טַף (taph)
taph
child
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 40 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun taph refers to children, specifically young ones who are too small to participate in adult responsibilities like warfare or census counts. The sources suggest its root may describe the quick, tripping gait of small children, capturing a vivid image of their movement. In Scripture, it functions as a collective term for the youngest members of a group, often standing in contrast to men of military age.
This word appears frequently in narrative and legal texts, such as when Jacob lists his family members in Genesis 46:5 or when the Israelites discuss who will enter the Promised Land in Numbers 32. It highlights the vulnerability and dependence of the young within the community structure. Translators typically render it as "little ones" or "children," emphasizing their status rather than just their age.
Its usage often serves to define the limits of legal or military obligation. For instance, in Exodus 12:37, the number of Israelites leaving Egypt includes taph but excludes those old enough to fight. This distinction helps readers understand the demographic reality of ancient Israelite society, where the young were protected and provided for rather than expected to bear heavy burdens.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word taph describes young children, specifically those too small for warfare or census duties. It captures a vivid image of their quick, tripping gait and highlights their vulnerability within the community. In ancient Israel, this term distinguished the youngest members from adult men, marking them as protected rather than burdened with heavy responsibilities.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God cares for the most dependent among us. When Jacob’s family moved to Egypt, they carried their little ones in wagons provided by Pharaoh (Genesis 46:5). This detail shows that even in times of transition and uncertainty, the young were valued and preserved. It is a gentle assurance that your children are seen and held by God.
We see this care again when Moses reassures the people that their little ones, who know no evil, will enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1:39). This promise offers hope to parents worried about their children’s future. It invites us to trust that God provides for the next generation, just as He provided for Israel in the wilderness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 40 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- little one[s]/ their6×
- and/ the/ little one[s]6×
- the/ little one[s]5×
- little one[s]/ your4×
- little one[s]/ our3×
- for/ little one[s]/ your3×
- and/ little one[s]/ your3×
- little one[s]2×
- and/ little one[s]2×
- from/ little one[s]1×
- for/ little one[s]/ our1×
- and/ little one[s]/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- טַפָּ/ם֙3×
- טַפְּ/כֶ֑ם2×
- וְ/הַ/טָּֽף\׃2×
- וְ/הַ/טַּ֔ף2×
- מִ/טָּֽף\׃1×
- לְ/טַפֵּֽ/נוּ\׃1×
- לְ/טַפְּ/כֶם֙1×
- לְ/טַפְּ/כֶֽם\׃1×
- לְ/טַפְּ/כֶ֔ם1×
- טַפָּ֧/ם1×
- טַפָּ֖/ם1×
- טַפָּ֑/ם1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 46:5
Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
This verse shows the word applied to Jacob’s family during their move to Egypt, highlighting how they were transported and protected under divine provision.
-
Numbers 14:31
But I will bring in your little ones that you said should be captured or killed, and they shall know the land which you have rejected.
Here the word marks a group spared from the adult generation's judgment, showing God's specific mercy toward children who had not yet sinned.
-
Deuteronomy 1:39
Moreover your little ones, whom you said would be captured or killed, your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, shall go in there. I will give it to them, and they shall possess it.
Moses uses this term to describe those who 'know no good or evil,' emphasizing their innocence and their role as inheritors of God's promise.
-
Genesis 50:21
Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph comforts his brothers by promising to care for them and their little ones, linking the word to familial responsibility and reassurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word taph mean?
How is taph different from other words for child in Hebrew?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (40 verses across 11 books)
Genesis 8 verses
and all their wealth. They took captive all their little ones and their wives, and took as plunder everything that was…
Genesis 43:8Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die,…
Genesis 45:19Now you are commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and…
Genesis 46:5Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives,…
Genesis 47:12Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with bread, according to the sizes of their…
Genesis 47:24It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of…
Genesis 50:8all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds,…
Genesis 50:21Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to…