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נֹפֶת

𐤍𐤐𐤕

nôpheth

H5317 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נוף to shake, move to and fro, wave

Definition

A flowing or dripping substance; specifically, filtered honey, often with reference to its pure, unadulterated quality. In biblical usage, נֹפֶת denotes honey flowing naturally, especially from the honeycomb, emphasizing its purity and unprocessed state. The term may also appear in similes for pleasantness, sweetness, or desirability.

Semantic Range

dripping honey, honey flowing from the comb, filtered honey, metaphor for sweetness or pleasantness, pure honey

Root / Etymology

From the root נוף (nun-vav-peh), generally meaning 'to shake', 'to move to and fro', or 'to wave'. The nominal form נֹפֶת connects conceptually to the action of something being shaken or flowing out, specifically referring to the product (honey) that drips or flows when the honeycomb is agitated or pressed.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical literature, נֹפֶת is used to evoke imagery of sweetness, delight, and abundance. It often appears alongside other sweet substances, highlighting its status as the pure, choice product of bees. While English translations frequently render נֹפֶת as 'honey' or 'honeycomb', the Hebrew specifically points to honey that drips freely, not necessarily the full comb itself. The association with pleasure and desirability is also evident in poetic contexts (e.g., Proverbs 5:3; Song of Songs 4:11). Its usage declines in later Hebrew periods, where other terms for honey become more common. נֹפֶת is not tied to religious ritual contexts (unlike some other food terms) but rather to descriptions of luxury or sensory pleasure. The development of the term highlights preferences for unprocessed, pure substances in ancient Israel.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נוּף in the sense of shaking to pieces; a dripping i.e. of honey (from the comb); honeycomb.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נוף (n-w-p) — to shake, move to and fro, wave

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4649 מֻפִּים Muppim
H5130 נוּף your waving
H5131 נוֹף Prominent Height
H5299 נָפָה in upland of
H8573 תְּנוּפָה the wave-presentation

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5317-01 נֹ֣פֶת nofet HNcmsa droppings dripping honey 3
H5317-02 וְ/נֹ֣פֶת venofet HC/Ncmsc and than drippings and dripping honey 2

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5317-02 Psalms 19:11 וְ/נֹ֣פֶת venofet HC/Ncmsc and than drippings and dripping honey
H5317-01 Proverbs 5:3 נֹ֣פֶת nofet HNcmsa honey dripping honey
H5317-02 Proverbs 24:13 וְ/נֹ֥פֶת venofet HC/Ncmsa and the honeycomb and dripping honey
H5317-01 Proverbs 27:7 נֹ֑פֶת nofet HNcmsa honeycomb dripping honey
H5317-01 Song of Songs 4:11 נֹ֛פֶת nofet HNcmsa droppings dripping honey
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