Word Study for H2953 (טְפַר) | Strong's Concordance

ṭᵉphar /tef-ar'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to צָפַר, and meaning the same as צִפֹּרֶן

Meaninga finger-nail; also a hoof or claw

KJV usagenail.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ṭᵉphar — 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 Aramaic word ṭᵉphar, represented by H2953, means nail, and can also refer to a hoof or a claw. This specific term appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, both found in the book of Daniel, where it is used to describe physical transformations that are both literal and symbolic.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H2953 illustrate distinct contexts of divine judgment and prophetic vision. In the first instance, it describes the physical degradation of King Nebuchadnezzar, who was driven from men and whose nails grew like birds' claws as a sign of his humiliation Daniel 4:33. The second occurrence is in Daniel's vision of the fourth beast, a terrifying and powerful kingdom whose nails of brass were part of its arsenal to devour and break its victims in pieces Daniel 7:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide a richer context for the meaning of ṭᵉphar:

H1655 geshem (body): This word is used for Nebuchadnezzar's body, which was wet with the dew of heaven, emphasizing the total physical nature of his transformation, of which the overgrown nails were a part Daniel 4:33.
H2423 chêyvâʼ (beast): This is the term for the prophetic beast in Daniel's vision. The nails of H2953 are a defining, fearsome feature of this entity Daniel 7:19.
H1763 dᵉchal (dreadful): This describes the terrifying nature of the fourth beast. Its nails of brass contribute to it being exceedingly dreadful Daniel 7:19.
H5174 nᵉchâsh (brass): The nails of the fourth beast are made of brass, a material signifying unnatural strength and destructive capacity Daniel 7:19.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2953 is seen in its powerful imagery within Daniel's prophecies.

Sign of Divine Judgment: Nebuchadnezzar's transformation, including his overgrown nails, serves as a visible sign of God's judgment against human pride. It depicts the stripping of royal dignity and a reduction to a wild, animalistic state Daniel 4:33.
Symbol of Destructive Might: In the vision of the fourth beast, the nails are not signs of neglect but are weapons. Made of brass, they symbolize the ruthless and destructive power of a terrifying earthly kingdom that tears down and stamps out opposition Daniel 7:19.
Loss of Humanity: For Nebuchadnezzar, the growth of animal-like nails represents the loss of his human identity and reason as a consequence of exalting himself against God.

Summary

In summary, H2953 is a rare but impactful word. While its literal meaning is simply nail or claw, its two appearances in Scripture carry significant weight. It is used to illustrate both the profound humiliation of a prideful king under God's judgment and the terrifying, destructive power of a prophetic beast, showing how a physical feature can symbolize major spiritual and political realities.

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 2 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.

טִפְרוֹ
טִפְרַי

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

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.