תַּרְבּוּת (tar.but)
tar.but
increase
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun tarbut signifies an increase, specifically referring to a large group of offspring or a thriving brood. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Numbers 32:14, where it describes the descendants of Moses and Joshua who will fill the land. The term emphasizes not just birth, but the resulting abundance and growth of a family line.
Its root conveys the idea of becoming numerous or growing larger. In this single usage, it highlights the contrast between the current generation’s hesitation and the future generation’s role in possessing the inheritance. The word points to the tangible result of divine blessing: a people who multiply and fill the earth as promised.
Translators often render it as "offspring" or "brood," capturing the sense of a collective group rather than individuals. This usage underscores the biblical theme that faithfulness leads to generational fruitfulness, linking obedience with the tangible outcome of increased life and presence in the land.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tarbut describes a tangible increase, often visualized as a thriving brood or a large group of offspring. In Numbers 32:14, Moses uses it to contrast the current generation's hesitation with the future generation's role in possessing the land. This highlights that faithfulness leads to generational fruitfulness, linking obedience with the tangible outcome of increased life and presence.
For your daily walk, this reminds us that God’s blessings often extend beyond our immediate circumstances to shape the lives of those who follow. It is not merely about personal success but about contributing to a larger story of growth and abundance. When we remain faithful, we participate in a legacy that multiplies in ways we may never fully see.
This promise encourages us to trust God’s timing and provision. Even when progress seems slow, the underlying principle remains: obedience opens the door for increase. Whether in family, ministry, or personal growth, God’s grace ensures that our efforts are not in vain but part of a broader, thriving narrative.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a brood of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַּרְבּ֖וּת1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 32:14
“Behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to increase the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel.
Moses uses this term to contrast the current generation's hesitation with the future generation's role in possessing the land.