Lexical Summary tiphlah: Folly, foolishness, tastelessness Original Word: תִּפְלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance folly, foolishly From the same as taphel; frivolity -- folly, foolishly. see HEBREW taphel NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as taphel Definition unsavoriness, unseemliness NASB Translation blame* (1), folly (1), offensive thing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תִּפְלָה noun feminine (moral) unsavouriness, unseemliness; — absolute ׳ת; unseemliness, of men Jeremiah 23:13; Job 24:12; ׳לֵא ׳לאֹ נָתַן ת Job 1:21 did not ascribe unseemliness to God; so read also Job 4:18 (for ᵑ0 תָּהֳלָה) Hup Me Bu. II. תפל (√ of following; akin to טָפַל). Topical Lexicon Overview תִּפְלָה portrays an offense against God that is both moral and intellectual: empty-headed godlessness that proves tasteless, disgraceful, and destructive. Each of its three appearances exposes a different arena where such “folly” surfaces—personal suffering (Job), social injustice (Job), and false religion (Jeremiah)—forming a united witness that any deviation from divine wisdom is spiritually corrosive. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Job 1:22 — “In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.” The narrator singles out תִּפְלָה as the very accusation Job refuses to bring. True reverence never treats God’s governance as foolish or faulty, even under severe trial. Job laments a world where oppressed victims cry for justice but perpetrators—apparently—escape the divine verdict of תִּפְלָה. The verse sharpens the tension between present appearances and ultimate judgment. Here תִּפְלָה labels idolatrous prophecy as spiritual obscenity. The term links doctrinal error with moral pollution, underscoring that false teaching is never neutral; it seduces an entire people. Root and Semantic Range Though rooted in imagery of tastelessness, the word broadens to cover any behavior, speech, or thought devoid of covenant fidelity. The metaphor of insipidity highlights how sin drains life of its savor and renders human claims repugnant before God (compare Matthew 5:13 for a New-Covenant echo). Theological Significance • God alone defines folly and wisdom; תִּפְלָה surfaces whenever humans invert that order. Historical and Cultural Insights Ancient Near Eastern cultures prized salt as both seasoning and preservative; something “tasteless” signified worthlessness and decay. By applying that imagery to moral life, the text communicates across cultures: whatever lacks godly fear rots the individual, community, and nation. Ministry Implications 1. Pastoral Care: Encourage sufferers to imitate Job, refusing to indict God with תִּפְלָה even when answers seem absent. Christological Perspective Jesus Christ embodies ultimate wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24). Where human folly accuses God or misleads His people, the cross exposes and overcomes it, proving that true glory lies in humble obedience rather than self-assertion. Believers united to Christ exchange תִּפְלָה for “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). Key Takeaways for Discipleship • Guard your view of God in suffering. Related Passages for Further Study Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 5:20; Romans 1:21–22; 2 Timothy 4:3–4. Forms and Transliterations תִּפְלָ֖ה תִּפְלָֽה׃ תִפְלָ֑ה תפלה תפלה׃ tifLah tip̄·lāh ṯip̄·lāh tip̄lāh ṯip̄lāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 1:22 HEB: וְלֹא־ נָתַ֥ן תִּפְלָ֖ה לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ פ KJV: not, nor charged God foolishly. INT: nor charged foolishly God Job 24:12 Jeremiah 23:13 3 Occurrences |
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