) to turn around or aside; take hold, turn aside (self).
Bantu Hebrew
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לפת (l-p-t) — to bend, to wrap, to clasp
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3943-03 |
יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ | yilafetu | HVNi3mp |
they turn aside | they will wrap themselves | 1 |
H3943-02 |
וַ/יִּלְפֹּ֨ת | vayilepot | HC/Vqw3ms |
And took hold | and he wrapped around | 1 |
H3943-01 |
וַ/יִּלָּפֵ֑ת | vayilafet | HC/VNw3ms |
and turned himself | and he wrapped himself | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3943-02 |
Judges 16:29 | וַ/יִּלְפֹּ֨ת | vayilepot | HC/Vqw3ms |
And took hold | and he wrapped around |
H3943-03 |
Job 6:18 | יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ | yilafetu | HVNi3mp |
they turn aside | they will wrap themselves |
H3943-01 |
Ruth 3:8 | וַ/יִּלָּפֵ֑ת | vayilafet | HC/VNw3ms |
and turned himself | and he wrapped himself |