H8610 H8610
To seize, capture, lay hold of; grasp or take captive in Qal; wield an instrument; be seized in Nifal.
Taphas is the Hebrew Bible's primary verb for forcefully laying hold — whether of a person in arrest, a city in conquest, or a tool in skilled use. Its range runs from Potiphar's wife seizing Joseph's garment (Gen 39:12) to Jubal as the 'handler' of lyre and pipe (Gen 4:21). The Nifal passive, appearing 15 times, consistently describes cities falling to siege and persons caught by enemies — Jeremiah's warnings that Jerusalem will be 'taken' (Jer 34:3; 38:23). Arabic qabada ('seize, grip') and Swahili -kamata ('catch, arrest') select forceful-grasp vocabulary, while the musical usage draws Korean 다루는 ('handling') and Spanish empuna ('wields'), confirming a genuine skill-oriented sense distinct from violent seizure.
5. sense 5 — A unique occurrence at Habakkuk 2:19 describing an idol 'overlaid' (taphus) with gold and silver. The root meaning of 'lay hold of' extends to encasing or coating — gold 'gripping' the wood. English 'is overlaid' and Spanish esta-cubierto-de ('is covered with') abandon seizure vocabulary for coating terms, confirming a genuine semantic extension. This specialized craft usage appears only here in the Hebrew Bible. 1×
AR["مُغَشّى"]·ben["স্থির"]·DE["[תפוש]"]·EN["is-overlaid"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["תפוש"]·HI["मढ़ा-हुआ-है"]·ID["dilapisi"]·IT["afferrare"]·jav["kasalimut"]·KO["입혀졌으나"]·PT["coberta-de-"]·RU["обложен"]·ES["está-cubierto-de-"]·SW["amefunikwa"]·TR["kaplı"]·urd["جڑا-ہوا-ہے"]
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
1. Qal: seize, capture — The dominant Qal active sense: to seize, capture, or take hold of by force — 43 occurrences spanning military conquest, arrest, and physical grasping. Covers seizing individuals (Gen 39:12; Deut 21:19, parents seizing a rebellious son), capturing cities (2 Kgs 14:13; 18:13, Sennacherib taking Judah's fortified cities), and apprehending prophets (Jer 37:14, Jeremiah arrested). Arabic qabada and Swahili -kamata consistently select forceful-grip vocabulary. Spanish imperatives Agarrad and Capturadlos confirm the aggressive character. 43×
AR["أَمْسَكَ","أَمْسَكَهُ","أَمْسِكوا","أَمْسِكوهُمْ","أَمْسِكُوهُمْ","فَ-قَبَضَ","فَٱسْتَوْلَى","لِـ-يَمْسِكُوهُمْ","لِلإِمْسَاكِ","لِيُمْسَكَ","مَاسِكِي","مُمْسِكِي","وَ-أمْسِكوهُ","وَ-أَقْبِضَ","وَ-أَمْسَكَ","وَأَسَرُوا","وَأَمْسَكُوا"]·ben["এবং-আমি-গ্রহণ-করি","এবং-ধরল","এবং-ধরলেন","এবং-সে-ধরল","ও-তাকে-ধরো","তাদের-ধর","ধর","ধরতে","ধরতে-তাদের","ধরলেন","ধরা","ধরো-তাদের","ধারণকারীরা-"]·DE["[ותפשתי]","er-eroberte","ergreife","ergreife-ihnen","ergreifen","erobere-ihnen","und-er-eroberte","und-ergreifen","und-seize-ihn","und-sie-ergriff","zu-erobere-ihnen"]·EN["and-he-captured","and-he-seized","and-seize-him","and-seized","and-take","and-they-captured","and-they-seized","capture-them","captured","handlers-of","handlers-of-","he-captured","seize","seize-them","to-capture-them","to-grasp"]·FR["[תפש]","capture-eux","et-il-captura","et-ils-saisit","et-saisir","il-captura","saisir","saisis","saisis-eux","à-capture-eux"]·heb["ו-יתפוש","ו-יתפשו","ו-תפש","ו-תפשוהו","ו-תפשתי","ל-תופשם","ל-תפוש","תופשי","תפש","תפשו","תפשום"]·HI["और-उसने-पकड़ा","और-उसे-पकड़ो","और-उस्ने-पकद","और-पकड़ा","और-पकड़ूँ","और-लिया","तिप्सूम","पकड़ने","पकड़ने-के-लिए","पकड़ने-को","पकड़नेवाले","पकड़नेवाले-","पकड़ा","पकड़ो"]·ID["Dan-menangkaplah","Dan-mereka-menangkap","dan-menangkaplah","dan-menyebut","dan-merebut","dan-mereka-menangkap","dan-tangkaplah-dia","menangkap","tangkaplah","tangkaplah-mereka","untuk-dipegang","untuk-memegang","untuk-menangkap-mereka","yang-memegang","yang-memegang-"]·IT["[תפש]","a-cattura-loro","afferra","afferra-loro","afferrare","cattura-loro","e-afferrare","e-afferro'","e-e-prendere","e-egli-catturò","e-essi-afferrò","egli-catturò"]·jav["Lan-nyepeng","cepengana","cepengen-piyambakipun-sedaya","ingkang-nyekel","ingkang-nyepeng","kangge-nyekel","kangge-nyepeng","kanggé-dipun-cekel","lan-nangkep","lan-nawan","lan-nyekel","lan-nyepeng","lan-piyambakipun-nyekel","lan-sami-nyepeng","nangkep","nawan","panjenengan-nyekel-piyambakipun-sami","saha-cepeng-piyambakipun"]·KO["그리고-그가-잡았다","그리고-그들이-사로잡았다","그리고-사로잡았다","그리고-사로잡았다-그들이","그리고-잡았다","그리고-함락했다","그리하면-내가-붙잡으리라","붙잡는-자들이","붙잡아라-그-를","붙잡았다","사로잡았다","사로잡으라","잡기-위해","잡는-자들이-","잡으라","잡으라-그들을","잡으려고","잡으려고-"]·PT["E-capturaram","E-capturou","E-prenderam","agarrai","capturou","e-apanhai-o","e-capturou","e-prendeu","e-tome","para-prendê-los","para-segurar","prendei-os","que-agarram","que-seguram"]·RU["И-схватили","в-ладонь","держать","держащие","и-взял-живым","и-захватил","и-схватил","и-схватили","и-схватите-его","и-ухватился-за","схватил","схватите","схватите-их","схватить-их"]·ES["Agarrad","Capturadlos","Y-apresaron","Y-capturó","capturó","los-que-asen","los-que-toman","para-capturarlos","para-empunar","para-empuñar","tomadlos","y-apresadlo","y-apresaron","y-apresó","y-tome","y-tomó"]·SW["Na-wakamkamata","alimkamata","kushika","kushikwa","kuwakamata","na-akamkamata","na-akamteka","na-akateka","na-mkamateni","na-nikachukue","na-wakamkamata","wakamateni","wanaoshika","washikao"]·TR["-yakalamak-için","Ve-ele-geçirdi","tutanlar","tutanları","tutmak-için","tutukladı","tutun","tutun-onları","ve-ele-geçirdi","ve-tutarsam","ve-tutukladı","ve-yakaladilar","ve-yakaladılar","ve-yakalaıyın-onu","yakaladı","yakalayın-onları"]·urd["اور-قبضہ-کیا","اور-لوں","اور-پکڑا","وَ-پکڑو-اُسے","پکڑا","پکڑنے-والے","پکڑنے-والے-","پکڑنے-کو","پکڑنے۔","پکڑو"]
Gen 39:12, Num 31:27, Deut 9:17, Deut 20:19, Deut 21:19, Deut 22:28, Josh 8:8, Josh 8:23, 1 Sam 15:8, 1 Sam 23:26, 1 Kgs 11:30, 1 Kgs 13:4 (+31 more)
2. Nifal: be seized, be captured — The Nifal passive: to be seized, caught, or captured — 15 occurrences concentrated in Jeremiah's judgment oracles. Cities 'are captured' (Jer 48:41, Kerioth; 50:2, Babylon), kings 'are caught' (Jer 34:3, Zedekiah), and individuals 'seized' in concealed sin (Num 5:13). Spanish fue-atrapado/capturadas use passive constructions matching Hebrew Nifal morphology. The theological pattern is striking: taphas in the Nifal becomes vocabulary of divine judgment. 15×
AR["أَخْذِ","أُخِذَتْ","أُمْسِكَ","أُمْسِكْتِ","انْأَسَرَتْ","تُمْسَكُ","تُمْسَكُونَ","تُمْسَكْ","سَتُقْبَضُ","فَيُقْبَضُ","لِيُمْسَكُوا","وَانْقَبَضَتْ","وَيُمْسَكُ","يُمْسَكُونَ"]·ben["অধিকৃত-হয়েছে","আক্রমণ-হয়েছে","আর-ধরা-পড়বে","আর-ধরা-পড়েছে","আর-সে-ধরা-পড়বে","তারা-ধরা-পড়ুক","তুমি-ধরা-পড়বে","ধরা-পড়তে","ধরা-পড়বে-তোমরা","ধরা-পড়ল","ধরা-পড়ল।","ধরা-পড়েছ","ধরা-পড়েছে","ধরা-পড়েছে।"]·DE["ergreifen","lass-ihnen-sein-caught","und-ergreifen","war-caught"]·EN["and-he-shall-be-caught","and-is-seized","are-seized","being-captured","have-been-seized","he-was-caught","let-them-be-caught","to-be-caught","was-caught","you-shall-be-caught","you-were-seized","you-will-be-captured","you-will-be-seized"]·FR["et-saisir","saisir","était-caught"]·heb["ו-נתפש","ו-תתפש","יתפשו","ל-היתפש","נתפש","נתפשה","נתפשו","נתפשת","תיתפס","תיתפש","תיתפשו"]·HI["और-पकड़ी-गई","और-फँसेगा","और-वह-पकड़ा-जाएगा","तू-पकड़ा-जाएगा","पकड़-लिए-गए","पकड़ा-गया","पकड़ा-जाएगा","पकड़ी-गई","पकड़े-गए","पकड़े-जाओगे-तुम","पकड़े-जाने","फंसें-वे","लेने-के-बाबेल-को"]·ID["dan-ditawan","dan-ia-akan-tertangkap","direbut","ditawannya","engkau-akan-ditangkap","engkau-ditawan","ia-tertangkap","kamu-akan-ditangkap","mereka-tertangkap","telah-ditawan","tertangkap","untuk-ditangkap"]·IT["afferrare","afferro'","e-afferrare","fu-caught"]·jav["dipun-kecekel","dipunrebat","kejiret","lan-dipun-cekel","lan-piyambakipun-badhé-kecepeng","lan-piyambakipun-dipuncekel","panjenengan-badhé-dipun-cekel","panjenengan-dipun-cekel.","panjenengan-dipuncepeng","piyambakipun-dipun-cepeng","sampun-dipun-rebut","supados-dipun-cekel."]·KO["그리고-그가-잡히리라","그리고-붙잡혔다","그리고-잡히리라","네가-잡히리라","네가-잡힌다","붙잡혔다-너가","잡혔다","잡히게-하소서","잡히기-위해","잡히리라","잡히면","점령되었다","점령된","취해졌다"]·PT["e-foi-conquistada","e-será-apanhado","foi-apanhada","foi-apanhado","foram-conquistadas","foram-tomadas","foste-agarrada","para-ser-pegos","ser-tomada","sereis-pegos","serás-capturado","serás-pego","são-apanhados"]·RU["будете-схвачены","будешь-схвачен","был-пойман","была-схвачена","взятия","да-будут-уловлены","захвачена-ты","захвачены","и-будет-пойман","и-захвачена","и-пойман-будет"]·ES["capturadas","fue-atrapada","fue-atrapado","fuiste-tomada","han-sido-tomados","para-ser-atrapados","serás-apresado","seréis-atrapados","son-atrapados","tomada","y-capturada","y-será-apresado","y-será-atrapado"]·SW["Ntpshh","alinaswa","kukamatwa","kushindwa-kwa","mtakamatwa","na-atakamatwa","na-atanaswa","na-kukamatwa","ulishikwa","utakamatwa","vimetekwa","wanaswa","zimechukuliwa"]·TR["ele-geçirildi","ele-geçirilmesi","tutuldun","ve-ele-geçirildi","ve-yakalanacak","yakalanacaksın","yakalanacaksınız","yakalandı","yakalanmak-için","yakalanırlar"]·urd["اور-پکڑا-جائے-گا","اور-پکڑا-گیا","ضرور-پکڑا-جائے-گا","لیے-گئے","وہ-پکڑے-جائیں","پکڑ-لیے-گئے","پکڑا-جائے-گا","پکڑا-گیا","پکڑی-گئی","پکڑے-جاؤ-گے","پکڑے-جانے","پکڑے-جانے-کو"]
3. Qal: handle, wield — Qal participle meaning to handle, wield, or play — 5 occurrences emphasizing skillful use rather than seizure. Genesis 4:21 introduces Jubal as 'father of all who handle the lyre and pipe'; Jeremiah uses it for those who 'handle' the law (Jer 2:8) and warriors who 'wield' the bow (Jer 46:9; 50:16; Amos 2:15). Arabic azif ('player') and Korean 다루는 ('handling') select craft vocabulary, while Spanish el-que-toca ('who plays') confirms the instrument-handling frame. 5×
AR["عَازِفٍ","مُمْسِكَ","وَ-ماسِكُ","وَ-مُمْسِكُو","وَالْمُمْسِكَ"]·ben["আঁকড়ে-ধরা-যে","আর-যে-ধরে","এবং-ধনুক-ধারক","এবং-ধারণকারীরা","বাদকদের"]·DE["Spieler","[ותפש]","ergreifen","und-ergreifen","und-ergriff"]·EN["and-the-one-wielding","and-those-who-handle","and-wielder-of","handler-of","one-seizing"]·FR["et-saisir","handler-de","saisir"]·heb["ו-תוֹפשׂ","ו-תופש","ו-תופשי","תופשי","תפש"]·HI["और-पकड़ने-वाला","और-पकड़ने-वाले-को","और-पकड़नेवाले","पकड़ने-वाली","बजानेवालों-का"]·ID["Dan-pemegang","dan-yang-memegang","yang-memainkan","yang-memegang"]·IT["afferrare","e-afferrare","handler-di"]·jav["ingkang-nyekel","lan-ingkang-nyekel","lan-ingkang-sami-nyepeng","lan-kang-nyepeng"]·KO["그리고-다루는-자들-은","그리고-잡는-자는","그리고-잡는-자를","다루는-자","붙잡고-있는-자여"]·PT["E-que-empunha","e-o-que-segura","e-os-que-manejam","o-que-toca","que-segura"]·RU["И-держащий","держащийся","и-держащего","и-держащие","играющего"]·ES["Y-el-que-empuaña","el-que-sostiene","el-que-toca","y-al-que-empuña","y-los-que-manejan"]·SW["Na-ashikaye","na-mshikaji-wa","na-washikaji-wa","unayeshika","wanaocheza"]·TR["Ve-tutan","tutan","tutanın","ve-tutanlar","ve-tutanı"]·urd["اور-پکڑنے-والا","اور-پکڑنے-والے","اور-پکڑنے-والے-کو","بجانے-والوں-کا","پکڑنے-والے"]
4. sense 4 — A proverbial sense at Proverbs 30:28: the lizard 'can be seized with the hands' yet dwells in kings' palaces. The verb describes potential graspability — a creature that, despite being catchable, achieves access to the highest places. Spanish la-atrapas ('you catch it') renders the modal quality. This occurrence sits between senses 1 and 3, combining physical graspability with wisdom irony. 1×
AR["تَتَمَسَّكُ"]·ben["ধরা-যায়"]·DE["[תתפש]"]·EN["you-can-seize"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["תתפש"]·HI["पकड़ी-जाती"]·ID["ditangkap"]·IT["voi-can-seize"]·jav["nyekel"]·KO["붙잡다"]·PT["agarra"]·RU["хватается"]·ES["la-atrapas"]·SW["hutekwa"]·TR["tutulur"]·urd["پکڑی-جاتی-ہے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† תָּפַשׂ vb. lay hold of, wield (= NH תָּפַשׂ, תָּפַס, Aramaic תְּפַשׂ, תְּפַס);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. ת׳ 2 K 14:13 +, sf. consec. וּתְפָשָׂהּ Dt 22:28, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִתְפּשֹׁ Is 3:6, 1 pl. נִתְפְשֵׂם 2 K 7:12, etc.; Imv. mpl. תִּפְשׂוּ 1 K 18:40, etc.; Inf. abs. תָּפשֹׁ Je 34:3; cstr. תְּפשֹׁ Ez 14:5, לִתְפּשֹׁ 21:16; 30:21, sf. לְתָפְשָׂהּ Dt 20:19, etc.; Pt. תֹּפֵשׂ Gn 4:21 +, cstr. תֹּפְשִׂי…