צְפוֹן (tse.phon)
tse.phon
Zephon
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
Tsephon is a proper name appearing in the genealogies of Genesis and Numbers, identifying a son of Gad and brother to figures like Haggi and Shuni. The sources note that this individual is also referred to as Ziphion, suggesting these names may represent variant spellings or alternate traditions for the same ancestor within the tribe of Gad.
The meaning of the name is interpreted as "treasure" or possibly related to a word for "gaze." As a progenitor of the family line known as the Zephonites, Tsephon serves as a link in the record of Israel’s expansion during the wilderness period. His inclusion highlights the careful preservation of tribal lineage in the biblical text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Tsephon appears in the genealogical records of Numbers, marking a specific branch within the tribe of Gad. While it might seem like just another entry in a long list of ancestors, these names represent real families who survived the wilderness journey. Their preservation in Scripture shows that God keeps careful track of every lineage, ensuring no one is forgotten in His grand narrative.
For believers today, this detail offers comfort. It reminds us that our own stories, however small they may feel, are held securely in God’s memory. Just as the Zephonites were counted and recorded, so too are we known intimately by Him. This historical accuracy grounds our faith in a God who values truth and order.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of/ Zephon1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/צְפ֗וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 26:15
The sons of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;
This verse explicitly lists Zephon as the founder of the Zephonites, confirming his role as a patriarch whose family line was officially recognized during the second census.