נֹפֶת
𐤍𐤐𐤕
nôpheth
H5317 noun
SILEX Entry
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.
Translation Consistency
נֹפֶת consistently denotes honey (specifically flowing/dripping or filtered, pure honey) and is often used as a metaphor for sweetness/pleasantness. The single, natural English noun 'honey' best captures the typical sense across contexts while remaining simple and consistent for all forms.
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
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
נוף (nûwph) — to move back and forth, to wave, to shake, to oscillate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5130 | נוּף | your waving |
| H5299 | נָפָה | in upland of |
| H8573 | תְּנוּפָה | the wave-presentation |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5317-01 |
נֹ֣פֶת | nofet | HNcmsa |
droppings | dripping honey | dripping honey | 3 |
H5317-02 |
וְ/נֹ֥פֶת | venofet | HC/Ncmsa |
and than drippings | and dripping honey | and dripping honey | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5317-02 |
Psalms 19:11 | וְ/נֹ֣פֶת | venofet | HC/Ncmsc |
and than drippings | and dripping honey | and dripping honey |
H5317-01 |
Proverbs 5:3 | נֹ֣פֶת | nofet | HNcmsa |
honey | dripping honey | dripping honey |
H5317-02 |
Proverbs 24:13 | וְ/נֹ֥פֶת | venofet | HC/Ncmsa |
and the honeycomb | and dripping honey | and dripping honey |
H5317-01 |
Proverbs 27:7 | נֹ֑פֶת | nofet | HNcmsa |
honeycomb | dripping honey | dripping honey |
H5317-01 |
Song of Songs 4:11 | נֹ֛פֶת | nofet | HNcmsa |
droppings | dripping honey | dripping honey |