H6823 H6823
To overlay or plate a surface with metal (gold, bronze, silver), especially in tabernacle and temple construction
Overwhelmingly a craftsman's term, tsaphah in the Piel describes the meticulous work of overlaying wooden structures with precious metals—gold on the ark, the altar, the poles, and Solomon's temple interior (Exod 25:11; 1 Kgs 6:20). German überziehen ('to coat over') captures the technique precisely. The Pual passive appears for objects already plated, as in the silver-glazed potsherd of Proverbs 26:23. A single Qal occurrence in Isaiah 21:5 shifts meaning entirely, likely describing the spreading of a carpet or rug rather than metalwork, hinting at a possible homophonous root.
Senses
1. overlay, plate with metal (Piel) — The active Piel form meaning to overlay or plate a wooden surface with metal—gold, bronze, or silver. This is the construction term par excellence for the tabernacle (Exod 25–38) and temple (1 Kgs 6; 2 Chr 3–4). Spanish cubrirás and French recouvrir both convey the covering action. It also extends to studding with precious stones (2 Chr 3:6). 44×
AR["وَ-تُغَشِّيها", "وَ-تُغَشِّيهِ", "وَ-غَشَّاهَا", "وَ-غَشَّاهُ", "وَ-غَشَّاهُمَا", "وَ-غَشَّى", "وَ-غَشّاها", "وَ-غَشّاهُ", "وَ-غَشّى"]·ben["এবং-ঢাকলেন", "এবং-তিনি-মুড়ে-দিলেন", "এবং-তুমি-মুড়বে", "এবং-মুড়ে-দিল", "এবং-মুড়ে-দিলেন", "এবং-সে-মুড়ে-দিল"]·DE["und-du-sollst-ueberziehen", "und-er-overlaid", "und-er-ueberzog", "und-ueberzog"]·EN["and-he-overlaid", "and-overlaid", "and-you-shall-overlay"]·FR["et-il-recouvrit", "et-il-revêtit", "et-recouvrit", "et-tu---recouvrir"]·heb["ו-יצף", "ו-ציפה", "ו-ציפית"]·HI["और-मढ़ा", "और-मढ़ो"]·ID["Dan-engkau menyalut", "Dan-engkau menyalutnya", "Dan-menyalut", "dan-engkau menyalut", "dan-ia-melapisi", "dan-ia-menyalut", "dan-melapisi", "dan-menyalut"]·IT["e-egli-rivestì", "e-rivestì", "e-tu-rivestirai"]·jav["Lan-piyambakipun-nglapis", "Sarta-panjenengan-badhé-nyalut", "lan-dipunsalut", "lan-nglapis", "lan-piyambakipun-nglapis", "sarta-panjenengan-badhé-nyalut"]·KO["그리고-그가-입혔다", "그리고-입혀라", "그리고-입혔다"]·PT["E-revestirás", "E-revestiu", "e-revestirás", "e-revestiu"]·RU["И-обложи", "и-обложи", "и-покрыл"]·ES["Y-la-cubrirás", "Y-la-cubrió", "Y-lo-cubrió", "y-cubrió", "y-las-cubrirás", "y-las-cubrió", "y-lo-cubrió"]·SW["Na-akafunika", "Na-akawafunika", "na-akaeneza", "na-akafunika", "na-akaifunika", "na-akayafunika", "na-utafunika", "sakafu"]·TR["Ve-kapladı", "Ve-kaplayacaksın", "ve-kapladı", "ve-kaplayacaksın"]·urd["اور-منڈھا", "اور-منڈھو", "اور-مڑھا"]
Exod 25:11, Exod 25:11, Exod 25:13, Exod 25:24, Exod 25:28, Exod 26:29, Exod 26:29, Exod 26:37, Exod 27:2, Exod 27:6, Exod 30:3, Exod 30:5 (+32 more)
2. overlaid, plated (Pual passive) — The Pual passive participle describing an object already overlaid or plated. Exodus 26:32 speaks of pillars overlaid with gold, and Proverbs 26:23 compares fervent lips with a wicked heart to a potsherd 'overlaid' with silver dross. The passive form presupposes the completed craftsmanship of sense 1, describing the resulting state rather than the action. 2×
AR["مُغَشّاةٍ", "مُغَطَّاةٌ"]·ben["মুড়িত", "মোড়া"]·DE["[מצפה]", "ueberzog"]·EN["overlaid"]·FR["recouvrit", "מצפה"]·heb["מצופה", "מצופים"]·HI["चढ़ी-हुई", "मढ़े-हुए"]·ID["berlapis", "disalut"]·IT["overlaid", "rivestì"]·jav["ingkang-dipunsalut", "nutupi"]·KO["입혀진", "입힌"]·PT["coberta", "revestidas"]·RU["обложенных", "покрытое"]·ES["cubierta", "cubiertas-de"]·SW["iliyofunikwa", "zilizofunikwa"]·TR["kaplanmış", "kaplayan"]·urd["منڈھے-ہوئے", "چڑھی-ہوئی"]
3. spread out, set in place (Qal) — A distinct Qal usage in Isaiah 21:5 meaning to spread out or lay in place, likely referring to spreading a rug or carpet. Most modern commentators see this as a separate sense (or even a homophonous root) from the metalworking Piel. The multilingual evidence is sparse—Spanish pon ('set, place'), English 'spread'—but the context of a banquet scene supports a domestic action rather than metallurgical overlay. 1×
AR["يَرْقُبُونَ"]·ben["বিছাও"]·DE["[צפה]"]·EN["spread"]·FR["[צפה]"]·heb["צפה"]·HI["बिछाओ"]·ID["hamparkan"]·IT["[צפה]"]·jav["jaga"]·KO["지켜보라"]·PT["estende"]·RU["расстелить"]·ES["pon"]·SW["weka"]·TR["seyret"]·urd["بچھاؤ"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. [צָפָה47] vb. lay out, lay over (NH Pi. = BH);— Qal Inf. abs. הַצָּפִית צָפֹה Is 21:5 they lay out the rug! or the like, so most moderns, v. צָפִית²" dir="rtl" >צָפִית. Pi. overlay, plate: Pf. 3 ms. צִפָּה 1 K 6:15 +; 2 ms. וְצִפִּיתָ֫ Ex 25:11 +; Impf. 3 ms. וַיְצַף 1 K 6:20 +, sf. וַיְצַפֵּהוּ v 20 +; 2 ms. תְּצַפֶּה Ex 26:29; 3 mpl. וַיְצַפּוּ 2 Ch 3:10, etc.;—overlay, especially plate…