Hebrew · H8597

תִּפְאָרָה

Ornament (abstractly or concretely, literally or figuratively)

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תִּפְאָרָהH8597
Pronunciationtipĕʾārāh

What does תִּפְאָרָה (tipĕʾārāh) mean in the Bible?

The Hebrew noun tip'arah names beauty, splendor, glory, honor, distinction, or an ornament, with meaning shaped by the person, object, institution, or action it describes. Exodus uses it for priestly garments made for dignity and beauty.

Reader summary

Full entry for תִּפְאָרָה (H8597) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does תִּפְאָרָה (tipĕʾārāh) mean in the Bible?

The Hebrew noun tip'arah names beauty, splendor, glory, honor, distinction, or an ornament, with meaning shaped by the person, object, institution, or action it describes. Exodus uses it for priestly garments made for dignity and beauty.

How does the BSB render H8597?

The BSB source-word alignment has 51 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The glory (4), and glory (3), and beautiful (2), and glorious (2), and splendor (2).

Where does תִּפְאָרָה (tipĕʾārāh) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 28:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (18), Ezekiel (6), Proverbs (6), Jeremiah (5).

What This Word Actually Means

The Hebrew noun tip'arah names beauty, splendor, glory, honor, distinction, or an ornament, with meaning shaped by the person, object, institution, or action it describes. Exodus uses it for priestly garments made for dignity and beauty. Chronicles and Psalms locate majesty and splendor in the Lord, while Proverbs can call gray hair a crown of splendor when found in the way of righteousness and can name grandchildren or parents as family honor.

Prophets also expose splendor that becomes pride, is stripped through judgment, or is bestowed by God for His people's restoration. Ezekiel's marriage imagery uses ornaments within an extended accusation that must be taught without sexualizing violence or blaming abuse victims. Tip'arah therefore does not teach that physical attractiveness, wealth, youth, clothing, office, nation, or public applause proves divine favor.

It can honor fitting beauty, vocation, age, communal belonging, and God's majesty, but it can also reveal fragile status and arrogant display. Responsible teaching asks whose splendor is named, how it was received or used, and what the passage praises or judges.

Sources