H6884 H6884
To smelt, refine, purify; of metallurgy and of God testing character; as participle, a goldsmith or refiner.
Tsaraph sits at the intersection of craft and theology. In its literal sense it describes the ancient metalworker's art of smelting ore and refining precious metals — removing dross by fire to produce pure silver or gold. But the biblical writers seized on this image as the supreme metaphor for divine testing: just as the refiner's fire reveals what is genuine, so God 'refines' his people through trial and affliction. The metaphor is so deeply embedded that the participial form can mean either 'goldsmith' (the craftsman in Nehemiah's wall-building crew) or 'refiner' (the divine agent in Malachi's temple). The passive participle yields one of the Bible's most memorable descriptions of Scripture itself: 'The words of the LORD are pure words, refined silver, purified seven times' (Ps 12:6). Spanish distinguishes fundidor ('smelter/caster') from refinador ('refiner') and probado ('tested'), tracing exactly the semantic development from craft to character.
5. refiner, purifier (agent) — Piel participle and Qal infinitive absolute: the refiner as agent, one who purifies — 3 occurrences, concentrated in the prophetic vision of Malachi 3:2-3, where the messenger of the covenant 'is like a refiner's fire' and 'will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' Jeremiah 6:29 uses the infinitive absolute tsaroph to describe the failed attempt to refine Israel. Spanish refinador ('refiner') and French purifier ('purifier') both use agent-noun or process-focused vocabulary, and the Malachi passage in particular has become the definitive biblical image of divine purification — patient, seated, watching until the reflection appears. 3×
AR["الـ-صَّائِغُ","صَائِغًا","صَائِغٍ"]·ben["পরিশোধন-করে","পরিশোধনকারী","পরিশোধনকারীর"]·DE["laeutern","von-laeuterte"]·EN["refiner","refining"]·FR["purifier"]·heb["מצרף","צורף"]·HI["शोधक","शोधनेवाला","शोधनेवाले-की"]·ID["pelebur","pemurni","sebagai-pemurni"]·IT["purificare"]·jav["kang-nglebur","mbesot"]·KO["단련하는-자가","정련하는-자","정련하는-자-의"]·PT["refinador","refinando"]·RU["очищающий","плавил"]·ES["el-fundidor","refinador"]·SW["msafishaji","msafishaji-huyo"]·TR["arıtan"]·urd["آگ-سنار-کی","ساف-کرنے-والا","صاف-کرنے-والے-نے"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. goldsmith, silversmith (artisan) — Qal participle as substantive: goldsmith, silversmith, metalworker — 11 occurrences identifying professional artisans. Micah's mother gives silver to a tsoreph to cast an idol (Judg 17:4); the goldsmiths repair sections of Jerusalem's wall alongside perfumers and merchants (Neh 3:8, 32); and the idol-maker overlays his image with gold while the tsoreph solders chains (Isa 40:19; 41:7; 46:6). Spanish orfebres ('goldsmiths') and fundidor ('smelter') both appear, while Proverbs 25:4 uses the image of removing dross 'for the silversmith' to bridge the literal craft with the moral metaphor. 11×
AR["الصَّائِغَ","الصَّائِغُونَ","صَائِغًا","صَائِغٍ","صَائِغُونَ","لِ-الصَّائِغِ","لِلصَّائِغِ","وَالصَّائِغُ","يَصُوغُ"]·ben["-স্বর্ণকারের-জন্য","এবং-স্বর্ণকার","গলায়","স্বর্ণকার","স্বর্ণকারকে","স্বর্ণকারদের","স্বর্ণকারের","স্বর্ণকারেরা"]·DE["[הצרפים]","[צורפים]","laeutern","laeuterte","und-laeuterte","zu-der-silversmith","zu-laeuterte"]·EN["a-goldsmith","and-a-goldsmith","casting","for-the-refiner","goldsmith","goldsmiths","refiner","the-goldsmiths","the-one-smoothing","to-the-silversmith"]·FR["[הצרפים]","[צורפים]","et-purifier","purifier","à-le-silversmith","לצרף"]·heb["ה-צרפים","ו-צורף","ל-צורף","צורף","צורפים"]·HI["और-सुनार","सुनार","सुनार-के","सुनार-के-लिए","सुनार-को","सुनारों-ने","सुनारों-में-से"]·ID["bagi-pandai-emas","dan-tukang-emas","kepada-tukang","pandai-emas","pandai-pandai-emas","tukang-emas","tukang-perak-membuat"]·IT["[הצרפים]","[צורפים]","a-il-silversmith","al-per-il-refiner","e-purificare","purificare"]·jav["dhateng-pandhe","juru-emas","kanggé-pandhe","lan-tukang-emas","pandé-emas","para-tukang-emas","tukang-emas","tukang-nggawé"]·KO["그-금세공들이","그리고-세공사가","금세공들-의","금세공의","금세공이","만드느니라","세공사를","세공이","은장이에게","장인-을-위하여"]·PT["ao-ourives","e-ourives","fundindo","os-ourives","ourives","para-o-ourives"]·RU["для-золотаря","золотых-дел","и-золотильщик","льёт","мастера","плавильщик","плавильщика","плавильщику"]·ES["al-fundidor","de-los-orfebres","funde","fundidor","los-orfebres","orfebre","para-el-refinador","y-el-orfebre"]·SW["anaitengeneza","fundi-wa-chuma","fundi-wa-dhahabu","kwa-mfua-vyuma","masonara","mfua-dhahabu","msonara","na-mfua-dhahabu"]·TR["-e-kuyumcu","dokuyor","kuyumcu","kuyumcu-için","kuyumcular","kuyumcunun","kuyumcuya","kuyumcuyu","ve-kuyumcu"]·urd["اور-سنار","بناتا-ہے-سنار","زرگر","زرگر-کے","سنار","سنار-کو","سنار-کے-لیے","سناروں-نے","سناروں-کے"]
2. refine, smelt, purify — Qal active: to refine, smelt, or purify metals or people by fire — 10 occurrences covering both literal metallurgy and its figurative extension to divine purification. God declares 'I will smelt away your dross' (Isa 1:25); 'I have refined you, though not as silver' (Isa 48:10); and 'I am refining them and testing them' (Jer 9:7). The imperative in Psalm 26:2 — 'refine me, O LORD, and test me' — uses the verb as a prayer invitation. Spanish refinar and French affiner both select purification vocabulary, while German laeutern carries the dual sense of cleansing and improving that matches the Hebrew precisely. 10×
AR["أُصَفِّيهِمْ","صَفَّيْتُكَ","صَهَرَ","صَهِّرْ","كَ-تَصْفيَةِ-","كَ-تَصْفِيَةِ","لِـ-يُمَحِّصُوا","وَ-أَصهَرُ","وَ-أُصَفِّيهِمْ"]·ben["আমি-তোমাকে-পরিষ্কার-করেছি","এবং-আমি-পরিশোধন-করব","ও-গলিয়ে-ফেলব","পরিশুদ্ধ-করতে","পরিশোধক","পরিশোধন-করব-তাদের","যেমন-পরিশোধন-করে","শুদ্ধ-করার-মতো","শোধন-করুন"]·DE["[ketiv]","[וצרפתים]","[כצרף]","ich-laeuterte-dich","laeutern","laeuterte","und-laeutern","versuchen","wie-ist-refined-"]·EN["I-have-refined-you","[ketiv]","am-refining-them","and-I-will-refine","and-I-will-refine-them","as-is-refined-","as-refining","refining","to-refine","try"]·FR["affiner","comme-affiner","et-purifier","purifier"]·heb["ו-אצרוף","ו-צרפתים","כ-צרוף","כ-צרוף-","ל-צרוף","צורפם","צרוף","צרף","צרפה","צרפתיך"]·HI["और-मैं-उनको-शुद्ध-करूँगा","और-मैं-गलाऊंगा","जैसे-तपाई-जाती-है","जैसे-शुद्ध-किया-जाता-है","ताओ","मैं-शुद्ध-करूँगा-उन्हें","मैंने-तुझे-तपाया","शुद्ध-करने-को","शोधन-करता-है"]·ID["Aku-memurnikan-engkau","dan-Aku-akan-memurnikan-mereka","dan-melebur","melebur","melebur-mereka","seperti-memurnikan","seperti-memurnikan-","untuk-memurnikan"]·IT["affino'","e-purificare","purificare"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-nglebur-panjenengan","[ketib-qere]","juru-besot","kados-nyaring","kadosdéné-ngawontenaken-","kangge-nyaring","lan-Kawula-badhé-lebur","lan-nyaring-Kawula-tiyang","mbesot-piyambakipun","saringa"]·KO["그리고-내가-단련하리라-그들을","내가-그들을-단련하고","내가-너를-연단하였으나","단련하셨도다","단련하소서","단련함-같이","단련했다","에-단련하려고","정련하리라"]·PT["como-refinar","e-purificarei","e-refiná-los-ei","para-purificá-los","refina","refinando-os","refinei-te"]·RU["и-очищу","и-очищу-их","как-очищают","как-очищают-","очисти","очистил-тебя","плавильщик","расплавлю-их","чтобы-очистить"]·ES["[qere]","como-refinar-","como-se-refina","fundiéndolos","fundió","para-purificar","refina","te-refiné","y-los-refinaré","y-purificaré"]·SW["amesafisha","kama-kusafisha","kusafisha","na-nitasafisha","na-nitawasafisha","nimekusafisha","nitawasafisha","safisha"]·TR["[ketiv]","arittirim-seni","arıt","arıtma-gibi-","arıtılması-gibi","arıtıyor","eriteceğim","li-arındırmak","ve-arıtacağım-onları","ve-eritecegim"]·urd["(پرکھ)","اور-صاف-کروں-گا-اُنہیں","اور-میں-صاف-کروں-گا","تپاؤں-گا-اُنہیں","جانچ","صاف-کرنے-کی-طرح","صاف-کرنے-کے-لیے","صاف-کیا","میں-نے-تجھے-تایا","کَ-تانا"]
3. refined, pure (state) — Qal passive participle: refined, pure, proven — 5 occurrences describing the resultant state of completed purification. God's word is tsaruf, 'refined' (2 Sam 22:31; Ps 18:30; Prov 30:5), and the psalmist declares God's promises 'exceedingly pure' (Ps 119:140). The iconic Psalm 12:6 compares divine speech to 'silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times.' Spanish purificada and probada ('proven') both appear, while the shift from process to state marks a genuine semantic boundary — this is not refining-in-progress but verified purity. 5×
AR["مُمَحَّصَةٌ","مُنَقَّاةٍ"]·ben["পরিশোধিত","পরিষ্কৃত","পরীক্ষিত"]·DE["[צרופה]","ist-refined","refined"]·EN["is-refined","refined"]·FR["affiner","refined","צרופה"]·heb["צרוף","צרופה"]·HI["तपाए-हुए","ताया-हुआ","शुद्ध"]·ID["Dimurnikan","dimurnikan","yang-dimurnikan"]·IT["affino'","refined"]·jav["Dimurni","dipun-lebur","dipun-saring","murni","suci"]·KO["단련되었도다","단련된","순수하도다","정결하다","정연되었다"]·PT["Purificada","purificada","refinada","é-refinada"]·RU["Очищено","испытано","очищенное","очищено","чисто"]·ES["Probada","purificada","refinada"]·SW["iliyosafishwa","limesafishwa"]·TR["arınmış","arınmıştır","arıtılmış"]·urd["آزمودہ","خالص-ہے","پاک-ہے","پرکھا-ہوا","پگھلی-ہوئی"]
4. test, try, prove — Qal with metaphorical extension: to test, try, prove a person's character — 4 occurrences where the metallurgical image is fully transferred to moral testing. God 'tested' Joseph through the word that came to him (Ps 105:19); 'You have tested me' (Ps 17:3); 'You have refined us as silver is refined' (Ps 66:10). The Gideon narrative uses the verb for God 'testing' warriors at the water (Judg 7:4). Spanish probó ('tested') and German geprüft ('examined') both shift from craft to character-assessment vocabulary, and the preposition shift from literal fire to figurative trial confirms a distinct though related sense. 4×
AR["امتَحَنَتهُ","صَفَّيْتَنا","صَهَرْتَنِي","وَ-أُمَحِّصُهُ"]·ben["আপনি-আমাকে-শোধন-করেছেন","এবং-আমি-পরীক্ষা-করব-তাদের","তাকে-পরীক্ষা-করল","তুমি-আমাদের-শুদ্ধ-করেছ"]·DE["du-haben-geprüft-mich","du-refined-uns","geprüft-ihn","und-ich-wird-test-ihn"]·EN["You-refined-us","and-I-will-test-him","tested-him","you-have-tested-me"]·FR["affiner","et-je-sera-éprouver-lui"]·heb["ו-אצרפנו","צרפתהו","צרפתנו","צרפתני"]·HI["और-परखूँगा-उन्हें","तूने-तपाया-है-मुझे","तूने-ताया-हमें","परख-गई-उसे"]·ID["Engkau-memurnikan-aku","Engkau-telah-memurnikan-kami","dan-akan-Kusaring-nya","menguji-nya"]·IT["affino'","e-io-volere-test-lui"]·jav["Panjenengan-nyaring-kula","Panjenengan-sampun-ngawontenaken-kawula-sedaya","lan-Kula-badhé-nyaring","nguji-panjenenganipun"]·KO["그-를-연단하였도다","그리고-시험하리라-그를","단련하셨도다"]·PT["e-eu-o-provarei","me-refinaste","nos-refinaste","o-provou"]·RU["Ты-испытал-меня","и-испытаю-его","испытало-его","очищал-нас"]·ES["lo-probó","me-has-refinado","nos-refinaste","y-lo-probaré"]·SW["lilimsafisha","na-nitawapima","umenijaribisha","umetusafisha"]·TR["arıttın-bizi","sana","sınadı-onu","test-ettin-beni"]·urd["اور-آزماؤں-گا-اُنہیں-میں","اُس-نے-آزمایا","تُو-نے-پرکھا-مجھے","تُو-نے-ہمیں-تایا"]
6. sense 6 — Niphal or Hitpael reflexive: to be refined, to purify oneself — a single occurrence at Daniel 12:10, in the apocalyptic promise that 'many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined.' Spanish serán refinados ('they will be refined') and French purifier both use passive or reflexive forms. This end-times usage extends the metallurgical metaphor to eschatological purification, where the testing fires of history produce a people fit for the age to come. 1×
AR["وَ-يُمَحَّصُونَ"]·ben["ও-পরিশুদ্ধ-হবে"]·DE["und-laeutern"]·EN["and-be-refined"]·FR["et-purifier"]·heb["ו-ייצרפו"]·HI["और-परखे-जाएँगे"]·ID["dan-akan-diuji"]·IT["e-purificare"]·jav["lan-dipun-saring"]·KO["그리고-단련되리라"]·PT["e-serão-refinados"]·RU["и-очистятся-огнём"]·ES["y-serán-refinados"]·SW["na-watasafishwa"]·TR["ve-temizlenecekler"]·urd["اور-آزمائے-جائیں-گے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† צָרַף vb. smelt, refine, test (NH id.; Ph. מצרף smelter: Assyrian ṣurrupu, refined, ṣarpu, silver, naṣraptu, crucible; Arabic صِرْفٌ is pure, unmixed (especially of wine);* very doubtful is Sab. צדף silver, money, cf. MordtmHim. Inschr. pp. 14, 29 CIS iv, No. 291, l. 1);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. צ׳ Je 6:29, sf. צְרָפָ֑תְהוּ ψ 105:19; 2 ms. sf. צְרַפְתָּנִי ψ 17:3, etc.; Impf. 1 s. אֶצְרֹף Is 1:25, sf.…