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נוּף

𐤍𐤅𐤐

nûwph

H5130 verb

SILEX Entry

Root נוף to move back and forth, to wave, to shake, to oscillate

Definition

To move back and forth, to wave, to wield through a swaying or vibrating motion. Most commonly refers to the ritual act of waving or presenting an object (such as offerings, particularly grain, loaves, or parts of sacrificial animals) before YHWH as part of a ceremony, but also used of other act of oscillating, brandishing, or shaking an object. The term especially designates the 'wave offering' (tnūphāh) in cultic contexts.

Semantic Range

to wave (ritually), to brandish (a weapon), to shake, to move to and fro, to wield in a swaying motion, to present ceremonially, to sprinkle (rare), to sift (rare), to beckon (rare), to strike (rare), to swing

Root / Etymology

Root: נוף (nûph). The root conveys the idea of 'to move or swing back and forth,' 'to wave,' or 'to cause to move to and fro.' The root-level meaning is movement that implies oscillation, most often through the air. Lexical usage of נוּף most commonly refers to a ritual or demonstrative motion, especially in the cultic context, derived from this physical movement.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, נוּף appears primarily in priestly and ritual contexts, such as when portions of offerings are waved before YHWH as a sign of dedication or transfer (see Leviticus and Numbers for the technical use of 'wave offering'). The gesture could involve side-to-side or to-and-fro (sometimes up-and-down) motion, usually before the altar, indicating presentation to the deity and sometimes subsequent portion transfer to the officiant (priest/Levite). Outside cultic language, the verb can also refer more generally to the action of brandishing (as with a weapon, e.g., Isaiah 10:15) or shaking. The verb can rarely carry the nuance of motion associated with sifting or sprinkling, but these senses are context-dependent and always involve a movement back/forth or up/down. In most English translations, rendering as 'wave' captures the core sense in ritual but leaves out some shades of meaning in non-cultic usage. Modern Hebrew retains the idea of waving or moving something in a to-and-fro manner. The translation 'beckon' or 'send' is rare and context-bound. The term is distinct from other verbs for movement (e.g., נָעַע 'to move/shake,' נָדַף 'to drive away/blow'), as נוּף emphasizes the deliberate back-and-forth or oscillatory motion, especially with symbolic or ritual purpose.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to quiver (i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro); used in a great variety of applications (including sprinkling, beckoning, rubbing, bastinadoing, sawing, waving, etc.); lift up, move, offer, perfume, send, shake, sift, strike, wave.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נוף (n-w-p̄ (nûph)) — to move back and forth, to wave, to shake, to oscillate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4649 מֻפִּים Muppim
H5131 נוֹף Prominent Height
H5299 נָפָה in upland of
H5317 נֹפֶת dripping honey
H8573 תְּנוּפָה the wave-presentation

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5130-17 וְ/הֵנִ֥יף vehenif HC/Vhq3ms and shall wave and he caused to wave 9
H5130-16 וְ/הֵנַפְתָּ֥ vehenafeta HC/Vhq2ms and you shall wave and you shall wave 4
H5130-05 הֵנִ֛יף henif HVhp3ms he waved he waved 3
H5130-13 תָנִ֔יף tanif HVhi2ms you caused to rain you cause to wave 3
H5130-09 לְ/הָנִ֥יף lehanif HR/Vhc to wave to cause to wave 2
H5130-14 וַ/יָּ֧נֶף vayanef HC/Vhw3ms and waved and he caused to wave 2
H5130-10 מֵנִ֥יף menif HVhrmsa am waving the one who waves 2
H5130-12 נַ֥פְתִּי nafeti HVqp1cs I have perfumed I waved 1
H5130-03 הָנִ֣יפוּ hanifu HVhv2mp wave Wave back-and-forth! 1
H5130-18 יְנִיפֶ֖/נּוּ yenifenu HVhi3ms/Sp3ms he shall wave it he will cause him to wave 1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5130-04 Exodus 20:25 הֵנַ֥פְתָּ henafeta HVhp2ms you lift up you caused to wave
H5130-16 Exodus 29:24 וְ/הֵנַפְתָּ֥ vehenafeta HC/Vhq2ms and you shall wave and you shall wave
H5130-16 Exodus 29:26 וְ/הֵנַפְתָּ֥ vehenafeta HC/Vhq2ms and you shall wave and you shall wave
H5130-06 Exodus 29:27 הוּנַ֖ף hunaf HVHp3ms was waved was waved
H5130-05 Exodus 35:22 הֵנִ֛יף henif HVhp3ms waved he waved
H5130-09 Leviticus 7:30 לְ/הָנִ֥יף lehanif HR/Vhc to wave to cause to wave
H5130-14 Leviticus 8:27 וַ/יָּ֧נֶף vayanef HC/Vhw3ms and waved and he caused to wave
H5130-15 Leviticus 8:29 וַ/יְנִיפֵ֥/הוּ vayenifehu HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3ms and waved it and he waved him
H5130-05 Leviticus 9:21 הֵנִ֧יף henif HVhp3ms he waved he waved
H5130-09 Leviticus 10:15 לְ/הָנִ֥יף lehanif HR/Vhc to wave to cause to wave
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