Lexical Summary taavah: utmost bound Original Word: תַּאֲוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance utmost bound From ta'ah; a limit, i.e. Full extent -- utmost bound. see HEBREW ta'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as tav Definition a boundary NASB Translation utmost bound (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [תַּאֲוָה] noun feminine boundary (as described by a mark ?); — construct תַּאֲוַת גִּבְעת עוֺלָם Genesis 49:26 (this meaning AV RV Ew§ 186 b [√ תָּאָה] DeGn √ אוה, תאה, תוה), but < desire = desirable things, so most. Topical Lexicon Overview תַּאֲוָה (Strong’s 8379) designates a deep longing that is met with abundant satisfaction, translated by the Berean Standard Bible in Genesis 49:26 as “the bounty of the everlasting hills.” The single occurrence captures a concept larger than the word count suggests: the overflowing, almost palpable fullness of God’s provision for His covenant people. Context in Genesis 49: Joseph’s Blessing Genesis 49 records Jacob’s prophetic benedictions over his sons. Joseph, who has already received a double portion through his two sons (Genesis 48:5-6), now hears his father speak of blessings that exceed even “the blessings of the ancient mountains” (Genesis 49:26). תַּאֲוָה heightens the description, portraying the hills as if they themselves yearn to pour out their fruitfulness upon Joseph. This is no idle poetic flourish; Jacob is acknowledging that creation is enlisted by God to serve the flourishing of the one whom He favors (compare Deuteronomy 33:13-16). Imagery of the Everlasting Hills 1. Stability and Permanence: Ancient Near-Eastern thought viewed mountains and hills as the most enduring features of the landscape. By assigning תַּאֲוָה to them, Jacob anchors Joseph’s future in something human rebellion cannot overturn (Psalm 90:2). Theology of Longing and Fulfillment While cognate forms of the root sometimes denote disordered craving (Numbers 11:4; Proverbs 21:26), Strong’s 8379 highlights righteous desire fulfilled. Joseph’s account embodies this reversal: Connection to Covenant Promises The Abrahamic covenant promised land overflowing with goodness (Genesis 12:2-3; 17:8). By invoking the “bounty of the everlasting hills,” Jacob ties Joseph’s inheritance to that larger redemptive agenda. The phrase anticipates the land promises reiterated in Exodus 3:17 and ultimately sketches a trajectory toward the eschatological abundance envisioned in Isaiah 55:1-5. Messianic Echoes and New Testament Parallels Joseph foreshadows Christ—beloved of the Father, rejected by brothers, exalted to preserve life (Genesis 50:20). The overflowing blessing conveyed by תַּאֲוָה prefigures the superabundance found in Jesus, “from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Paul echoes the same dynamic of satisfied longing: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Practical Ministry Applications • Cultivating Expectant Faith – Leaders can encourage believers to view God’s resources as inexhaustible, confronting scarcity mind-sets with Genesis 49:26. Summary Strong’s 8379 תַּאֲוָה crystallizes the theme of longing fulfilled in God’s covenantal blessing. Though it appears only once, its placement in Jacob’s prophecy over Joseph magnifies its theological weight: creation itself participates in lavishing God’s goodness upon the faithful. That same overflowing provision, ultimately embodied in Jesus Christ, continues to meet the deepest desires of God’s people today. Forms and Transliterations תַּאֲוַ֖ת תאות ta’ăwaṯ ta·’ă·waṯ taaVatLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 49:26 HEB: הוֹרַ֔י עַֽד־ תַּאֲוַ֖ת גִּבְעֹ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם NAS: of my ancestors Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting KJV: of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting INT: of my ancestors Up to the utmost hills of the everlasting 1 Occurrence |
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