תָּוָה
𐤕𐤅𐤄
tâvâh
H8427 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To mark, inscribe, or engrave; to delineate or set a visible sign, sometimes by scratching into a surface. The verb denotes the act of creating an identifying trace, mark, or pattern, often with a tool, and is used primarily for acts of marking or inscribing something as a sign, whether for communication or identification purposes. In some contexts, the emphasis is on crudely scratching or making visible notations.
Semantic Range
to mark (by scratching or incising), to inscribe, to engrave, to set a sign for identification or protection, to delineate in a visible or permanent manner
Root / Etymology
From the root תוה, meaning to mark, inscribe, or delineate. The physical sense is of making lines, scratches, or marks that serve as an indication or communication. Derived verbs in the Semitic family often indicate writing, drawing, or marking, though תוה appears only rarely in Biblical Hebrew. Cognates: Aramaic תוה (to mark).
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used only twice in the Hebrew Bible (Job 19:23 [in piel: 'inscribed'] and Ezekiel 9:4,6 [in piel: 'set a mark']). In Job, it refers to the strong desire to have words permanently inscribed, likely on a durable material. In Ezekiel, the term refers to setting a protective mark on individuals. In both cases, the focus is not on writing per se, but on creating a visible sign that serves communicative or protective purposes. The notion of 'scrabbling' (as in KJV, 1 Sam 21:13) comes from a different root (שׂרע) and is not related; some translations have conflated them. Later Hebrew and Rabbinic tradition associated the root with making a written sign, but actual biblical usage is limited to the idea of marking or inscribing, often with soteriological or legal connotation (e.g., as a sign of belonging or protection). Modern English translations often ambiguously render the word as 'mark,' but this does not capture the full nuance of incising, engraving, or actively setting a sign.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to mark out, i.e. (primitive) scratch or (definite) imprint; scrabble, set (a mark).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תוה (t-w-h) — to mark, to inscribe, to engrave, to delineate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8420 | תָּו | the distinguishing mark |
| H8428 | תָּוָה | they marked out |
| H8429 | תְּוַהּ | he was astonished |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8427-03 |
ו/יתו | vytv | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he scribbled | and he inscribed | 1 |
H8427-01 |
וַ/יְתָיו֙ | vayetayv | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he let run | and he inscribed | 1 |
H8427-02 |
וְ/הִתְוִ֨יתָ | vehitevita | HC/Vhq2ms |
and set a mark | and you caused to be marked | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8427-03 |
1 Samuel 21:14 | ו/יתו | vytv | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he scribbled | and he inscribed |
H8427-01 |
1 Samuel 21:14 | וַ/יְתָיו֙ | vayetayv | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he let run | and he inscribed |
H8427-02 |
Ezekiel 9:4 | וְ/הִתְוִ֨יתָ | vehitevita | HC/Vhq2ms |
and set a mark | and you caused to be marked |