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צְלׇפְחָד

𐤑𐤋𐤐𐤇𐤃

Tselfechad

H6765 noun

SILEX Entry

Root צָלָף, אֶחָד shade, protection, one, unity

Definition

Tsᵉlophchad is a personal name referring to a specific Israelite male from the tribe of Manasseh, known primarily as the father of five daughters whose legal case impacted Israelite inheritance law. The name itself is unique to this individual in the Hebrew Bible, and its lexical meaning is uncertain, but traditional proposals relate it to notions of 'shade' or 'protection' and 'union' or 'oneness,' though these are etymologically debated.

Semantic Range

Personal name; individual Israelite; no documented common noun usage; genealogical reference

Root / Etymology

Compound of roots צָלָף (possibly meaning 'shade' or 'protection'), and אֶחָד ('one,' 'unity'). However, the etymology is uncertain, and the precise original meaning of the name is not established. The form is consistent with compound theophoric or descriptive names common in biblical onomastics, though no direct theophoric element is evident.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Tsᵉlophchad appears exclusively in the Torah (Numbers 26–27; 36; Joshua 17) as a Manassite whose daughters' petition concerning inheritance when lacking male heirs led to an important legal and social precedent for Israelite women. The name's meaning is primarily personal and genealogical, without mythological or occupational association. Unlike many biblical names, there is no evidence Tsᵉlophchad was used to describe a group or possess a common noun usage. In English tradition, the name is sometimes rendered as 'Zelophehad,' but this is a later Anglicization. The Hebrew term does not function as an ethnic or group identity. There is no religious or political connotation beyond its genealogical role in narrative context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as צָלָף and אֶחָד; Tselophchad, an Israelite; Zelophehad.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

צלף, אחד (ṣ-l-p̄, ʾ-ḥ-d) — shade, protection, one, unity

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6765-02 צְלָפְחָ֔ד tselafechad HNp Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness 8
H6765-01 לִ/צְלָפְחָ֖ד litselafechad HR/Np to Zelophehad to Tsᵉlophchad 1
H6765-03 וּ/צְלָפְחָ֣ד utselafechad HC/Np Now Zelophehad and Protected-One 1
H6765-04 וְ/לִ/צְלָפְחָד֩ velitselafechad HC/R/Np Now to Zelophehad and to Shade-Unity 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6765-03 Numbers 26:33 וּ/צְלָפְחָ֣ד utselafechad HC/Np Now Zelophehad and Protected-One
H6765-02 Numbers 26:33 צְלָפְחָ֔ד tselafechad HNp Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-02 Numbers 27:1 צְלָפְחָ֗ד tselafechad HNp of Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-02 Numbers 27:7 צְלָפְחָד֮ tselafechad HNp Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-02 Numbers 36:2 צְלָפְחָ֥ד tselafechad HNp Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-02 Numbers 36:6 צְלָפְחָד֙ tselafechad HNp of Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-02 Numbers 36:10 צְלָפְחָֽד tselafechad HNp Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-02 Numbers 36:11 צְלָפְחָ֑ד tselafechad HNp of Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
H6765-04 Joshua 17:3 וְ/לִ/צְלָפְחָד֩ velitselafechad HC/R/Np Now to Zelophehad and to Shade-Unity
H6765-02 1 Chronicles 7:15 צְלָפְחָ֑ד tselafechad HNp was Zelophehad Shade-of-Oneness
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