תּוֹרָה

𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤄

tôwrâh

H8451 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ירה to instruct, to teach, to direct, to point out

Definition

Instruction, teaching, or guidance; specifically, a body of instruction or law, often referring to authoritative or divinely given guidance. In particular contexts, denotes the collection of instructions delivered to Moses (the Pentateuch), but in broader use can refer to any instruction, legal code, or corpus of teaching, religious or secular.

Semantic Range

instruction, teaching, guidance, direction, law code, legal instruction, body of law, body of teaching, Mosaic law, Pentateuch, any corpus of authoritative instruction

Root / Etymology

From the root ירה (yarah), meaning 'to instruct, point out, teach, direct.' The form תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh) is a feminine noun meaning 'instruction' derived from the causative sense of the root: that which is taught or pointed out.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh) fundamentally means 'instruction' or 'teaching,' emphasizing the act of guidance more than the imposition of binding statute. In early texts (e.g., Deuteronomy, Leviticus), it refers to specific instructions or collections of laws delivered to the Israelites through Moses. However, the term also appears in wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs 1:8, 'instruction of your mother'), indicating its broad semantic reach beyond legal code to any authoritative teaching. In later usage (Second Temple period and beyond), תּוֹרָה increasingly denoted the complete collection of Mosaic instructions (the Pentateuch) and ultimately became central to Jewish identity and life—though this usage belongs to periods after the biblical era. English 'law' captures only part of the semantic field: תּוֹרָה often conveys a living tradition of instruction and guidance, not only statutory decree. Distinct from other Hebrew legal terms such as מִשְׁפָּט (judgment, legal decision) and חֹק (statute, fixed ordinance), reflecting its broader, more formative sense. In some English translations, תּוֹרָה is rendered 'law,' but this may narrow the original intent where the focus is education, training, or theological teaching.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or תֹּרָה; from יָרָה; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch; law.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ירה (y-r-h) — to instruct, to teach, to direct, to point out

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3138 יוֹרֶה his early rain
H3139 יוֹרָה Autumn-Rain
H3140 יוֹרַי Rain-Causer
H3384 יָרָה the shooters
H3385 יְרוּאֵל El-Founded Place

Word Forms

36 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8451-06 הַ/תּוֹרָ֗ה hatorah HTd/Ncfsa of the law the instruction 48
H8451-14 תּוֹרַ֥ת torat HNcfsc is the law instruction of 47
H8451-13 תּוֹרָ֣ה torah HNcfsa law instruction 23
H8451-15 תֽוֹרָתֶ֗/ךָ toratekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms Your law your instruction 18
H8451-02 בְּ/תוֹרַ֣ת betorat HR/Ncfsc in the law in instruction-of 15
H8451-16 תּוֹרָתִ֣/י torati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my law my instruction 11
H8451-31 וְ/תוֹרָתְ/ךָ֖ vetoratekha HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms and your law and your instruction 7
H8451-01 בַּ/תּוֹרָ֑ה batorah HRd/Ncfsa in the law in the instruction 6
H8451-29 וְ/תוֹרָה֙ vetorah HC/Ncfsa and a law and instruction 5
H8451-12 מִ/תּוֹרָתֶֽ/ךָ mitoratekha HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms from your law from your instruction 3

Occurrences in Scripture

222 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8451-34 Genesis 26:5 וְ/תוֹרֹתָֽ/י vetorotay HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs and my laws and my instructions
H8451-13 Exodus 12:49 תּוֹרָ֣ה torah HNcfsa law instruction
H8451-14 Exodus 13:9 תּוֹרַ֥ת torat HNcfsc the law of instruction of
H8451-03 Exodus 16:4 בְּ/תוֹרָתִ֖/י betorati HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs in my law in my instruction
H8451-34 Exodus 16:28 וְ/תוֹרֹתָֽ/י vetorotay HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs and My laws and my instructions
H8451-19 Exodus 18:16 תּוֹרֹתָֽי/ו torotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms His laws his instructions
H8451-07 Exodus 18:20 הַ/תּוֹרֹ֑ת hatorot HTd/Ncfpa the laws the instructions
H8451-26 Exodus 24:12 וְ/הַ/תּוֹרָה֙ vehatorah HC/Td/Ncfsa and the law and the instruction
H8451-14 Leviticus 6:2 תּוֹרַ֖ת torat HNcfsc law.of instruction of
H8451-14 Leviticus 6:7 תּוֹרַ֖ת torat HNcfsc is the law instruction of