What does טָרַף (taraph) mean in the Bible?
טָרַף (taraph): To tear or rend; causatively, to provide food—often describing God's sustenance of creation.
Hebrew · H2963
טָרַף
To pluck off or pull to pieces ; causatively to supply with food (as in morsels)
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טָרַףH2963
Pronunciationtaraph
What does טָרַף (taraph) mean in the Bible?
טָרַף (taraph): To tear or rend; causatively, to provide food—often describing God's sustenance of creation.
Full entry for טָרַף (H2963) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2963?
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (4), tearing (2), to tear (2), [the animal] was torn to pieces (1), and maul (1).
Where does טָרַף (taraph) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 37:33. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (5), Ezekiel (4), Psalms (4), Exodus (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It. . .4×Genesis 37:33, Genesis 44:28, Genesis 49:27, Exodus 22:13
tearing2×Ezekiel 22:25, Ezekiel 22:27
to tear2×Ezekiel 19:3, Ezekiel 19:6
[the animal] was torn to pieces1×Exodus 22:13
and maul1×Psalms 22:13
and tears1×Micah 5:8
and tears off1×Deuteronomy 33:20
feed me1×Proverbs 30:8
for prey1×Psalms 17:12
has surely been torn to pieces1×Genesis 37:33
has torn me1×Job 16:9
has torn us to pieces1×Hosea 6:1
he has been torn to pieces1×Genesis 44:28
I tear you to pieces1×Psalms 50:22
mauled1×Nahum 2:12
raged1×Amos 1:11
they will shred1×Psalms 7:2
will be torn to pieces1×Jeremiah 5:6
will tear them to pieces1×Hosea 5:14
You who tear1×Job 18:4
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 37:33טָרֹ֥ףtohas surely been torn to piecesVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteGenesis 37:33טֹרַ֖ףto. . .Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 44:28טָרֹ֣ףtohe has been torn to piecesVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteGenesis 44:28טֹרָ֑ףto. . .Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 49:27יִטְרָ֔ףto. . .Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 22:13טָרֹ֥ףto[the animal] was torn to piecesVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteExodus 22:13יִטָּרֵ֖ףto. . .Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 33:20וְטָרַ֥ףtoand tears offConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularJob 16:9טָרַ֨ף׀tohas torn meVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularJob 18:4טֹֽרֵ֥ףtoYou who tearVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 37:33
Aligned rows25
Books represented12
Genesis5Exodus2Deuteronomy1Job2Psalms4Proverbs1Jeremiah1Ezekiel4Hosea2Amos1Micah1Nahum1
Source forms
טָרֹ֥ף2xṭā·rōp̄Genesis 37:33, Exodus 22:13
לִטְרָף־2xliṭ·rāp̄-Ezekiel 19:3, Ezekiel 19:6
אֶ֝טְרֹ֗ף1x’eṭ·rōp̄Psalms 50:22
אֶטְרֹף֙1x’eṭ·rōp̄Hosea 5:14
הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי1xhaṭ·rî·p̄ê·nîProverbs 30:8
וְטָרַ֥ף1xwə·ṭā·rap̄Deuteronomy 33:20
וְטָרַ֖ף1xwə·ṭā·rap̄Micah 5:8
וַיִּטְרֹ֤ף1xway·yiṭ·rōp̄Amos 1:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular4xJob 18:4, Psalms 22:13, Ezekiel 22:25, Nahum 2:12
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct3xPsalms 17:12, Ezekiel 19:3, Ezekiel 19:6
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute3xGenesis 37:33, Genesis 44:28, Exodus 22:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular2xDeuteronomy 33:20, Micah 5:8
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2xExodus 22:13, Jeremiah 5:6
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular2xPsalms 50:22, Hosea 5:14
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2xGenesis 49:27, Psalms 7:2
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular2xJob 16:9, Hosea 6:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To tear or rend; causatively, to provide food—often describing God's sustenance of creation.
Strong'sH2963
Lexical occurrences25 versesWord forms4 forms18 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHosea 6:1-3Source Gloss
to pluck off or pull to pieces ; causatively to supply with food (as in morsels)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To tear or rend; causatively, to provide food—often describing God's sustenance of creation.
to pluck off or pull to pieces; causatively to supply with food (as in morsels) BDB: tear Usage: catch, × without doubt, feed, ravin, rend in pieces, × surely, tear (in pieces).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups4Aligned forms18
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense14×
Participle activeEzek 22:25 · Ezek 22:27 · Job 18:4 · Nah 2:13 · Ps 22:145×
ImperfectGen 49:27 · Ps 7:3 · Hos 5:14 · Ps 50:224×
Infinitive absoluteExod 22:12 · Gen 37:33 · Gen 44:283×
PerfectHos 6:1 · Job 16:92×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action2×
ImperfectExod 22:12 · Jer 5:62×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
PerfectGen 37:331×
Qal passive1×
PerfectGen 44:281×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to tear
Tearing, rending, or seizing prey; used of a wild beast’s action
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 25 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
טָרַף is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Links to lion imagery of divine judgment.Hosea 6:1-3
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.