מִסְפָּחָה
𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤇𐤄
miçpâchâh
H4555 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A head covering, veil, or kerchief, typically a cloth garment or wrap worn over the head, face, or shoulders, especially by women, as an article of clothing. The term denotes a fabric that is used to conceal, cover, or modestly drape part of the head or face.
Semantic Range
veil, kerchief, head covering, headscarf, draped covering; specifically, a cloth garment for the head or face, particularly of women, sometimes associated with magical or ritual use
Root / Etymology
Root: סָפַח (s-p-ḥ), meaning 'to join, attach, add.' The noun מִסְפָּחָה derives from a root indicating joining, likely referring to a garment that is joined or attached to a person for covering. While the root concept involves joining, the word itself specialized to mean a particular kind of head or face covering.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִסְפָּחָה occurs in Ezekiel 13:18, 21, in a prophetic critique against false prophetesses, where it denotes a specific article of clothing—likely a veil, kerchief, or scarf—used by women. The passage suggests the item was associated with magical or ritual practices, or perhaps with societal markers of status or modesty. Unlike other terms for veils or mantles in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., צָעִיף, רְדִיד), מִסְפָּחָה appears only in Ezekiel and carries unique connotations tied to the prophet's rhetoric. English translations often render it as 'kerchief,' 'veil,' or 'headband,' but none fully convey its historical nuance. Its occurrence is isolated to the exilic or post-exilic period, reflecting specific cultural or ritual practices of that era. Later Jewish literature does not use the term, though similar head coverings are known in Near Eastern contexts. The KJV's choice of 'kerchief' follows Septuagint and Vulgate translation traditions, but the term's exact form and function remain partially uncertain.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from סָפַח; a veil (as spread out); kerchief.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ספח (s-p-ḥ) — join, attach, add
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4556 | מִסְפַּחַת | the spreading skin-attachment |
| H4939 | מִשְׂפָּח | devastating slaughter |
| H5596 | סָפַח | from attaching oneself |
| H5597 | סַפַּחַת | spreading skin-affliction |
| H5599 | סָפִיחַ | self-added growth |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4555-02 |
מִסְפְּחֹֽתֵי/כֶ֗ם | misepechoteykhem | HNcfpc/Sp2mp |
your-veils | your head-coverings | 1 |
H4555-01 |
הַ/מִּסְפָּח֛וֹת | hamisepachot | HTd/Ncfpa |
kerchiefs | the attached veils | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4555-01 |
Ezekiel 13:18 | הַ/מִּסְפָּח֛וֹת | hamisepachot | HTd/Ncfpa |
kerchiefs | the attached veils |
H4555-02 |
Ezekiel 13:21 | מִסְפְּחֹֽתֵי/כֶ֗ם | misepechoteykhem | HNcfpc/Sp2mp |
your-veils | your head-coverings |