תְּאֵן (H8384) — Hebrew Lexicon

תְּאֵן

𐤕𐤀𐤍

tᵉʼên

H8384 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; possibly relates to 'fig, fig tree' as a nominal designation

Definition

Fig, specifically the fig tree (Ficus carica) or its fruit; denotes both the tree and its edible produce in various contexts. The term can refer to the actual fig fruit, the tree as an object of agricultural or symbolic reference, and, by extension, to products or circumstances associated with figs.

Semantic Range

fig tree, fig fruit, fig tree as a symbol of prosperity or security, the produce of the fig tree (dried or fresh), agricultural product, tree species (Ficus carica)

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain. The word תְּאֵן (teʾen) does not fit regularly derived Semitic roots and is considered possibly of non-Semitic (foreign) origin, potentially a loanword adapted into Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, תְּאֵן refers to both the fig fruit and the tree itself. The fig is one of the seven products listed as native to the land in Deuteronomy 8:8, underscoring its agricultural and symbolic importance among Israelites. Its fruit was a staple of the ancient Israelite diet, eaten fresh or dried, and the tree was valued for both its yield and shade. The term occurs more frequently than other names for fruit trees, reflecting the abundance and prestige of figs in agrarian society. Symbolically, the fig tree often connotes peace, security, or prosperity, as in expressions like 'each man under his vine and under his fig tree' (Micah 4:4). In prophetic and wisdom literature, the withering or absence of the תְּאֵן may suggest judgment or calamity. The standard translation as 'fig' or 'fig tree' generally conveys the primary sense, but in English versions, 'fig' sometimes fails to capture the symbol-laden associations present in Hebrew culture. The term distinguishes this species from other fruit-bearing plants (e.g., גֶּפֶן gephen, 'vine/grapevine'). Usage remains consistent throughout monarchic and post-exilic periods, with no significant shift in lexical meaning, and the term continues into post-biblical Hebrew. In later Jewish and Christian translations, 'fig' may also bear theological associations, but these do not originate in the lexical meaning of the biblical Hebrew term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (in the singular, feminine) תְּאֵנָה; perhaps of foreign derivation; the fig (tree or fruit); fig (tree).

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Root Family

תאן (t-ʾ-n) — fig, fig tree (nominal designation of the Ficus carica)

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H8387	תַּאֲנַת שִׁלֹה	Approach-of

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8384-10`	תְּאֵנִ֑ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	figs	figs	8
`H8384-08`	תְאֵנָ֔ה	teenah	`HNcfsa`	fig tree	fig tree	5
`H8384-09`	תְּאֵֽנָת֔/וֹ	teenato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his fig tree	his fig tree	4
`H8384-02`	הַ/תְּאֵנָ֔ה	hateenah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the fig tree	the fig tree	2
`H8384-04`	כַּ/תְּאֵנִ֥ים	kateenim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	like figs	like figs	2
`H8384-18`	וְ/הַ/תְּאֵנָ֖ה	vehateenah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and the fig tree	and the fig tree	2
`H8384-03`	הַ/תְּאֵנִֽים	hateenim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the figs	the fig trees	2
`H8384-11`	וּ/תְאֵנָ֤ה	uteenah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and-fig	and fig tree	2
`H8384-12`	וּ/תְאֵ֣נָתָ֔/הּ	uteenatah	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	and-her-fig-tree	and her fig tree	1
`H8384-17`	וּ/תְאֵנִים֙	uteenim	`HC/Ncfpa`	and figs	and figs	1
`H8384-14`	וּ/תְאֵנָתֶ֑/ךָ	uteenatekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and your fig trees	your fig tree	1
`H8384-05`	כִּ/תְאֵנֵ֖י	kiteeney	`HR/Ncfpc`	like-the-figs	figs of	1
`H8384-15`	וּ/תְאֵנָתִ֖/י	uteenati	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	and my fig tree	and my fig tree	1
`H8384-20`	בִ/תְאֵנָה֙	viteenah	`HR/Ncfsa`	on the fig tree	fig tree	1
`H8384-19`	וְ/כַ/תְּאֵנִים֙	vekhateenim	`HC/Rd/Ncfpa`	and-like-the-figs	and like figs	1
`H8384-13`	וּ/תְאֵנָתָ֑/ם	uteenatam	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	and their fig trees	and their fig tree	1
`H8384-16`	וּ/תְאֵנֵי/כֶ֥ם	uteeneykhem	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp2mp`	and your fig trees	and your fig trees	1
`H8384-06`	לַ/תְּאֵנָ֑ה	lateenah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to the fig tree	to the fig tree	1
`H8384-01`	בַּ/תְּאֵנָ֗ה	bateenah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	on the fig tree	fig tree	1
`H8384-07`	מִ/תְּאֵנָֽה	miteenah	`HR/Ncfsa`	from the fig tree	from a fig tree	1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8384-08`	Genesis 3:7	תְאֵנָ֔ה	teenah	`HNcfsa`	fig	fig tree
`H8384-03`	Numbers 13:23	הַ/תְּאֵנִֽים	hateenim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the figs	the fig trees
`H8384-11`	Numbers 20:5	וּ/תְאֵנָ֤ה	uteenah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and-fig	and fig tree
`H8384-11`	Deuteronomy 8:8	וּ/תְאֵנָ֖ה	uteenah	`HC/Ncfsa`	fig trees	and fig tree
`H8384-06`	Judges 9:10	לַ/תְּאֵנָ֑ה	lateenah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to the fig tree	to the fig tree
`H8384-02`	Judges 9:11	הַ/תְּאֵנָ֔ה	hateenah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the fig tree	the fig tree
`H8384-09`	1 Kings 5:5	תְּאֵֽנָת֔/וֹ	teenato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his fig tree	his fig tree
`H8384-09`	2 Kings 18:31	תְּאֵֽנָת֔/וֹ	teenato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his fig tree	his fig tree
`H8384-10`	2 Kings 20:7	תְּאֵנִ֑ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	of figs	figs
`H8384-07`	Isaiah 34:4	מִ/תְּאֵנָֽה	miteenah	`HR/Ncfsa`	from the fig tree	from a fig tree
`H8384-09`	Isaiah 36:16	תְּאֵנָת֔/וֹ	teenato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his fig tree	his fig tree
`H8384-10`	Isaiah 38:21	תְּאֵנִ֑ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	figs	figs
`H8384-14`	Jeremiah 5:17	וּ/תְאֵנָתֶ֑/ךָ	uteenatekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and your fig trees	your fig tree
`H8384-10`	Jeremiah 8:13	תְּאֵנִ֣ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	figs	figs
`H8384-01`	Jeremiah 8:13	בַּ/תְּאֵנָ֗ה	bateenah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	on the fig tree	fig tree
`H8384-10`	Jeremiah 24:1	תְאֵנִ֔ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	of figs	figs
`H8384-10`	Jeremiah 24:2	תְּאֵנִים֙	teenim	`HNcfpa`	figs	figs
`H8384-05`	Jeremiah 24:2	כִּ/תְאֵנֵ֖י	kiteeney	`HR/Ncfpc`	like-the-figs	figs of
`H8384-10`	Jeremiah 24:2	תְּאֵנִים֙	teenim-2	`HNcfpa`	figs	figs
`H8384-10`	Jeremiah 24:3	תְּאֵנִ֑ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	figs	figs
`H8384-03`	Jeremiah 24:3	הַ/תְּאֵנִ֤ים	hateenim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the-figs	the fig trees
`H8384-04`	Jeremiah 24:5	כַּ/תְּאֵנִ֥ים	kateenim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	like the figs	like figs
`H8384-19`	Jeremiah 24:8	וְ/כַ/תְּאֵנִים֙	vekhateenim	`HC/Rd/Ncfpa`	and-like-the-figs	and like figs
`H8384-04`	Jeremiah 29:17	כַּ/תְּאֵנִים֙	kateenim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	like figs	like figs
`H8384-12`	Hosea 2:14	וּ/תְאֵ֣נָתָ֔/הּ	uteenatah	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	and-her-fig-tree	and her fig tree
`H8384-20`	Hosea 9:10	בִ/תְאֵנָה֙	viteenah	`HR/Ncfsa`	on the fig tree	fig tree
`H8384-15`	Joel 1:7	וּ/תְאֵנָתִ֖/י	uteenati	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	and my fig tree	and my fig tree
`H8384-18`	Joel 1:12	וְ/הַ/תְּאֵנָ֖ה	vehateenah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and the fig tree	and the fig tree
`H8384-08`	Joel 2:22	תְּאֵנָ֥ה	teenah	`HNcfsa`	fig tree	fig tree
`H8384-16`	Amos 4:9	וּ/תְאֵנֵי/כֶ֥ם	uteeneykhem	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp2mp`	and your fig trees	and your fig trees
`H8384-09`	Micah 4:4	תְּאֵנָת֖/וֹ	teenato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his-fig-tree	his fig tree
`H8384-10`	Nahum 3:12	תְּאֵנִ֖ים	teenim	`HNcfpa`	fig trees	figs
`H8384-08`	Habakkuk 3:17	תְאֵנָ֣ה	teenah	`HNcfsa`	fig tree	fig tree
`H8384-18`	Haggai 2:19	וְ/הַ/תְּאֵנָ֧ה	vehateenah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and the fig tree	and the fig tree
`H8384-08`	Zechariah 3:10	תְּאֵנָֽה	teenah	`HNcfsa`	fig tree	fig tree
`H8384-13`	Psalms 105:33	וּ/תְאֵנָתָ֑/ם	uteenatam	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	and their fig trees	and their fig tree
`H8384-08`	Proverbs 27:18	תְּ֭אֵנָה	teenah	`HNcfsa`	the fig tree	fig tree
`H8384-02`	Song of Songs 2:13	הַ/תְּאֵנָה֙	hateenah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the fig tree	the fig tree
`H8384-17`	Nehemiah 13:15	וּ/תְאֵנִים֙	uteenim	`HC/Ncfpa`	and figs	and figs

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