טָרָף (ta.raph)
ta.raph
fresh-plucked
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective taraph carries a very specific visual meaning: it describes something that is fresh-plucked or freshly picked. This word appears only once in the entire Old Testament, located in the narrative of Noah’s flood in Genesis 8:11.
In this context, the dove brings back an olive leaf that is described using taraph. The term emphasizes the leaf’s tender, newly detached state, signaling that the waters had receded enough for new growth to emerge and be harvested. It serves as a precise detail of renewal rather than a general statement about vegetation.
Because its usage is so singular, the word does not develop a broad theological range in Scripture. Instead, it functions as a concrete marker of timing and change within the Genesis account. Translators typically render it as "freshly plucked" to preserve this sense of immediate, tender vitality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word taraph describes something fresh-plucked, capturing a moment of tender vitality. It appears only once in Scripture, in Genesis 8:11, where a dove brings back an olive leaf to Noah. This small detail signals that the floodwaters had receded and new life was beginning again.
For your faith, this offers a quiet hope. Even after long seasons of trial or uncertainty, God often provides gentle signs of renewal. You do not need to force a breakthrough; sometimes, simply noticing the fresh leaf is enough to know that change is underway.
This word reminds us that God’s care is specific and timely. He notices the smallest details of our world and uses them to bring comfort. When you feel weary, look for these small signs of grace—they are real evidence that hope is returning.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- freshly plucked1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- טָרָ֣ף1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 8:11
The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth.
This verse uniquely uses the word to mark the precise moment when new growth became visible, confirming that the floodwaters had receded enough for life to resume.