Lexical Summary Moph: Memphis Original Word: מֹף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Memphis Of Egyptian origin: Moph, the capital of Lower Egypt -- Memphis. Compare Noph. see HEBREW Noph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition ancient capital of Eg. NASB Translation Memphis (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מֹף proper name, of a location Memphis (Egyptian Mr-nfr, i.e. M§nn¥f§r, * M§nn¥f§, SteindBAS i. 594 f.; Assyrian Mêmpi, Mimpi SchrCOT Isaiah 19:13 DlPar. 314; compare ErmanÄgypten 48, 243 EbCicerone i. 114 f.; ᵐ5 (and Gk) Μεμφις, on coins Μενφι(ς) Steindl.c.); — ׳מ Hosea 9:6 = נֹף Isaiah 19:13; Jeremiah 2:16; Jeremiah 44:1; Jeremiah 46:14,19; Ezekiel 30:13, and יוֺמָם וְנֹף צָרֵי Ezekiel 30:16 (without clear meaning, probably text error Siegf in Kau; ᵐ5 (apparently) וְנָפֹצוּ מֵימֵיהֶם and their waters shall be disperesed (compare Nahum 3:8); Co חומותיה ונפרצו and its walls shall be torn down); נֹף also Nahum 3:15 (for ᵑ0 נא) ᵐ5 Co. מִפְגָּע see פגע. מַמָּח, מַמֻּחַ see נפח. מְפִ(י)בשֶׁת see ׳מְרִיב below ריב. Topical Lexicon Name and Location מֹף (Moph) designates the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, situated on the west bank of the Nile near modern-day Cairo. As the political and religious center of Lower Egypt for much of pharaonic history, Memphis symbolized the pinnacle of Egyptian power, culture, and idolatry. Biblical Context The name appears once, in Hosea 9:6, within an oracle of judgment on the Northern Kingdom: “For behold, they have gone away from destruction; Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Their treasures of silver will be overgrown with thorns, and briers will overrun their tents.” (Hosea 9:6) Hosea portrays Memphis as the place where the exiles will finally “be buried,” emphasizing the totality of divine judgment that awaits a people who abandoned covenant fidelity. The verse forms a climactic warning: return to the LORD or face death in a foreign land famed for its necropolises. Prophetic Significance 1. Image of False Refuge – Israel’s instinct was to seek security in Egypt (Isaiah 30:1-2), yet the prophecy declares that the very city they trusted will become their grave. Historical Background Memphis flourished as the royal residence during the Old Kingdom and remained a chief cult-center of Ptah throughout Egypt’s dynasties. Its vast cemetery fields—Saqqara, Dahshur, and Giza—made it synonymous with burial. To an eighth-century B.C. Israelite, the mention of Memphis immediately evoked thoughts of death, pyramids, embalming, and the pomp of pagan funerary rites. Archaeological Insights Excavations confirm Hosea’s imagery: colossal temple ruins, priestly residences, and expansive necropolises dominate the Memphite landscape. Massive tomb complexes visually reinforce the prophet’s declaration that Memphis would be a place of burial, not rescue. Theological Themes • Judgment Follows Idolatry – Hosea exposes the folly of idolatrous alliances; relying on a pagan superpower invites divine discipline. Ministry Applications 1. Warning Against Misplaced Trust – Modern believers must resist the temptation to substitute political, economic, or cultural powers for dependence on God. Related References • Isaiah 19:13; Jeremiah 2:16; 44:1; 46:14, 19; Ezekiel 30:13, 16 (Noph) Forms and Transliterations מֹ֣ף מף mof mōp̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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