The Hebrew word ṭâlâʼ, represented by H2921, is a primitive root that properly means to cover with pieces. This leads to its application in scripture as to spot or variegate, and it is also translated as clouted or with divers colours. It appears 8 times across 6 unique verses.
In Genesis, H2921 is used repeatedly in the narrative of Jacob and Laban to describe livestock. Jacob's wages were to consist of all the spotted and speckled goats and brown sheep Genesis 30:32. As a result, when the flocks conceived, they brought forth young that were ringstraked, speckled, and spotted Genesis 30:39. The word also appears in a context of deception, when the Gibeonites presented themselves to Joshua with old and clouted (patched) shoes to feign a long journey Joshua 9:5. Figuratively, in Ezekiel, Israel is described as using garments to create high places of divers colours, an act associated with playing the harlot Ezekiel 16:16.
Several related words clarify the contexts in which H2921 is found:
- H5348 nâqôd (speckled): This word is consistently paired with ṭâlâʼ in Genesis to describe the markings of Jacob's flock. It specifies animals that are "spotted; speckled," reinforcing the idea of a variegated appearance Genesis 30:32.
- H1087 bâleh (old): Meaning "worn out; old," this term describes the condition of the shoes that are clouted H2921 in the Gibeonites' deception, highlighting the deliberate appearance of age and wear Joshua 9:5.
- H1116 bâmâh (high place): The term for "an elevation; height, high place, wave," it is the object that Israel "deckedst" with garments of divers colours H2921 in an act of spiritual unfaithfulness Ezekiel 16:16.
- H2181 zânâh (playedst the harlot): This word, meaning "to commit adultery," reveals the symbolic gravity of decking high places with divers colours. The act is not merely decorative but represents idolatry, or figuratively going a-whoring from God Ezekiel 16:16.
The applications of H2921 carry significant conceptual weight, moving from literal description to potent metaphor.
- Designation of Value: In the context of Jacob's agreement with Laban, being spotted is the specific characteristic that designates which animals belong to Jacob as his hire or wages H7939 Genesis 30:33. The marking is a visible sign of ownership and divine provision.
- Appearance of Deception: The "clouted" or patched shoes worn by the Gibeonites are a key element in their strategy of deceit. The patchwork appearance is intended to create a false impression of a long, arduous journey, showing how a variegated or pieced-together surface can be used to mislead Joshua 9:5.
- Symbol of Spiritual Corruption: In Ezekiel, garments of divers colours are used to adorn high places for idolatrous worship. This variegated, mixed nature symbolizes spiritual impurity and unfaithfulness, as Israel "playedst the harlot" H2181 by mixing true worship with profane practices Ezekiel 16:16.
In summary, H2921 ṭâlâʼ is a term whose meaning extends from the literal to the metaphorical. It describes the physical appearance of animals with spotted coats, the patched state of clouted shoes, and the spiritually corrupt nature of idolatrous worship decorated with divers colours. The word consistently points to a state of being variegated, patched, or mixed, whether for establishing value, perpetrating a deception, or illustrating a fall into spiritual adultery.
TRV