English · KJV
H2947

טֵפַח

ṭêphach /tay'-fakh/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom טָפַח
Meaninga spread of the hand, i.e. a palm-breadth (not 'span' of the fingers); architecturally, a corbel (as a supporting palm)
KJV usagecoping, hand-breadth.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ṭêphach — 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 ṭêphach, represented by H2947, refers to a hand-breadth or the spread of a hand. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from a root meaning to spread, it is used both as a literal unit of measurement and architecturally for a coping or corbel, which is a supporting structure.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H2947 carries both literal and figurative weight. Architecturally, it describes precise measurements in the construction of Solomon's temple. The great molten sea was an hand breadth thick (1 Kings 7:26, 2 Chronicles 4:5), and the term is also used for the coping on the walls of the court 1 Kings 7:9. Figuratively, the psalmist uses the term to express the brevity of human existence, lamenting to God, "thou hast made my days as an handbreadth" Psalms 39:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and application of ṭêphach:

  • H2465 cheled (age, short time, world): This word appears alongside ṭêphach in Psalms 39:5 to emphasize the fleeting nature of life, where the psalmist's age is like a mere handbreadth.
  • H5672 ʻăbîy (thickness): This term is used directly with ṭêphach to specify the physical dimensions of the molten sea, which was an hand breadth in its thickness (1 Kings 7:26, 2 Chronicles 4:5).
  • H4060 middâh (measure): In the context of building, ṭêphach serves as a specific standard of measurement. The construction of the temple court used costly stones according to specific measures, from the foundation up to the coping 1 Kings 7:9.

Theological Significance

The significance of H2947 is found in its application to both the human condition and divine works.

  • A Measure of Frailty: The word is powerfully used to illustrate the shortness of life in comparison to eternity. In Psalms 39:5, declaring one's days are like a handbreadth is a profound statement of humility and transience before God.
  • A Standard of Sacred Construction: As a unit of measure for the temple's molten sea and as the coping of its courts, ṭêphach signifies the precision and intentionality in the design of sacred space (1 Kings 7:9, 1 Kings 7:26).
  • Architectural Function: The base definition includes corbel, a supporting element. This suggests a role of support and completion, as the coping represents the finishing course of a structure 1 Kings 7:9.

Summary

In summary, H2947 moves beyond its simple definition as a unit of length. It serves as a poignant metaphor for the fleeting nature of human days and as a literal standard in the meticulous construction of God's temple. The word connects the tangible world of architectural design with the profound spiritual concept of human mortality, illustrating how a simple physical measure can convey deep theological truth.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • טְפָחוֹת
  • טֶפַח

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.

H2465 חֶלֶד from an unused root apparently meaning to glide swiftly; life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence, the world (as tran H5672 עֲבִי or עֳבִי]; from עָבָה; density, i.e. depth or width; thick(-ness). Compare עָב. H4060 מִדָּה feminine of מַד; properly, extension, i.e. height or breadth; also a measure (including its standard); hence a portion (

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 4 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Kings (2 verses); never once in the other 36.

2
1 Kings
1
2 Chronicles
1
Psalms

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.