צוּף (tsuph)
tsuph
Zuph
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun tsuph refers primarily to a specific individual, Zuph, who appears in the genealogies of the tribe of Levi. He is identified as the father of Elkanah and the grandfather of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1). This lineage places him within the Kohathite branch, connecting the priestly line directly to one of Israel’s most significant prophetic figures.
Lexical sources note that the name likely means "honeycomb," though this etymology does not carry a strong symbolic weight in the biblical narrative itself. The word also appears as a place name, Zuph, a district northwest of Jerusalem where Saul encountered Samuel (1 Samuel 9:5). In these brief occurrences, the term serves simply to identify people and locations within the historical framework of the United Monarchy, without further theological elaboration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Zuph appears in two brief moments within the biblical narrative, yet it anchors a lineage that leads to one of Israel’s most trusted prophets. In the genealogy of 1 Samuel 1:1, Zuph is listed as an ancestor of Elkanah and the grandfather of Samuel. This simple record reminds us that God often works through ordinary family lines to bring forth significant leaders. The names recorded in Scripture are not just historical footnotes; they represent real people whose faith contributed to a larger story.
Later, in 1 Samuel 9:5, Zuph is mentioned as a geographical location where Saul searched for lost donkeys. This mundane task led him to meet the prophet Samuel, changing the course of Israel’s history. These two references show how God uses everyday details and family histories to guide His people. Whether through ancestry or geography, the text invites us to trust that God is present in the ordinary moments of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Zuph2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צ֖וּף1×
- צ֔וּף1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 1:1
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
This verse identifies Zuph as a key ancestor in the lineage leading to the prophet Samuel, highlighting the importance of family history in God's plan.
-
I Samuel 9:5
When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.”
Here Zuph is a place where Saul’s search for lost donkeys intersects with his future role as king, showing how ordinary events can have divine significance.