H8655 H8655
Teraphim — household idol figurines used for divination and domestic cult veneration
The תְּרָפִים (teraphim) are household idol figurines whose exact nature remains debated. Rachel famously stole her father Laban's teraphim (Gen 31:19, 34-35), where they are called 'gods' (elohim). Michal used one to simulate David's sleeping form, suggesting a life-sized figure (1 Sam 19:13, 16). They appear alongside ephods in private shrines (Judg 17:5; 18:14-20) and are listed among condemned divinatory objects (1 Sam 15:23; 2 Kgs 23:24; Zech 10:2). Hosea 3:4 pairs them with legitimate cultic items as things Israel will lose. The etymology remains uncertain, though some connect it to רפא (healing spirits).
Senses
1. teraphim (household idols) — Household idol figurines associated with divination and domestic religious practice. Vary in size from small enough to hide in a camel saddle (Gen 31:34) to roughly human-shaped (1 Sam 19:13, 16). Maintained in private shrines alongside ephods (Judg 17:5; 18:14-20), consulted for oracles (Ezek 21:26; Zech 10:2), and repeatedly condemned by reformers (1 Sam 15:23; 2 Kgs 23:24). Most translations transliterate rather than translate: Spanish 'terafines/terafim,' English 'teraphim,' reflecting the term's irreducible cultural specificity. 15×
AR["التَّرَافِيمَ", "الـ-تَّرَافِيم", "الـ-تَّرَافِيمُ", "الْ-ترافيمَ", "وَ-تَرَافِيمَ", "وَ-تَرَافِيمُ", "وَتَرافيمَ"]·ben["-গৃহদেবতা", "এবং-গৃহদেবতা", "এবং-তরাফীম", "গৃহদেবতাদের", "গৃহমূর্তি", "তরাফীম", "তরাফীমে", "তেরাফীম"]·DE["[בתרפים]", "[התרפים]", "[ותרפים]", "der-teraphim", "die-Teraphim", "und-teraphim"]·EN["and-teraphim", "the-teraphim"]·FR["[בתרפים]", "[התרפים]", "et-les-théraphim", "et-teraphim", "le-teraphim"]·heb["ב-תרפים", "ה-תרפים", "ו-תרפים"]·HI["और-ग्रहदेवतओन-कि", "और-तरापीम", "और-तराफीम", "गृहदेवताओं", "तरापीम-ने", "तराफीम", "में-टेरापीम", "मोओरति", "ह-तराफ़ीम-को"]·ID["dan-terafim", "kepada-terafim", "terafim"]·IT["[בתרפים]", "[התרפים]", "[ותרפים]", "e-terafim", "e-teraphim", "il-terafim", "il-teraphim"]·jav["-reca", "lan-terafim", "sarana-terafim,", "terafim", "térafim"]·KO["그-드라버를", "그-드라빔들이", "그-드라빔을", "그-드라빔이", "그리고-드라빔", "그리고-드라빔은", "드라벌들을", "드라빔과", "드라빔을"]·PT["e-terafim", "e-terafins", "os-terafim", "os-terafins"]·RU["-терафимов", "-терафимы", "и-терафим", "и-терафимов", "и-терафимы", "терафим", "терафимов"]·ES["los-terafim", "los-terafines", "los-ídolos", "ni-terafines", "y-terafim", "y-terafines"]·SW["na-sanamu", "na-terafimu", "sanamu", "sanamu-za-nyumbani", "terafimu"]·TR["-putları", "aile-putları-", "ev-tanrılarına", "terafim", "terafimi", "terafimleri", "ve-putları", "ve-terafim", "ve-terafimler"]·urd["اور-بتوں-کی-طرح-ہے", "اور-ترافیم", "بت", "بتوں", "ترافیم", "ترافیم-سے", "ترافیموں"]
Gen 31:19, Gen 31:34, Gen 31:35, Judg 17:5, Judg 18:14, Judg 18:17, Judg 18:18, Judg 18:20, 1 Sam 15:23, 1 Sam 19:13, 1 Sam 19:16, 2 Kgs 23:24 (+3 more)
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† תְּרָפִים n.m. Zc 10:2 pl. (= pl. majest. NöZMG xlii (1888), 476) a kind of idol, obj. of reverence, and means of divination (√ and etymol.-meaning dub., cf.GFMHast. DB Teraphim SayZA ii. 195 (citing Neubauer, and Assyrian tarpû, spectre), al. √ רפא, cf.רְפָאִים);—always ת׳:—portable and sometimes small Gn 31:19, 34, 35 (called אֱלֹהִים v 30, all E), but in size and shape like a man 1 S 19:13,…