טְפַר (te.phar)
te.phar
nail/claw
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun te.phar refers to a nail, claw, or fingernail. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within the book of Daniel, where it describes the substance beneath King Nebuchadnezzar’s feet. In this striking vision, the king sees a statue being shattered by a stone cut without hands, and his feet are struck by toes made of clay mixed with iron (Daniel 2:34). The word highlights the physical fragility of the metallic structure against the divine intervention.
This term is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew tsip.po.ren, which means fingernail. While the Hebrew word appears more frequently in contexts describing grooming or minor details, te.phar carries a slightly heavier weight in Daniel’s apocalyptic imagery. The sources note that it can also mean claw, though the context here clearly points to the toes of the statue. Its sole usage underscores the sudden and decisive nature of God’s judgment on earthly kingdoms.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word te.phar describes a nail or claw, appearing only once in the Hebrew Bible within Daniel’s vision of King Nebuchadnezzar. In this striking scene, the king sees a statue with toes made of clay mixed with iron being shattered by a stone cut without hands. This detail highlights the physical fragility of earthly power when confronted by divine intervention.
For your faith, this image offers comfort. It reminds us that human kingdoms and structures, no matter how strong they appear, are temporary. God’s plans stand firm against all earthly authority. When you feel overwhelmed by the instability of the world, remember that true stability comes from God alone.
This single occurrence underscores the sudden and decisive nature of God’s judgment. It invites us to place our trust not in human strength but in the eternal kingdom that God establishes. Your hope is secure in His unchanging word.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ claws/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/טִפְרַ֣י/הּ1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:19
“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
This verse uses te.phar to describe the bronze nails of a terrifying fourth beast, emphasizing its destructive power and the need for divine understanding.