תַּחְפַּנְחֵס

𐤕𐤇𐤐𐤍𐤇𐤎

Tachepaneches

H8471 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; Egyptian toponym; location name

Definition

A city in northern Egypt known from the Hebrew Bible, serving as an important political center during the 7th–6th centuries BCE. In its biblical context, תַּחְפַּנְחֵס refers specifically to this Egyptian city as a place of refuge and political intrigue involving Israelites during periods of Egypto-Israelite interaction. The word designates the location itself, not inhabitants or any broader region.

Semantic Range

proper place name for the Egyptian city Tahpanhes (Tell Defenneh); refers specifically in the Hebrew Bible to an Egyptian Delta city; not used for people or broader regions

Root / Etymology

Of Egyptian derivation; not a native Hebrew word. The root in Hebrew is uncertain, as the name is a transliteration of an Egyptian toponym, generally identified with the Egyptian Djanet or modern Tell Defenneh. Etymology uncertain beyond its Egyptian origin.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The city תַּחְפַּנְחֵס is mentioned in Jeremiah 2:16; 43:7–9; 44:1; 46:14 and Ezekiel 30:18. It served as an Egyptian administrative and military center in the eastern Nile Delta, likely established or at least prominent during Egypt's 26th Dynasty (Saite period). In biblical tradition, it is depicted as a place where Judahite refugees fled after the Babylonian conquest (Jeremiah 43–44) and as a city subject to divine judgment through prophetic oracles (Ezekiel 30:18). English Bibles variously render the name as Tahpanhes, Tahapanes, or Tehaphnehes, reflecting different transliteration traditions. The biblical spellings reflect attempts to represent an Egyptian name in Hebrew consonantal script. The term is strictly geographic and does not imply Egyptian, Israelite, or Judean identity for inhabitants.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or תְּחַפְנְחֵס; (Ezekiel 30:18), or תַּחְפְּנֵס; (Jeremiah 2:16), of Egyptian derivation; Tachpanches, Techaphneches or Tachpenes, a place in Egypt; Tahapanes, Tahpanhes, Tehaphnehes.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

uncertain (Egyptian toponym) (unknown (Egyptian origin)) — Egyptian place name, city designation

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8471-03 וּ/בְ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֣ס uvetachepaneches HC/R/Np and in Tahpanhes and in Tahpanhes 2
H8471-01 בְּ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֖ס betachepaneches HR/Np in Tahpanhes in Tahpanhes 2
H8471-04 וּ/בִֽ/תְחַפְנְחֵס֙ uvitechafeneches HC/R/Np And in Tehaphnehes and in Tahpanhes 1
H8471-02 תַּחְפַּנְחֵֽס tachepaneches HNp Tahpanhes Tahpanhes 1
H8471-05 וְ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס vetachepaneches HC/Np and Tahpanhes and Tahpanhes 1
H8471-06 ו/תחפנס vtchfns HC/Np and Tahpanes and Tahpanhes 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8471-06 Jeremiah 2:16 ו/תחפנס vtchfns HC/Np and Tahpanes and Tahpanhes
H8471-05 Jeremiah 2:16 וְ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס vetachepaneches HC/Np and Tahpanhes and Tahpanhes
H8471-02 Jeremiah 43:7 תַּחְפַּנְחֵֽס tachepaneches HNp Tahpanhes Tahpanhes
H8471-01 Jeremiah 43:8 בְּ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֖ס betachepaneches HR/Np in Tahpanhes in Tahpanhes
H8471-01 Jeremiah 43:9 בְּ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס betachepaneches HR/Np in Tahpanhes in Tahpanhes
H8471-03 Jeremiah 44:1 וּ/בְ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֣ס uvetachepaneches HC/R/Np and in Tahpanhes and in Tahpanhes
H8471-03 Jeremiah 46:14 וּ/בְ/תַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס uvetachepaneches HC/R/Np and in Tahpanhes and in Tahpanhes
H8471-04 Ezekiel 30:18 וּ/בִֽ/תְחַפְנְחֵס֙ uvitechafeneches HC/R/Np And in Tehaphnehes and in Tahpanhes