תּוֹר
𐤕𐤅𐤓
tôwr
H8448 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A turn, order, or row; refers to a sequence or rotation of persons or things, often describing a prescribed order, a succession, or a rank within an arrangement.
Semantic Range
turn, rotation, sequence, order, row, prescribed succession, division
Root / Etymology
From the root תור, which commonly means 'to turn, seek, explore, search out.' The form תּוֹר is derived nominally, signifying a 'turn' or 'order' as that which comes in succession. Related to the verb meaning 'to search' or 'explore,' but the noun here developed the sense of 'turn' or 'rotation.' Distinct from the much more frequent תּוֹר (tôr, 'turtledove'), although both derive ultimately from the same root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term תּוֹר appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible. Its principal usage concerns the sense of groupings (such as rows or rotations), most frequently in administrative or cultic contexts where individuals or groups are described as performing duties or serving in a fixed order or succession. The meaning aligns with 'order' or 'rotation' rather than a fixed 'estate' as in feudal systems. The semantic nuance is closest to an organized shift or prescribed sequence within social or religious institutions in the monarchic and post-exilic periods. It is distinct from the more common word תור as a verb ('to search out'); English translations often render the term insufficiently, sometimes as 'estate' or 'order,' potentially obscuring the sense of rotation or sequence implied in the Hebrew usage. The overlap with the word for 'turtledove' (also תּוֹר) is purely homographic and does not reflect a shared semantic field beyond the root.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably the same as תּוֹר; a manner (as a sort of turn); estate.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תור (t-w-r) — turning, seeking, exploring, rotation
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8446 | תּוּר | the exploring ones |
| H8447 | תּוֹר | arranged rows |
| H8449 | תּוֹר | the turtledove |
| H8450 | תּוֹר | like bulls |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8448-01 |
כְּ/ת֧וֹר | ketor | HR/Ncmsc |
as-if | as a turn of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8448-01 |
1 Chronicles 17:17 | כְּ/ת֧וֹר | ketor | HR/Ncmsc |
as-if | as a turn of |