תּוּב (tuv)

tuv

to return: return

H8421 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 5 verses

A:V

Language: Biblical Hebrew
Testament: Old Testament
Occurrences: 5 verses
Root: —
Part of speech: A:V

Word Overview

The Hebrew verb tuv means to return or come back. It appears in five verses, primarily in Ezra and Daniel. The basic sense is physical movement toward a starting point, such as travelers returning home. In these texts, it often describes people going back to Jerusalem after exile.

Its stem forms add nuance. The active form (P'al) simply denotes the act of returning. The causative form (Aphel) shifts the meaning to restoring something or giving it back. This includes answering a question or replying, as one returns speech to a speaker. It can also mean rescuing or restoring a person to their former state.

Translators usually render tuv as "return," but the context determines whether the action is physical movement or restoration. In Daniel, it often marks the end of a period of waiting or displacement. The word captures both the literal journey back and the theological idea of restoration to God’s presence.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The word tuv captures more than just a change of location; it speaks of restoration and response. In Ezra, we see the physical return of exiles to Jerusalem, but also the returning of answers and artifacts. This reminds us that God is attentive to His people, ensuring that what was lost is brought back and that communication flows clearly even in difficult political climates.

In Daniel, the verb appears when characters give counsel or stand firm before kings. It suggests that our words can be a form of return—sending truth back to those who ask, or standing firm in faith when pressured. Whether it is coming home after exile or offering wise counsel under pressure, this word highlights God’s work in restoring order and presence.

For your life, this means that no matter how far you have wandered or how silent the answers seem, God is working to bring things back to their intended place. You are not forgotten in displacement. His eye is on you, and He can restore what was taken and guide your words with prudence.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.

to/ send back to/ you1×
they will send back1×
they sent back to/ us1×
let them send back1×
he sent back1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

לַ/הֲתָבוּתָֽ/ךְ\׃1×
יַהֲתִיב֗וּן1×
יְתִיב֥וּן1×
הֲתִיב֣וּ/נָא1×
הֲתִיב֙1×

Key Verses

Ezra 5:5
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

This verse shows God’s protective eye on the elders, ensuring that an answer is returned to King Darius regarding their rebuilding efforts.
Daniel 2:14
Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel uses this action to return wise counsel and prudence to Arioch, preventing the execution of the wise men while seeking time for God’s revelation.
Ezra 6:5
Also let the gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, everything to its place. You shall put them in God’s house.

Here the verb describes the physical restoration of sacred vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar, bringing them back to their proper place in Jerusalem.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Hebrew word tuv mean?

It primarily means to return, come back, or restore. It can describe physical movement back to a starting point, like exiles returning to Jerusalem, or the act of giving an answer or restoring items to their original place.

How is tuv different from other words for 'return'?

While many Hebrew words mean to turn, tuv specifically emphasizes the idea of coming back to a previous state or location. In the causative stem (Aphel), it often carries the sense of restoring something lost or giving a reply in response to a question.

Where does this word appear in the Bible?

It appears five times, primarily in the books of Ezra and Daniel. Key instances include the return of temple vessels (Ezra 6:5) and Daniel’s response to the king’s guard (Daniel 2:14).

Every Occurrence (5 verses across 2 books)

Ezra 3 verses

Ezra 5:5

But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to…

Ezra 5:11

Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are building the house…

Ezra 6:5

Also let the gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which is at Jerusalem…

Daniel 2 verses