Lexical Summary Tsalaph: To tingle, to quiver Original Word: צָלָף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zalaph From an unused root of unknown meaning; Tsalaph, an Israelite -- Zalaph. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition father of one of the builders of the Jer. wall NASB Translation Zalaph (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs צָלָף proper name, masculine (Late Hebrew caper-plant); — father of a wall-builder Nehemiah 3:30, Σελε (φ), etc. Topical Lexicon Name and Identity Tsālaph (Zalaph) stands behind the brief biblical notice that his sixth son, Hanun, helped fortify Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s leadership (Nehemiah 3:30). Though Tsālaph himself is not said to wield the trowel, the text identifies him as the patriarch whose household embraced the rebuilding call. His name therefore marks a family line integrated into the covenant community’s public obedience. Biblical Context Nehemiah 3 catalogs the teams that repaired each span of the ruined wall around Jerusalem in the mid-fifth century B.C. The list is both architectural blueprint and roll of honor, underscoring how every class, trade, and family shared the task. Tsālaph’s household appears near the completion of the circuit, between the Gate of Ephraim and the house of Eliashib the high priest. The placement signals that his family’s work helped link earlier sections, literally closing gaps in the defenses of Zion. Participation in Rebuilding Jerusalem’s Wall “Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section” (Nehemiah 3:30). The phrasing “another section” (Hebrew, cheleq shēnî) suggests that Hanun’s crew, evidently stemming from Tsālaph’s broader household, took responsibility for additional footage after finishing an initial assignment. Such zeal mirrors the “heart to work” (Nehemiah 4:6) that distinguished Nehemiah’s project from previous, frustrated efforts to rebuild. Historical Setting Artaxerxes I granted Nehemiah permission to return from Persia in 445 B.C. Opposition from regional governors threatened the undertaking (Nehemiah 2:19; 4:1–3), yet the people completed the wall in fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15). Families like Tsālaph’s therefore stood not only against physical rubble but also against political intimidation, embodying covenant faith in action. Spiritual Significance 1. Generational Faithfulness: Scripture spotlights Tsālaph as the father of six sons, with the youngest publicly laboring for the city of God. The mention affirms the duty of parents to shape children who will “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). Ministry and Discipleship Insights • Lay Mobilization: Pastors and leaders may draw from Tsālaph’s household to encourage broad participation in church projects, affirming that service is not limited to clergy. Related Themes and Scriptures Nehemiah 2–6: Corporate restoration and conflict. Psalm 48:12–13: Surveying Zion’s walls as testimony to future generations. 1 Corinthians 3:9–15: Each worker’s contribution to God’s building will be tested. Ephesians 4:16: The whole body grows “as each part does its work.” Summary Though only once named, Tsālaph represents fathers whose households advance God’s redemptive agenda through practical service. His family’s section of Jerusalem’s wall bore witness that faith without works is dead, and that every stone set in place—however ordinary—secures the testimony of the city of God before watching nations. Forms and Transliterations צָלָ֛ף צלף ṣā·lāp̄ ṣālāp̄ tzaLafLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 3:30 HEB: וְחָנ֧וּן בֶּן־ צָלָ֛ף הַשִּׁשִּׁ֖י מִדָּ֣ה NAS: son of Zalaph, repaired KJV: son of Zalaph, another INT: and Hanun son of Zalaph the sixth section 1 Occurrence |
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