נֹ֫פֶת (no.phet)
no.phet
honey
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun nophet refers specifically to flowing honey, often understood as fresh honey taken directly from the comb. Unlike processed or stored honey, this term evokes the natural state of the substance as it drips from the hive, emphasizing its purity and immediate sweetness.
This word appears in only four verses of Scripture, primarily within the poetic books of Proverbs and Song of Solomon. In these contexts, it serves as a vivid metaphor for wisdom and affectionate speech. For instance, Proverbs 16:24 describes pleasant words as a honeycomb, using nophet to illustrate how gentle communication can be both soothing and sustaining to the soul.
The imagery relies on the physical reality of honey dripping, which connects the word’s root sense of "dropping" or "flowing" to its meaning. This concrete detail helps translators capture the richness of the original text, distinguishing it from generic terms for sweetness. The focus remains on the natural, unrefined quality that makes nophet a powerful symbol for things that are inherently good and life-giving.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nophet paints a picture of fresh honey dripping straight from the comb. It captures a moment of natural sweetness, unprocessed and pure. In Proverbs 16:24, this image helps us see how gentle words can nourish the soul just like that sweet flow. It reminds us that what comes from a place of kindness is often the most sustaining.
When we face hard seasons, this simple image offers comfort. It invites us to pause and appreciate the small, good things in life. Whether it is a kind word or a quiet moment of rest, these gifts are like fresh honey. They remind us that God’s creation holds many sources of joy and strength for our daily walk.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- honey3×
- and/ honey from [the] comb1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֹ֣פֶת1×
- נֹ֛פֶת1×
- נֹ֑פֶת1×
- וְ/נֹ֥פֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Song of Solomon 4:11
Your lips, my bride, drip like the honeycomb. Honey and milk are under your tongue. The smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
Here the term appears in a poetic description of love, linking the bride's speech to the natural sweetness of dripping honeycomb.
-
Proverbs 24:13
My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
The text directly calls the honey 'the droppings of the honeycomb', emphasizing the fresh, flowing nature of the substance as a gift for the wise.