Hebrew word · H2963

טָרַף

tarof

to tear

The verb ṭaraf means to tear, especially of a predator tearing prey (Genesis 37:33; 49:27). that there may be ṭeref in My house" (Malachi 3:10). The causative form used here occurs only in this verse and means "cause me to have provision", that is, "feed me" or "provide me my ration".

Appears 25 times in 22 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to tear, rend, pluck

1a) (Qal) to tear, rend

1b) (Niphal) to be torn in pieces

1c) (Poal) to be torn in pieces

1d) (Hiphil) to provide food

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Proverbs 30:8

Range of meaning

The verb ṭaraf means to tear, especially of a predator tearing prey (Genesis 37:33; 49:27). The noun ṭeref means prey, and then by extension food, provision, a ration: the capable woman "gives ṭeref to her household" (Proverbs 31:15); God "gave ṭeref to those who fear Him" (Psalm 111:5); "bring the whole tithe... that there may be ṭeref in My house" (Malachi 3:10). The causative form used here occurs only in this verse and means "cause me to have provision", that is, "feed me" or "provide me my ration".

Against the English

"Feed me" (KJV, BSB, WEB) is right. YLT's "cause me to eat" keeps the causative sense. NIV's "give me" is softer and loses the picture of food being given out.

Used elsewhere in the period

BDB and HALOT both list this verse under the sense "provide with food". Proverbs 31:15, in the next chapter, uses the noun ṭeref next to ḥoq ("portion"). That is close to the pairing here and confirms that both words belong to the language of household provisioning.

From the study of Hosea 5:14

Range of meaning

To tear, rend or maul prey. It is used of lions, wolves and other predators. The related noun terefah means an animal 'torn' by a beast, which Israelites were forbidden to eat (Exodus 22:31). Shepherds' law also used it: if an animal in someone's care was torn by a beast, the keeper brought the remains as evidence and was not liable (Exodus 22:13).

Against the English

'Tear' (KJV, ESV) or 'tear to pieces' (BSB, NASB, NIV) is accurate. Translations that add 'them' (BSB, NIV, NLT) make the people the prey explicitly. The Hebrew leaves the object unstated, as a lion's kill would be.

Used elsewhere in the period

Genesis 37:33 ('Joseph is surely torn to pieces'); Psalm 7:2; Psalm 22:13; Ezekiel 19:3, 6. Closest parallel: Psalm 50:22, 'lest I tear you apart (ʾetrof) and there be none to deliver (veʾen matsil)', the same verb and the same closing phrase, also with God as speaker. Hosea 6:1 picks up the word directly: 'Come, let us return to the LORD, for he has torn (taraf) and he will heal us.'

From the study of Amos 1:11

Range of meaning

To tear or rip, especially of a predator tearing prey (Genesis 37:33, 'Joseph is torn to pieces'; Genesis 49:27, 'Benjamin is a ravenous wolf'). Used figuratively of ruthless rulers and of God tearing like a lion (Hosea 5:14; 6:1).

Against the English

KJV 'did tear', BSB/WEB/NIV 'raged'. 'Raged' smooths away the picture of the animal. KJV and YLT keep it.

Used elsewhere in the period

Frequent in the Psalms and Prophets with lions (Psalm 7:2; Micah 5:8). Amos himself uses a lion image in 1:2 and 3:4, 8.

Where it appears

Genesis · 5

  1. Genesis 37:33 טָרֹ֥ף טֹרַ֖ף certainly <to tear>, he has been torn to pieces

    His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”

  2. Genesis 44:28 טָרֹ֣ף טֹרָ֑ף certainly <to tear>, he has been torn to pieces

    When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.

  3. Genesis 49:27 יִטְרָ֔ף [which] it tears to pieces

    Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”

Exodus · 2

  1. Exodus 22:13 טָרֹ֥ף יִטָּרֵ֖ף certainly [if] <to tear>, it will be torn in pieces

    If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 33:20 וְטָרַ֥ף and he tears

    Concerning Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges the domain of Gad! He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or a head.

Job · 2

  1. Job 16:9 טָרַ֨ף׀ it has torn [me]

    His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

    Here: What a lion or wolf does to a kill. It opens the verse with Job as torn prey. The perfect tense presents the mauling as already done.

  2. Job 18:4 טֹֽרֵ֥ף O [one who] tears

    You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

Psalms · 4

  1. Psalm 7:2 יִטְרֹ֣ף he should tear to pieces

    or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

    Here: The verb for a predator ripping its kill apart. The form is singular, 'he will tear'. After the plural 'pursuers' of verse 1, it either picks out one chief enemy or treats the whole pack as one beast.

  2. Psalm 17:12 לִטְר֑וֹף to tear to pieces

    like a lion greedy for prey, like a young lion lurking in ambush.

  3. Psalm 22:13 טֹרֵ֥ף tearing

    They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.

    Here: Tearing. The participle describes ongoing action: a lion in the act of ripping prey apart. The word is the standard verb for a predator mauling a kill (Gen 37:33; Deut 33:20).

  4. Psalm 50:22 אֶ֝טְרֹ֗ף I should tear to pieces

    Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:

    Here: 'I tear.' The verb for a lion or wolf ripping apart its prey. God himself is the speaker and the beast. It is a shocking picture of judgment in person, not a figure of speech for bad luck.

Proverbs · 1

  1. Proverbs 30:8 הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי let devour me

    Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.

    Here: "Feed me" or "supply me with provision". The root's basic picture is torn prey, which by extension means food given out. This causative form occurs only here in the Bible. Agur asks God to provide for him the way a provider gives out food to those who depend on him.

Jeremiah · 1

  1. Jeremiah 5:6 יִטָּרֵ֑ף he will be torn in pieces

    Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous.

    Here: 'Will be torn to pieces', the specific word for a beast mauling its prey (Gen 37:33, Joseph 'torn to pieces'). It completes the picture of the people as an unguarded flock.

Ezekiel · 4

  1. Ezekiel 19:3 לִטְרָף־ to tear

    She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.

  2. Ezekiel 19:6 לִטְרָף־ to tear

    He prowled among the lions, and became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.

  3. Ezekiel 22:25 טֹ֣רֵֽף tearing

    The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.

    Here: Tearing flesh apart, the action of a predator on its kill. It is another ongoing participle.

  4. Ezekiel 22:27 טֹ֣רְפֵי tearing

    Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.

    Here: 'Tearing.' This is a participle (a verb used like an adjective), so it describes ongoing, habitual action: they are always ripping.

Hosea · 2

  1. Hosea 5:14 אֶטְרֹף֙ I will tear to pieces

    For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

    Here: The word for a predator ripping into its kill. 'I will tear' is the shocking centre of the verse. God takes the most violent animal verb in Hebrew for himself.

  2. Hosea 6:1 טָרָ֖ף he has torn to pieces

    Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.

    Here: 'He has torn.' This is the word for a lion or wolf mauling its prey, taken straight from God's lion image in 5:14. The people admit that their national disaster was God's own attack. The Hebrew gives no object; 'us' is implied.

Amos · 1

  1. Amos 1:11 וַיִּטְרֹ֤ף and it tore

    This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly.

    Here: 'And it tore', the word for a lion or wolf ripping its prey. Edom's anger is pictured as a predator that never stops mauling. Many scholars emend it to 'kept up' (see notes).

Micah · 1

  1. Micah 5:8 וְטָרַ֖ף and it tears

    Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.

    Here: 'And it tears': the technical verb for a predator ripping up its kill. It is the root of terefah, an animal torn by beasts.

Nahum · 1

  1. Nahum 2:12 טֹרֵף֙ [was] tearing

    The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey.

    Here: A participle, 'tearing'. Since verse 11 has just asked 'Where is the lions' den?', it describes what used to go on again and again: the lion kept tearing prey apart. This is the first of three words from the root ṭ-r-p in the verse.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.