תֹּקֶף
𐤕𐤒𐤐
tôqeph
H8633 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Substantive denoting strength, power, or firmness, primarily with reference to physical or figurative might and authority. In context, denotes the forcefulness or intensity of an action or state, and may also refer to official authority or assertive standing, depending on the setting. The semantic range includes physical strength, figurative robustness or force (such as mental or moral force), and authoritative power.
Semantic Range
strength, power, might, force (physical or figurative), firmness, authority, assertiveness, legal force or validity
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root תָּקַף, which fundamentally means 'to be strong, to prevail, to overpower.' The noun תֹּקֶף is formed to express the state or quality of strength or power, whether innate or exerted. The root conveys the sense of force or coming to prominence by strength.
Historical & Contextual Notes
תֹּקֶף is a relatively rare noun in the Hebrew Bible but is generally employed to denote strength or prevailing power. Its use is most often abstract rather than referring to concrete objects or persons. In post-biblical Hebrew, especially in rabbinic literature and medieval Hebrew, תֹּקֶף increasingly came to designate official authority, validity, or legal force, broadening its scope beyond physical might. The word does not occur frequently in the earlier strata of the Hebrew Bible, and when strength or might is needed, other terms such as עֹז (oz), גְּבוּרָה (gevurah), or חָזָק (chazaq) are more common. In later Jewish usage (beyond the biblical period), תֹּקֶף can specifically refer to the legal force or valid status of a document or decree. English translations often default to 'power' or 'strength,' but these may not fully capture the nuance of forcefulness or authoritative validity, especially in post-biblical or legal contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from תָּקַף; might or (figuratively) positiveness; authority, power, strength.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תקף (t-q-p̄) — to be strong, to overpower, to prevail
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8623 | תַּקִּיף | mighty one |
| H8624 | תַּקִּיף | mighty |
| H8630 | תָּקַף | to overpower |
| H8631 | תְּקֵף | she will grow strong |
| H8632 | תְּקֹף | in prevailing strength of |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8633-03 |
תֹּ֑קֶף | toqef | HNcmsa |
authority | prevailing strength | 1 |
H8633-02 |
תָקְפּ/וֹ֙ | taqepo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his power | his prevailing strength | 1 |
H8633-01 |
בְּ/תֹ֧קֶף | betoqef | HR/Ncmsc |
with the strength | in prevailing-strength of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8633-03 |
Esther 9:29 | תֹּ֑קֶף | toqef | HNcmsa |
authority | prevailing strength |
H8633-02 |
Esther 10:2 | תָקְפּ/וֹ֙ | taqepo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his power | his prevailing strength |
H8633-01 |
Daniel 11:17 | בְּ/תֹ֧קֶף | betoqef | HR/Ncmsc |
with the strength | in prevailing-strength of |