תְּפוֹצָה (te.pho.tsah)
te.pho.tsah
dispersion
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun tephûṣâ refers to a scattering or dispersion, specifically describing people driven out from their homeland. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Jeremiah 25:34, where it depicts the chaotic result of divine judgment against the nations.
In this context, the word captures the physical reality of exile and displacement. The prophet uses it to illustrate how God will scatter His people and their enemies alike, breaking the cohesion of societies that oppose His justice. The term emphasizes the loss of community and place, leaving individuals isolated in foreign lands.
Translators typically render tephûṣâ as "dispersion" or "scattering." This choice preserves the sense of forced movement rather than voluntary migration. The word serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God’s order, highlighting the fragility of human political structures when they stand against divine will.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word tephûṣâ describes a scattering or dispersion, specifically depicting people driven out from their homeland. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Jeremiah 25:34, where it illustrates the chaotic result of divine judgment against the nations. The prophet uses this term to show how God will scatter His people and their enemies alike, breaking the cohesion of societies that oppose His justice.
This word emphasizes the loss of community and place, leaving individuals isolated in foreign lands. Translators typically render tephûṣâ as "dispersion" or "scattering," preserving the sense of forced movement rather than voluntary migration. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God’s order, highlighting the fragility of human political structures when they stand against divine will.
For your faith, this word offers a sobering perspective on the temporary nature of earthly power and the reality of exile. It invites us to trust in God’s ultimate authority over history and to find our true home in Him, rather than in the stability of human institutions. May you find comfort in knowing that even in times of dispersal, God remains sovereign and present.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ dispersions/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/תְפוֹצ֣וֹתִי/כֶ֔ם1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 25:34
Wail, you shepherds, and cry. Wallow in dust, you leader of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions have fully come, and you will fall like fine pottery.
This occurrence matters because it uniquely applies tephûṣâ to the judgment on shepherds and leaders, showing that even those in authority are subject to God's scattering when they oppose His justice.