Lexical Summary chaphaph: To cover, to surround, to shield Original Word: חָפַף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cover A primitive root (compare chaphah, yacheph); to cover (in protection) -- cover. see HEBREW chaphah see HEBREW yacheph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to enclose, surround, cover NASB Translation shields (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [חָפַף] verb enclose, surround, cover (Arabic  , surround,  side, or border of a thing) — only Qal Participle חֹפֵף עָלָיו Deuteronomy 33:12 (poem) he (׳י) is covering him over, figurative of ׳י's sheltering Benjamin (in temple; on omission of subject see Ges§ 116. 5. R. 3). Topical Lexicon Root Concept and Imagery The verb חָפַף conveys the picture of gently folding over or enveloping something for its protection. The focus is not a hard shelter but a tender, surrounding presence—much like wings drawn over fledglings, an arm placed around a child, or the soft curve of shoulders that carry a cherished load. The nuance therefore blends shelter, intimacy, and continual nearness. Biblical Context: Deuteronomy 33:12 “About Benjamin he said: ‘Let the beloved of the LORD dwell in security by Him; He shields him all day long, and the beloved rests between His shoulders’” (Deuteronomy 33:12). In Moses’ final blessings, each tribe receives a prophetic word. Benjamin, the youngest, is singled out as “the beloved of the LORD” who is “shielded” (חָפַף) continually. The verb’s imagery suggests God bending over Benjamin, embracing him in a posture of ceaseless watch-care. The location “between His shoulders” intensifies the picture: the tribe is carried close to the heart of God, nestled where burden-bearing and affection converge. Theological Insights 1. Covenant Love: The term appears within a covenant blessing, underscoring that divine protection is not random but rooted in steadfast love. Historical Perspective Benjamin’s territory would later include Jerusalem’s northern slope and the Temple precincts. The blessing’s imagery proved prophetic: for centuries the tribe hosted the locus of divine presence and sanctuary. Jerusalem’s eventual siege and exile do not nullify the promise; rather, the prophetic literature presents them as disciplinary episodes within a larger narrative of preservation, culminating in the remnant’s return. Related Biblical Themes • Divine overshadowing (Psalm 17:8; Psalm 91:4) Messianic Foreshadowing The protective “shoulders” motif recurs in Isaiah 9:6 where “the government will be upon His shoulder,” hinting that the Messiah will both carry authority and bear His people. In Luke 15:5 the Good Shepherd places the lost sheep on His shoulders—an echo of חָפַף—revealing the ultimate fulfillment of intimate, carrying love in Christ. Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral Care: Ministry leaders imitate divine shielding when they create environments of safety where believers may “rest between shoulders.” Devotional Reflection Meditating on Deuteronomy 33:12 invites believers to visualize themselves under God’s gentle fold, carried close to His heart. The single occurrence of חָפַף is enough to paint a lifelong posture: the Almighty softly bending over His beloved, never weary of the weight, never absent from the task. Forms and Transliterations חֹפֵ֤ף חפף choFef ḥō·p̄êp̄ ḥōp̄êp̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 33:12 HEB: לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־ NAS: in security by Him, Who shields him all KJV: in safety by him; [and the LORD] shall cover him all the day INT: security and shields and all 1 Occurrence |
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