נְטֹפָה (ne.to.phah)
ne.to.phah
Netophah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Netophah refers to a town located in the territory of Judah. The name itself carries the meaning of "dropping" or "dripping," likely alluding to the local geography, such as water sources or rainfall patterns in that region.
This settlement appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the historical books of Ezra and Nehemiah. It is significant for its role in the post-exilic period, serving as a place of origin for families who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel to rebuild the community and restore worship after the Babylonian exile.
The associated demonym Netophathite identifies individuals from this town. Its limited occurrence highlights the specific genealogical records kept by returning exiles, connecting local Judahite communities to the broader narrative of national restoration and resettlement.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Netophah appears in Scripture as a small town in Judah, its name suggesting a place where water drops or drips from the land. For those who returned from exile, this was not just a dot on a map but a home worth remembering and rebuilding. The Bible records these families by name, showing that God cares about the specific origins of His people.
When we read lists of returnees, it is easy to skip over individual towns like Netophah. Yet each name represents a family with a history, a faith journey, and a place in God’s story. These records remind us that our own backgrounds are known and valued by Him. He sees the details of our lives just as He saw the names in those ancient rolls.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Netophah1×
- Netophah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נְטֹפָ֖ה1×
- וּ/נְטֹפָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 2:22
The men of Netophah, fifty-six.
This verse lists fifty-six men from Netophah among the first returnees, highlighting their specific contribution to the initial rebuilding effort under Zerubbabel.
-
Nehemiah 7:26
The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: one hundred eighty-eight.
Here Netophah is grouped with Bethlehem, showing how these communities were counted together in the census that re-established the population of Judah.