Lexical Definition

‎צוּף‎ Tsûwph (tsoof) Zuph ^N:N-M-P
or צוֹפַי Tsôwphay (tso-fah'-ee); or צִיף Tsîyph (tseef); from ‎צוּף‎; honey-comb

Zophai, Zuph.

• § Zuph or Zophai = "honeycomb"
• Tsuph or Tsophai or Tsiph, the name of an Israelite and of a place in Palestine

n pr m
1) a Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel
n pr loc
2) a district northwest of Jerusalem where Saul encountered Samuel

Extended Information

• a district northwest of Jerusalem where Saul encountered Samuel

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. ‎צוּף‎ noun masculine Ephraim ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel, ‎׳‎‎בֶּןצֿ‎ 1Sam 1:1 (ἐν Νασειβ, ᵐ5^L υιὁῦ Σωφ), 1Chr 6:20* Qr ᵐ5 ᵑ9 (Kt ‎ציף‎); apparently = ‎צוֺפַי‎ v.1Chr 6:11* (Levite), Σουφ(ει): hence probably ‎אֶרֶץ צוּף‎ 1Sam 9:5 (in Benjamin, τὴν(γὴν)Σ(ε)ιφ(α)).

‎צוּפִי‎ adjective, of a people Suphite; — so read probably for ‎צוֺפִים‎ 1Sam 1:1 (We Klo Dr and most modern, after ᵐ5 Σ(ε)ιφα, A Σωφιμ).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Zuph • A land where Saul searched for his father's donkeys

The land of Zuph was a region in Ephraim where Saul and his servant searched for his father's lost donkeys (1Sa.9:5).

• A location near Gibeon גִּבְעוֹן first mentioned at 1Sa.9.5;
• only referred to as Zuph צוּף.
  

Zuph is mentioned in the Bible as a land or region in the hill country of Ephraim (1Sa.9:5). It was named after Zuph, an Ephraimite, who was an ancestor of Samuel (1Ch.6:35). When Saul and his servant were searching for his father's lost donkeys, they passed through the land of Zuph. As they were about to return home, Saul's servant suggested that they consult the prophet Samuel, who was in a nearby city, for guidance (1Sa.9:6). This led to Saul's anointing as the first king of Israel by Samuel. The exact location and extent of the land of Zuph are not specified, but it was likely in the general vicinity of Samuel's hometown, Ramah, in the hill country of Ephraim.

All entries for Zuph: צוּף