חוֹף (choph)
choph
coast
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun choph refers to a shoreline or coast, specifically emphasizing the edge where land meets water. Its root sense suggests something that surrounds or encloses, highlighting the boundary nature of the sea against the earth. In the Hebrew Bible, this word appears only five times, anchoring its usage in specific geographical descriptions rather than abstract metaphors.
These occurrences are concentrated in the early historical books. The term describes the coastal regions in Genesis 10:15-19 when outlining the borders of Canaan, and again in Judges 1:31 regarding the territory of Asher. Joshua 19:22 uses it to define the northern boundary of the tribe of Zebulun, while Joshua 19:46 applies it to the land of Dan. In each case, choph marks a tangible limit or frontier.
Unlike words that might describe the act of washing against a bank, choph identifies the static strip of land itself. It serves as a marker for territorial extent in ancient Near Eastern geography. The consistent use in boundary lists underscores its function as a precise descriptor for the interface between inhabited land and the open sea.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about the coast in Scripture, we are looking at a place of meeting. It is where the solid ground ends and the open water begins. This boundary was not just a line on a map for ancient Israel; it marked the edge of their known world. The word choph points to that specific strip of land where the earth holds firm against the shifting sea.
For your life, this image reminds us that we live in a defined space. We have our own shores, our own limits, and our own place to dwell. God gave clear boundaries to His people, not to trap them, but to give them a home. In those quiet moments when you feel overwhelmed by the vastness of life, remember that you have a specific place where you are meant to stand.
Even as ships came and went from these havens, the land remained. Your faith provides that same stability. You do not need to control every wave or navigate every distant shore. You can rest in the place God has assigned to you, knowing that your foundation is secure against the tides of change.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ [the] coast of2×
- [the] coast of2×
- to/ a harbor of1×
- and/ on/ [the] coast of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/ח֣וֹף2×
- לְ/ח֥וֹף1×
- ח֥וֹף1×
- ח֚וֹף1×
- וּ/בְ/ח֣וֹף1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 49:13
“Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.
This verse uses the word to describe Zebulun's dwelling place as a haven for ships, highlighting the coast as a place of trade and connection rather than just a barrier.
-
Judges 5:17
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
In Deborah's song, Asher is described as sitting still at the haven of the sea, using the word to emphasize their choice to remain secure in their coastal territory rather than engage in battle.
-
Joshua 9:1
When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it
The kings gather along the shore of the great sea to oppose Israel, showing how the coast served as a strategic frontier and a gathering point for political alliances.