Lexical Summary laphath: To twist, to wrap, to fold Original Word: לָפַת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance take hold, turn aside self A primitive root; properly, to bend, i.e. (by implication) to clasp; also (reflexively) to turn around or aside -- take hold, turn aside (self). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to twist, turn, grasp with a twisting motion NASB Translation bent forward (1), grasped (1), wind along (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לָפַת] verb twist, turn, grasp with a twisting motion (Arabic  twist, wring; Assyrian lapâtu, overthrow, DlHWB 382); — Qal Imperfect וַיִּלְמֹּת Judges 16:29 followed by accusative, Samson grasped the two middle columns. Niph`al Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִּלָּפֵת Ruth 3:8 the man started up and twisted himself; 3 masculine plural יִלָּֽפְתוּ Job 6:18 the paths of their way [i.e. of the streams] turn aside (twist, wind, with lessening force), so AV Hi De Da Bu > Ew Ol Di Siegf Du, who read Qal יִלְמְּתוּ or Pi`el יְלַמְּתוּ, making ארחות, = caravans, subject לֵץ, לָצוֺן see below ליץ. Topical Lexicon Overview of Biblical Usage Strong’s Hebrew 3943 appears only three times, yet each context highlights a decisive movement—physical or figurative—that alters an outcome. Whether seizing pillars, pivoting on a threshing floor, or wandering off course, the verb underscores a critical moment of grasping or turning that changes destiny. Judges 16:29 – Deliverance through Final Grasp “Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the house was supported, and he braced himself against them, one with his right hand and the other with his left.” (Judges 16:29) Here the word marks the climactic act of Israel’s judge. Though blinded and bound, Samson’s last exertion of faith and strength brings down the Philistine temple. The term accentuates firm resolve: he does not merely touch the pillars; he lays hold with purpose, embodying the truth that God can work mightily even through apparent weakness (compare 2 Corinthians 12:9). Ruth 3:8 – A Redemptive Turning “At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!” (Ruth 3:8) The threshing-floor scene pivots on this sudden turning. Boaz’s movement ushers in the dialogue that leads to Ruth’s redemption and, ultimately, to the lineage of David and Messiah. The verb’s nuance of rotation echoes repentance’s turn from old status to new covenant privilege, anticipating the kinsman-redeemer motif fulfilled in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18–19). Job 6:18 – The Peril of Turning Aside “The caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish.” (Job 6:18) Job laments friends whose promises prove unreliable. The word pictures a wandering that ends in desolation, contrasting sharply with God’s steadfast path (Psalm 119:105). It warns that deviation from truth brings spiritual barrenness, a lesson reinforced by Proverbs 14:12. Literary and Theological Motifs 1. Decisive Action: Each occurrence involves a moment requiring commitment—grasping, turning, or straying. Scripture commends decisive faith (Joshua 24:15) while cautioning against wavering (James 1:6). Intertextual Connections • Hebrews 11:32–34 recalls Samson among those “whose weakness was turned to strength,” mirroring the grasp in Judges 16:29. Implications for Faith and Practice • Grasp God’s Promises: As Samson seized pillars in faith, believers must lay hold of God’s word amid opposition (Hebrews 10:23). Summary Though scarce in appearance, Strong’s 3943 illuminates decisive moments where human action meets divine purpose. It challenges readers to grip the pillars of faith, to turn toward redemptive opportunity, and to avoid paths that lead to ruin, trusting the God who directs every true turning. Forms and Transliterations וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת וַיִּלָּפֵ֑ת וילפת יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ ילפתו vaiyillaFet vaiyilPot way·yil·lā·p̄êṯ way·yil·pōṯ wayyillāp̄êṯ wayyilpōṯ yil·lā·p̄ə·ṯū yilLafetu yillāp̄əṯūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 16:29 HEB: וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן אֶת־ NAS: Samson grasped the two middle KJV: And Samson took hold of the two middle INT: grasped Samson the two Ruth 3:8 Job 6:18 3 Occurrences |
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