Lexical Summary tsaiph: Veil, shawl, wrap Original Word: צָעִיף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance vail From an unused root meaning to wrap over; a veil -- vail. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a wrapper, shawl, or veil NASB Translation veil (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs צָעִיף noun [masculine] wrapper, shawl, or veil; — absolute ׳צ Genesis 24:65; Genesis 38:14; suffix צְעִיפָהּ Genesis 38:19 (all J). צַעֲצֻעִים see צוע. Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture Genesis 24:65 records Rebekah’s first sight of Isaac: “So she took her veil and covered herself.” The gesture marks the transition from betrothed traveler to bride about to meet her husband. Genesis 38:14 notes that Tamar “covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim,” while verse 19 records her removal of the veil once her purpose was achieved. Each text uses the same noun, pointing to a distinctive article of women’s attire that both concealed and communicated. Cultural and Historical Context In the patriarchal period a veil was more than an accessory; it was a social signal understood within a framework of honor and shame. For an unmarried woman traveling in public, an uncovered head was normal, but a bride approaching her groom adopted the veil as a mark of modesty and respect. Conversely, Genesis 38 shows that the same garment could obscure identity, allowing Tamar to confront injustice without immediately revealing herself. Extrabiblical Near-Eastern texts attest that veiling could denote both chastity and, in some settings, cultic prostitution, which explains Judah’s assumption that the veiled woman by the roadside was a prostitute (Genesis 38:15). Functions and Nuances 1. Modesty: Rebekah’s act testifies to personal modesty before consummating marriage. Theological Significance Scripture uses ordinary objects to advance redemptive themes. Rebekah’s veil accents the sacredness of marriage; her modest concealment gives way to the covenantal unveiling in Isaac’s tent (Genesis 24:67). Tamar’s veil, though employed in risky strategy, ultimately protects the messianic line; Perez, born from that union, appears in the genealogy of David and of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3). God’s providence turns a concealed face into an unveiled promise, reinforcing the reliability of divine purposes despite human complexity. Ministry Implications • Marriage Preparation: Rebekah’s example encourages teaching that honors modesty and anticipatory reverence before marriage. Inter-Canonical Reflections 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 contrasts Moses’ veil with the unveiled face of believers who behold the glory of the Lord. The physical veil of Genesis prefigures spiritual realities fulfilled in Christ, where true intimacy with God removes barriers of guilt and fear. As Rebekah’s veil came down in Isaac’s tent, so the church will one day see her Bridegroom “face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12), fully unveiled in perfect fellowship. Summary צָעִיף appears sparingly yet meaningfully, portraying modesty, mystery, and movement toward covenant fulfillment. Whether signaling a bride’s purity or facilitating the preservation of a lineage, the veil serves the unfolding narrative of redemption, inviting believers to walk in holiness, justice, and hope until every veil is lifted in the presence of the Lord. Forms and Transliterations בַּצָּעִיף֙ בצעיף הַצָּעִ֖יף הצעיף צְעִיפָ֖הּ צעיפה baṣ·ṣā·‘îp̄ baṣṣā‘îp̄ batztzaIf haṣ·ṣā·‘îp̄ haṣṣā‘îp̄ hatztzaIf ṣə‘îp̄āh ṣə·‘î·p̄āh tzeiFahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 24:65 HEB: אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף וַתִּתְכָּֽס׃ NAS: Then she took her veil and covered KJV: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself. INT: is my master took her veil and covered Genesis 38:14 Genesis 38:19 3 Occurrences |
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