Hebrew word · H8573

תְּנוּפָה

tenufah

wave offering

A gift dedicated to God by a gesture of presentation, from the verb nûp̄ ('swing, wave, raise'). In the priestly laws it is used for parts of sacrifices (the breast of the peace offering, Lev 7:30), for the Levites themselves (Num 8:11–21), and here for gold and, in 38:24–29, for bronze.

Appears 30 times in 28 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) swinging, waving, wave offering, offering

1a) a swinging, brandishing

1a1) of God's hand, weapons

1b) waving, wave-offering (technical term of sacrifice)

1c) offering (of gold or brass)

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 Exodus 35:22

Range of meaning

A gift dedicated to God by a gesture of presentation, from the verb nûp̄ ('swing, wave, raise'). In the priestly laws it is used for parts of sacrifices (the breast of the peace offering, Lev 7:30), for the Levites themselves (Num 8:11–21), and here for gold and, in 38:24–29, for bronze.

Against the English

Traditional English has 'wave offering' (BSB, NIV, YLT). KJV flattens it to 'offered an offering', and ESV-style renderings turn it into 'dedicating an offering'. Jewish translations such as NJPS use 'elevation offering'.

How it drifted

'Wave offering' invites a picture of someone swinging an object back and forth. Whether any literal waving was done with a heap of jewelry is doubtful. The term may have become a technical label for 'dedicated gift'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The rabbis described the ritual as a back-and-forth and up-and-down motion (Mishnah Menahot 5:6). Jacob Milgrom argued that the gesture was a lifting or presenting before the sanctuary, and that in passages like Exod 35:22 and 38:24, 29 the word simply means 'a dedicated gift', with no motion implied. The Greek Septuagint renders the word differently in different places and here does not use a word for 'waving' (see textual notes).

From the study of Isaiah 19:16

Range of meaning

A movement of raising or swinging something. In priestly texts it is the tənûfāh offering (Exodus 29:24–27; Leviticus 7:30; 23:15): portions presented to God by a ritual gesture. In the prophets it is the threatening swing of a weapon or hand: Isaiah 30:32, "battles of brandishing", and this verse.

Against the English

KJV and WEB say "shaking". YLT says "waving". BSB says "uplifted hand ... brandishes". The supplied lexical gloss is "wave offering", which fits Leviticus but not here.

How it drifted

"Shaking of the hand" can sound to a modern ear like a trembling, unsteady hand, the opposite of the meaning. Readers who know the gloss "wave offering" may also imagine a sacrifice where there is none.

Used elsewhere in the period

The meaning of the priestly term is debated. Jacob Milgrom argued the ritual was an "elevation" (lifting up), not a side-to-side wave. Older lexicons such as BDB favour waving. HALOT gives both "waving" and "brandishing" for the prophetic uses.

From the study of Leviticus 14:12

Range of meaning

The verb in this form means to move something back and forth, swing, brandish or wield (a sickle, Deut 23:25; a saw or rod, Isa 10:15; a hand shaken in threat, Isa 19:16). In ritual texts it names a gesture made with an offering 'before the LORD' that hands it over to God. Afterwards the priests usually receive it (Exod 29:24–27; Lev 7:30–34; 23:11, 20). The noun can also mean a dedicated gift in general (Exod 35:22; 38:24, 29, gold and bronze 'tenufah' given for the Tabernacle).

Against the English

'Wave offering' (KJV, BSB, ESV, WEB, YLT) follows the traditional reading of a to-and-fro movement. Some modern versions and commentators prefer 'elevation offering', or describe it as 'lifting up as a special offering' (the NLT's approach), following the view that the gesture was a raising up.

How it drifted

'Wave' in English makes people think of a greeting or a flag. The Hebrew term is a formal act of transfer or dedication, so whatever the exact motion was, the point is change of ownership, not display.

Used elsewhere in the period

Rabbinic tradition (Mishnah, Menahot 5:6) describes the priest moving the offering forward and back, then up and down. Milgrom (Leviticus 1–16) argued for 'elevation', pointing to Egyptian temple scenes of offerings raised before a god. Num 8:11–21 calls the Levites themselves a tenufah that Aaron presents, which cannot have involved literally waving people. That shows the term could name a dedication act in a broad sense.

Where it appears

Exodus · 6

  1. Exodus 29:24 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.

  2. Exodus 29:26 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    Take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your portion.

  3. Exodus 29:27 הַתְּנוּפָ֗ה the wave-offering

    Consecrate for Aaron and his sons the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the heave offering that is lifted up from the ram of ordination.

  4. Exodus 35:22 תְּנוּפַ֥ת a wave-offering of

    So all who had willing hearts, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings, rings and necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry. And they all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.

    Here: 'A tĕnûp̄āh of.' This is a gift formally made over to God by a ritual of presentation. In this verse it is the formal label for the gold, which is totalled as 'the gold of the tĕnûp̄āh' in 38:24.

  5. Exodus 38:24 הַתְּנוּפָ֗ה the wave-offering

    All the gold from the wave offering used for the work on the sanctuary totaled 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

  6. Exodus 38:29 הַתְּנוּפָ֖ה the wave-offering

    The bronze from the wave offering totaled 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.

Leviticus · 14

  1. Leviticus 7:30 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    With his own hands he is to bring the food offerings to the LORD; he shall bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast as a wave offering before the LORD.

  2. Leviticus 7:34 הַתְּנוּפָ֜ה the wave-offering

    I have taken from the sons of Israel the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as a permanent portion from the sons of Israel.’”

  3. Leviticus 8:27 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and waved them before the LORD as a wave offering.

  4. Leviticus 8:29 תְנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    He also took the breast—Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination—and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD had commanded him.

  5. Leviticus 9:21 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    but he waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.

  6. Leviticus 10:14 הַתְּנוּפָ֜ה the wave-offering

    And you and your sons and daughters may eat the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution in a ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the peace offerings of the sons of Israel.

  7. Leviticus 10:15 הַתְּנוּפָ֗ה תְּנוּפָ֖ה the wave-offering, a wave-offering

    They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering, together with the fat portions of the food offerings, to wave as a wave offering before the LORD. It will belong permanently to you and your children, as the LORD has commanded.”

  8. Leviticus 14:12 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and present it as a guilt offering, along with the log of olive oil; and he must wave them as a wave offering before the LORD.

    Here: A noun from the same root as the verb, used as a description: '(as) a tenufah'. It names the ritual act of dedication rather than a separate kind of sacrifice.

  9. Leviticus 14:21 לִתְנוּפָ֖ה to a wave-offering

    If, however, the person is poor and cannot afford these offerings, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil,

  10. Leviticus 14:24 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    The priest shall take the lamb for the guilt offering, along with the log of olive oil, and wave them as a wave offering before the LORD.

  11. Leviticus 23:15 הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה the wave-offering

    From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you are to count off seven full weeks.

  12. Leviticus 23:17 תְּנוּפָ֗ה a wave-offering

    Bring two loaves of bread from your dwellings as a wave offering, each made from two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with leaven, as the firstfruits to the LORD.

  13. Leviticus 23:20 תְּנוּפָה֙ a wave-offering

    The priest is to wave the lambs as a wave offering before the LORD, together with the bread of the firstfruits. The bread and the two lambs shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.

Numbers · 8

  1. Numbers 6:20 תְּנוּפָה֮ הַתְּנוּפָ֔ה a wave-offering, the wave-offering

    The priest shall then wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. This is a holy portion for the priest, in addition to the breast of the wave offering and the thigh that was presented. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.

  2. Numbers 8:11 תְּנוּפָה֙ a wave-offering

    Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.

  3. Numbers 8:13 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering.

  4. Numbers 8:15 תְּנוּפָֽה׃ a wave-offering

    After you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to serve at the Tent of Meeting.

  5. Numbers 8:21 תְּנוּפָ֖ה a wave-offering

    The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them.

  6. Numbers 18:11 תְּנוּפֹת֮ [the] wave-offerings of

    And this is yours as well: the offering of their gifts, along with all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I have given this to you and your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. Every ceremonially clean person in your household may eat it.

  7. Numbers 18:18 הַתְּנוּפָ֛ה the wave-offering

    And their meat belongs to you, just as the breast and right thigh of the wave offering belong to you.

Isaiah · 2

  1. Isaiah 19:16 תְּנוּפַת֙ [the] brandishing of

    In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble with fear beneath the uplifted hand of the LORD of Hosts, when He brandishes it against them.

    Here: The raising and waving of the hand. The same noun names the priestly "wave/elevation offering" in Leviticus, but here it means a threatening gesture: the hand lifted to strike.

  2. Isaiah 30:32 תְּנוּפָ֖ה brandishing

    And with every stroke of the rod of punishment that the LORD brings down on them, the tambourines and lyres will sound as He battles with weapons brandished.

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