English · KJV
H2924

טָלֶה

ṭâleh /taw-leh'/ Ask about this word
Rootby variation for טְלָא
Meaninga lamb
KJV usagelamb.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ṭâleh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ṭâleh, represented by H2924, is a specific term for a lamb. It is a rare word, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses. Despite its infrequent use, its appearances are significant, portraying the lamb in contexts of both sacrifice and eschatological peace.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H2924 present distinct, powerful imagery. In 1 Samuel, it is used in a sacrificial context, where Samuel offered a sucking lamb as a burnt offering to the LORD, who then heard his cry for Israel 1 Samuel 7:9. In Isaiah, the word appears in a prophetic vision of a restored creation where "the wolf and the lamb shall feed together," illustrating a time when natural predation and hostility will cease in God's holy mountain Isaiah 65:25.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the meaning of ṭâleh within its biblical context:

  • H2061 zᵉʼêb (a wolf; wolf): This word represents the natural predator of the lamb. Its peaceful coexistence with the lamb in Isaiah's prophecy highlights the radical nature of the restored kingdom Isaiah 65:25.
  • H2461 châlâb (milk; sucking): This term is used to describe the lamb offered by Samuel as a "sucking lamb," emphasizing its youth, vulnerability, and the wholeness of the sacrifice 1 Samuel 7:9.
  • H5930 ʻôlâh (burnt offering): This specifies the type of sacrifice for which the lamb was used. A burnt offering was a holocaust, wholly consumed, signifying complete dedication and atonement 1 Samuel 7:9.
  • H7462 râʻâh (to tend a flock; pasture it; feed): This verb describes the shared, peaceful action of the wolf and the lamb in Isaiah's vision, an impossible act in the natural order, thereby underscoring the miraculous peace to come Isaiah 65:25.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2924 is concentrated in its two appearances:

  • Sacrificial Intercession: The "sucking lamb" offered by Samuel functions as a means of approaching God. Its role as a burnt offering precedes God's answer to Samuel's prayer for Israel, connecting the act of sacrifice with divine deliverance 1 Samuel 7:9.
  • Symbol of Messianic Peace: In Isaiah's prophecy, the lamb feeding with the wolf is a cornerstone image of shalom. It represents the end of violence and fear, where the most vulnerable are safe and "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain" Isaiah 65:25.
  • Restored Creation: The image of the lamb and wolf together points to a creation returned to its ideal state, free from the curse that brought enmity and death. The peaceful lion and bullock further this theme Isaiah 65:25.

Summary

In summary, while ṭâleh H2924 is not a common term, its usage is profound. It serves as a powerful symbol in two critical areas of biblical theology: the necessity of sacrifice in relating to God within a fallen world, and the promise of a perfectly restored world where all hostility has ceased. In just two verses, it captures a journey from atonement to ultimate peace.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • טְלָאִים
  • טָלֶה
  • טְלֵה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H2061 זְאֵב from an unused root meaning to be yellow; a wolf; wolf. H2461 חָלָב from the same as חֶלֶב; milk (as the richness of kine); [phrase] cheese, milk, sucking. H5930 עֹלָה or עוֹלָה; feminine active participle of עָלָה; a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as H7462 רָעָה a primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to r

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Samuel and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
1 Samuel
1
Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.