אוֹפָן (o.phan)
o.phan
wheel
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun ophan refers to a wheel, specifically one used on chariots or as part of complex machinery. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears in six verses, primarily within Kings, Proverbs, and Isaiah. The term describes physical objects, such as the wheels attached to Solomon’s temple bases or the wheels of royal chariots.
While most occurrences are straightforward, the word gains theological weight in Ezekiel’s vision. There, it describes the intricate "wheels" accompanying living creatures, suggesting a mechanism that moves with supernatural precision and independence from the beasts themselves. This imagery highlights divine mobility and power rather than mere transportation.
Translators typically render ophan simply as "wheel," preserving the concrete nature of the object. The sources do not suggest a metaphorical shift in meaning outside these specific contexts, keeping the focus on the physical reality of the device. The term underscores the tangible aspects of God’s presence and royal authority in ancient Israelite thought.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ophan simply means 'wheel,' yet its appearance in Scripture carries a quiet weight. In Solomon’s temple, bronze wheels supported massive basins, suggesting that even the most sacred spaces relied on sturdy, functional design. These were not decorative afterthoughts but essential parts of worship infrastructure, reminding us that God cares about the practical details of how we serve Him.
Later, Isaiah uses the image to teach wisdom in action. A wise ruler does not crush everyone with a heavy cart wheel; he knows when to use a stick and when to spare the delicate dill. This word invites us to consider how we handle those around us. Do we apply force indiscriminately, or do we exercise discernment? The tool is neutral; the heart behind it matters most.
When we encounter this term, we are reminded that God’s presence is both tangible and mobile. Whether in the heavy bronze of temple bases or the precise mechanics of divine vision, ophan points to a God who is actively present in our world, moving with purpose and power.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ wheels3×
- wheels of1×
- the/ wheel1×
- and/ a wheel of1×
- a wheel1×
- [the] wheel[s] of1×
- <the> wheel of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/אוֹפַ֣ן1×
- הָ/אוֹפַ֣ן1×
- הָ/אֽוֹפַנִּ֗ים1×
- הָ/אֽוֹפַנִּ֖ים1×
- הָ/א֣וֹפַנִּ֔ים1×
- אוֹפָֽן\׃1×
- אוֹפַנֵּ֨י1×
- אוֹפַ֣ן1×
- אֹפַ֣ן1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 7:30
Every base had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze; and its four feet had supports. The supports were cast beneath the basin, with wreaths at the side of each.
This verse specifies that every base had four bronze wheels, highlighting the intentional engineering behind the temple's sacred furniture.
-
Proverbs 20:26
A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
Here the threshing wheel represents a king’s authority to separate the wicked from the righteous with precision rather than random destruction.
-
Isaiah 28:27
For the dill isn’t threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
The distinction between a sharp instrument and a cart wheel illustrates God’s wisdom in using different methods for different crops, avoiding unnecessary damage.