Lexical Definition

‎סוּף‎ çûwph (soof) Red (Sea) ^N:N--L
probably of Egyptian origin

flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare ‎סוּף‎.

• a reed, especially the papyrus

1) reed, rush, water plant
1a) rushes
1b) sea of rushes
1b1) of Red Sea
1b2) of arms of Red Sea
1b3) of Gulf of Suez
1b4) of sea from straits to Gulf of Akaba

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎סוּף‎ noun masculine^{Jonah 2:6*} reeds, rushes (collective) (probably loan-word from Egyptian ‰wfi, reeds, Steind^{BAS i. 603} Erman^{ZMG xivi (1892), 122}; Semitic according to WMM^{As. u.Eur.101}); —

1. rushes, in Nile Exod 2:3; Exod 2:5 (E); ‎קָנֶה וָסוּף‎ Isa 19:6 (of Egypt).

2. usually in combination ‎יַםסֿוּף‎ probably = sea of rushes or reeds ( > sea of (city) Suph), which Greek included in wider name θάλασσα Ἐρυθρἀ, Red Sea (compare Di^{Exod 13:18 and} especially WMM^{As.u.Eur.42f.}, who explains as name originally given to upper end of Gulf of Suez, extending into Bitter Lakes, shallow and marshy, whence reeds (probably also reddish colour)); **compare also Che^{EB RED SEA}. — name applied only to arms of Red Sea; most often
a. to Gulf of Suez Exod 10:19; Josh 2:10 (both J), Exod 13:18; Exod 15:4; Exod 15:22; Exod 23:31 (all E), Deut 11:4; Josh 4:23 (D), Num 33:10; Num 33:11 (P), elsewhere late Neh 9:9; Ps 106:7; Ps 106:9; Ps 106:22; Ps 136:13; Ps 136:15.
b. sometimes to Gulf of Akaba 1Kgs 9:26, and ‎דֶּרֶךְ יַםסֿוּף‎ Num 21:4 (E), probably also Num 14:25 (E), Deut 1:40; Deut 2:1 perhaps Judg 11:16; Jer 49:21 possibly read ‎מִיַּםסֿוּף‎ for ‎׳‎‎מוֺל ס‎ Deut 1:1 (see infor.).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References