נוֹף
𐤍𐤅𐤐
nôwph
H5131 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A prominent or elevated place, often used to denote a region set above its surroundings; most notably, appears as the name of a specific location—generally identified as the ancient city of Memphis in Egypt. In some contexts, 'nôwph' refers to an area distinguished by its height or visible prominence rather than mere elevation.
Semantic Range
elevated place, prominent location, Memphis (as a geographic name), region of raised terrain
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נוף (nun-vav-peh), commonly associated with the notion of 'rising, wavering, or being lifted.' As a noun, נוֹף (nôwph) is formed from this root and denotes an elevated or prominent location. See also the related form נֹף (Noph), the Hebrew name for Memphis, indicating a possible overlap or confusion in some passages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, נוֹף occurs infrequently and is contextually associated with locations of noteworthiness, often linked to the Egyptian city of Memphis (נֹף), a major ancient metropolis. The form נוֹף may represent a variant or alternative orthography of נֹף, the established Hebrew designation for Memphis. Due to scribal and phonetic similarities, it is sometimes debated whether occurrences of נוֹף should instead be vocalized or understood as נֹף. English translations typically render נוֹף as 'Noph' or 'Memphis' when understood as a toponym, but the underlying meaning incorporates the idea of prominence or elevation, which may be lost in translation. The term is not used in reference to Israelite locations but rather to foreign (Egyptian) geography. The usage is concentrated in prophetic literature, especially in passages concerning Egypt during the monarchic and post-monarchic eras, reflecting the geostrategic importance of Memphis at those times.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נוּף; elevation; situation. Compare נֹף.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נוף (n-w-p̄) — rising, lifting, elevation
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4649 | מֻפִּים | Muppim |
| H5130 | נוּף | your waving |
| H5299 | נָפָה | in upland of |
| H5317 | נֹפֶת | dripping honey |
| H8573 | תְּנוּפָה | the wave-presentation |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5131-01 |
נוֹף֮ | nof | HNcmsa |
of height | Prominent Height | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5131-01 |
Psalms 48:3 | נוֹף֮ | nof | HNcmsa |
of height | Prominent Height |