Reeds Sea of Reeds

† I. סוּף n.m. Jon 2:6 reeds, rushes (coll.) (prob. loan-word from Egyptian ṭwfi, reeds, SteindorffBASi. 603 ErmanZMG xivi (1892), 122; Semitic according to WMMAs. u. Eur. 101);— 1. rushes, in Nile Ex 2:3, 5 (E); קָנֶהוָסוּף Is 19:6 (of Egypt); Jon 2:6. 2. usually in combin. יַם־סוּף prob. = sea of rushes or reeds (> sea of (city) Suph), which Gk. incl. in wider name θάλασσα ἐρυθρά, Red Sea (cf. Di Ex 13:18 and especially WMMAs. u. Eur. 42 f., who expl. as name orig. given to upper end of Gulf of Suez, extending into Bitter Lakes, shallow and marshy, whence reeds (prob. also reddish colour));—name applied only to arms of Red Sea; most often a. to Gulf of Suez Ex 10:19 Jos 2:10 (both J), Ex 13:18; 15:4, 22; 23:31 (all E), Dt 11:4 Jos 4:23; 24:6 (D), Nu 33:10, 11 (P), elsewhere late Ne 9:9 ψ 106:7, 9, 22; 136:13, 15. b. sometimes to Gulf of Akaba 1 K 9:26, and דֶּרֶךְ יַם־סוּף Nu 21:4 (E), prob. also 14:25 (E), Dt 1:40; 2:1; perhaps Ju 11:16 Je 49:21; poss. read מִיַּם־סוּף for מוֹל ס׳ Dt 1:1 (v. infr.).

† II. צוּף n.pr.m. Ephr. ancestor of Elḳanah and Samuel, בֶּן־צ׳ 1 S 1:1 (ἐν Νασειβ, 𝔊L υἱοῦ Σωφ), 1 Ch 6:20 Qr 𝔊 𝔙 (Kt ציף); appar. = צוֹפַי v 11 (Levite), Σουφ(ει): hence prob. אֶרֶץ צוּף 1 S 9:5 (in Benj., τὴν (γὴν) Σ(ε)ιφ(α)).

† II. סוּף n.pr.loc. (si vera l.) named in defining loc. of Deut. law-giving Dt 1:1 (מוֹל סוּף, where מוֹל by dissimil. for מוּל); but read perhaps מִיַּם סוּף (𝔊 πλησίον τῆς ἐρυθρᾶς, 𝔊L + θαλάσσης, 𝔙 contra mare rubrum), v. i. סוּף. v. CheEB Red Sea.