זָרַף (za.raph)
za.raph
to drip; drip
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zaraḥ means to drip or flow in drops. It appears only once in the Old Testament, within Psalm 72:6. In this specific context, the text uses the Hiphil stem, which indicates causation. This form describes rain that causes things to drip or soak, portraying a gentle, saturating moisture rather than a violent storm.
Lexical sources identify this rare usage as describing "dripping" or "a soaking." The image evokes a steady, life-giving precipitation that penetrates the earth deeply. By focusing on the action of dripping, the psalmist emphasizes the thoroughness and quiet persistence of God’s blessing, which nourishes the land like early rain.
Translators typically render this verse by referring to "dripping" or "soaking" rain. The word choice highlights the physical reality of moisture settling into the soil. This concrete imagery supports the broader prayer for justice and prosperity in the king’s reign, grounding spiritual hope in the tangible cycle of nature.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zaraḥ describes a gentle, soaking rain that drips steadily into the soil. It appears in Psalm 72:6 to picture how God’s blessing reaches the earth. Unlike sudden storms, this quiet moisture penetrates deeply and nourishes roots over time.
When life feels dry or uncertain, remember that God’s care often works in these steady ways. His blessings may not always arrive with dramatic fanfare, but they are thorough and life-giving. This image reminds us that spiritual growth happens through patient, consistent grace rather than fleeting moments of excitement.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- dropping of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זַרְזִ֥יף1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 72:6
He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.
This verse uses the Hiphil stem to show God causing a gentle, soaking rain that waters the earth, symbolizing His thorough and quiet blessing.