What does תּוּר mean in the Bible?
תּוּר is a Hebrew word meaning "to meander (causatively, guide ) about , especially for trade or reconnoitring".
Hebrew · H8446
תּוּר
To meander (causatively, guide ) about , especially for trade or reconnoitring
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תּוּרH8446
What does תּוּר mean in the Bible?
תּוּר is a Hebrew word meaning "to meander (causatively, guide ) about , especially for trade or reconnoitring".
Full entry for תּוּר (H8446) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8446?
The BSB source-word alignment has 24 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include to spy out (5), . . . (3), among those who had spied out (1), and explore (1), and explored (1).
Where does תּוּר appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 10:33. Its strongest book concentrations include Numbers (14), Ecclesiastes (3), 1 Kings (1), 2 Chronicles (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itto spy out5×Numbers 13:2, Numbers 13:16, Numbers 13:17, Numbers 14:36
. . .3×Numbers 13:32, 1 Kings 10:15, 2 Chronicles 9:14
among those who had spied out1×Numbers 14:6
and explore1×Ecclesiastes 1:13
and explored1×Numbers 14:7
and spied out1×Numbers 13:21
by following1×Numbers 15:39
from spying out1×Numbers 13:25
He roams1×Job 39:8
I had searched out1×Ezekiel 20:6
I sought1×Ecclesiastes 2:3
is cautious1×Proverbs 12:26
sent spies1×Judges 1:23
they had spied out1×Numbers 13:32
to explore1×Ecclesiastes 7:25
to seek1×Numbers 10:33
to seek out1×Deuteronomy 1:33
you spied1×Numbers 14:34
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 10:33לָת֥וּרtoto seekPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructNumbers 13:2וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙toto spy outConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralNumbers 13:16לָת֣וּרtoto spy outPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructNumbers 13:17לָת֖וּרtoto spy outPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructNumbers 13:21וַיָּתֻ֣רוּtoand spied outConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralNumbers 13:25מִתּ֣וּרtofrom spying outPreposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructNumbers 13:32תָּר֣וּtothey had spied outVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralNumbers 13:32לָת֣וּרto. . .Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructNumbers 14:6הַתָּרִ֖יםtoamong those who had spied outArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralNumbers 14:7לָת֣וּרtoand exploredPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowNumbers 10:33
Aligned rows24
Books represented9
Numbers14Deuteronomy1Judges11 Kings12 Chronicles1Job1Proverbs1Ecclesiastes3Ezekiel1
Source forms
לָת֣וּר4xlā·ṯūrNumbers 13:16, Numbers 13:32, Numbers 14:7, Numbers 14:36
לָת֥וּר3xlā·ṯūrNumbers 10:33, Numbers 14:38, Deuteronomy 1:33
תַּ֣רְתִּי2xtar·tîEcclesiastes 2:3, Ezekiel 20:6
הַתָּרִ֖ים1xhat·tā·rîmNumbers 14:6
הַתָּרִ֔ים1xhat·tā·rîm1 Kings 10:15
הַתָּרִ֛ים1xhat·tā·rîm2 Chronicles 9:14
וַיָּתִ֥ירוּ1xway·yā·ṯî·rūJudges 1:23
וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙1xwə·yā·ṯu·rūNumbers 13:2
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct8xNumbers 10:33, Numbers 13:16, Numbers 13:17, Numbers 13:32
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural3xNumbers 14:6, 1 Kings 10:15, 2 Chronicles 9:14
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct2xEcclesiastes 1:13, Ecclesiastes 7:25
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular2xEcclesiastes 2:3, Ezekiel 20:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xJudges 1:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xNumbers 13:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xNumbers 13:21
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct1xNumbers 13:25
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. to meander (causatively, guide ) about , especially for trade or reconnoitring
Source Gloss
to meander (causatively, guide ) about , especially for trade or reconnoitring
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
to meander (causatively, guide) about, especially for trade or reconnoitring BDB: seek out Usage: chap(-man), sent to descry, be excellent, merchant(-man), search (out), seek, (e-) spy (out).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms6
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense5×
PerfectEccl 2:3 · Ezek 20:6 · Num 13:32 · Num 14:344×
ImperfectNum 15:391×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action1×
ImperfectProv 12:261×
Word Origins
תּוּר is a primitive root - no further derivation.