עָטַף (a.taph)
a.taph
to turn aside; to envelope; to enfeeble
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb a.taph carries two distinct meanings that may seem unrelated at first glance: to turn aside or envelop oneself, and to become feeble or faint. In its primary sense, it describes the physical act of turning away, often with the intent to cover or hide. This usage appears in Job 23:9, where the speaker notes that when God turns aside, one cannot see Him.
The second major sense relates to weakness. Here, a.taph describes losing strength, becoming faint, or growing weak. This meaning is found in passages like Genesis 48:10, where Jacob’s eyes are too weak to see, and in Lamentations, where the people are described as fainting from hunger and distress. The verb can refer to physical exhaustion or a general state of feebleness.
These two meanings likely share an ancient root idea of turning inward or collapsing under weight. When one turns aside to cover oneself, there is a sense of withdrawal; when one becomes faint, there is a collapse of strength. Translators often render a.taph as "turn aside," "cover," "faint," or "be weak" depending on context. The word appears nine times in Scripture, mostly in poetic books like Psalms and Lamentations, where it helps convey the fragility of human life.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ataph captures a profound sense of human fragility, describing both the physical act of turning aside to hide and the gradual weakening of strength. When Scripture uses this term, it often paints a picture of exhaustion—whether from hunger, grief, or the weight of spiritual searching. It reminds us that fainting is not a failure of faith but a natural response to life’s heavy burdens.
In passages like Lamentations, we see people swooning in the streets, their strength gone as they cry out for help. This honest portrayal invites us to bring our own weariness to God without pretense. You do not need to appear strong when you are tired; instead, you can acknowledge your limits and seek His presence.
Even in Job, where the speaker feels God has turned aside, there is an underlying hope that this hiddenness is temporary. The word encourages us to rest in the knowledge that our weakness does not disqualify us from God’s care. It is a gentle invitation to lean on Him when your own strength runs out.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- when/ faint away/ they1×
- the/ ones enfeebled1×
- the/ enfeebled ones1×
- it will grow faint1×
- it was fainting away1×
- it covers1×
- he turns1×
- because/ faint1×
- and/ when/ was feeble1×
- and/ it has fainted away1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּתְעַטָּֽף\׃1×
- יַעֲטָף\־1×
- יַעְטֹ֥ף1×
- יַֽעֲט֔וֹף1×
- וּ/בְ/הַעֲטִ֥יף1×
- וַ/תִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף1×
- הָ/עֲטוּפִ֥ים1×
- הָ/עֲטֻפִים֙1×
- בֵּֽ/עָטֵ֤ף1×
- בְּ/הִֽתְעַטְּפָ֤/ם1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 30:42
but when the flock were feeble, he didn’t put them in. So the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.
This verse illustrates the word's use in describing physical weakness, showing how even livestock can become feeble, a metaphor for human vulnerability.
-
Job 23:9
He works to the north, but I can’t see him. He turns south, but I can’t catch a glimpse of him.
Here the term describes God 'turning aside,' reflecting the painful experience of feeling hidden from divine presence during times of deep searching.
-
Lamentations 2:11
My eyes fail with tears. My heart is troubled. My bile is poured on the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the young children and the infants swoon in the streets of the city.
The prophet uses this word to depict eyes failing and hearts troubled, capturing the intense physical and emotional collapse caused by national destruction.
-
Psalms 107:5
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
This occurrence highlights how hunger and thirst can cause the soul to faint, linking physical deprivation directly to spiritual exhaustion.