What does תּוֹלָע (tôla‘aṯ) mean in the Bible?
תּוֹלָע (tôla‘aṯ): Worm of degradation and death, yet source of costly crimson dye—paradox of shame and royalty.
Hebrew · H8438
תּוֹלָע
A maggot (as voracious ); specifically (often with ellipsis of 8144 ) the crimson- grub , but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith
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תּוֹלָעH8438
Pronunciationtôla‘aṯ
What does תּוֹלָע (tôla‘aṯ) mean in the Bible?
תּוֹלָע (tôla‘aṯ): Worm of degradation and death, yet source of costly crimson dye—paradox of shame and royalty.
Full entry for תּוֹלָע (H8438) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8438?
The BSB source-word alignment has 43 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and scarlet yarn (24), . . . (6), or scarlet yarn (2), a scarlet (1), a worm (1).
Where does תּוֹלָע (tôla‘aṯ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 16:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (27), Leviticus (5), Isaiah (4), Numbers (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 Itand scarlet yarn24×Exodus 25:4, Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36
. . .6×Leviticus 14:4, Leviticus 14:6, Leviticus 14:49, Leviticus 14:51
or scarlet yarn2×Exodus 35:23, Exodus 35:25
a scarlet1×Numbers 4:8
a worm1×Jonah 4:7
am a worm1×Psalms 22:6
and worms1×Isaiah 14:11
as crimson1×Isaiah 1:18
crimson1×Lamentations 4:5
their worm1×Isaiah 66:24
who is but a worm1×Job 25:6
with maggots1×Exodus 16:20
worms1×Deuteronomy 28:39
you worm1×Isaiah 41:14
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 16:20תּוֹלָעִ֖יםtowith maggotsNoun - masculine pluralExodus 25:4וְתוֹלַ֥עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructExodus 26:1וְתֹלַ֣עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructExodus 26:31וְתוֹלַ֥עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructExodus 26:36וְתוֹלַ֥עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructExodus 27:16וְתוֹלַ֧עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructExodus 28:5תּוֹלַ֥עַתtoand scarlet yarnNoun - feminine singular constructExodus 28:6תּוֹלַ֧עַתtoand scarlet yarnNoun - feminine singular constructExodus 28:8וְתוֹלַ֥עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructExodus 28:15וְתוֹלַ֧עַתtoand scarlet yarnConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 16:20
Aligned rows43
Books represented9
Exodus27Leviticus5Numbers2Deuteronomy1Job1Psalms1Isaiah4Lamentations1Jonah1
Source forms
וְתוֹלַ֥עַת13xwə·ṯō·w·la·‘aṯExodus 25:4, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36, Exodus 28:8
וְתוֹלַ֣עַת4xwə·ṯō·w·la·‘aṯExodus 28:33, Exodus 36:8, Exodus 39:1, Exodus 39:24
תּוֹלַ֥עַת3xtō·w·la·‘aṯExodus 28:5, Exodus 35:25, Exodus 39:3
וְתוֹלַ֧עַת2xwə·ṯō·w·la·‘aṯExodus 27:16, Exodus 28:15
תוֹלַ֖עַת2xṯō·w·la·‘aṯLeviticus 14:4, Leviticus 14:49
תּוֹלַ֣עַת2xtō·w·la·‘aṯNumbers 4:8, Isaiah 41:14
בְּתוֹלַ֧עַת1xbə·ṯō·w·la·‘aṯExodus 35:35
הַתּוֹלַ֖עַת1xhat·tō·w·la·‘aṯLeviticus 14:6
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct20xExodus 25:4, Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36
Noun - feminine singular construct7xExodus 28:5, Exodus 28:6, Exodus 35:25, Exodus 39:3
Noun - feminine singular6xLeviticus 14:4, Leviticus 14:49, Numbers 19:6, Job 25:6
Article | Noun - feminine singular4xLeviticus 14:6, Leviticus 14:51, Leviticus 14:52, Deuteronomy 28:39
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct1xExodus 38:23
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural1xIsaiah 66:24
Noun - masculine plural1xExodus 16:20
Noun - masculine singular1xLamentations 4:5
Evidence Summary
Presence
Hebrew word. Worm of degradation and death, yet source of costly crimson dye—paradox of shame and royalty.
Source Gloss
a maggot (as voracious ); specifically (often with ellipsis of 8144 ) the crimson- grub , but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Worm of degradation and death, yet source of costly crimson dye—paradox of shame and royalty.
a maggot (as voracious); specifically (often with ellipsis of 8144) the crimson-grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith BDB: worm Usage: crimson, scarlet, worm.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Maggot or worm associated with decay.
Worm; maggot; often associated with decay or the crimson-dye grub; signifies something crushed and lowly
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 43 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
תּוֹלָע is built from this root:
יָלַעH3216
Why This Word Matters
The imagery intensifies the humiliation of former glory.Isaiah 14:9-11
Canonical Themes
Presence
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.