Lexical Summary
terephah: Prey, torn flesh, that which is torn
Original Word:טְרֵפָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:trephah
Pronunciation:te-rey-fah'
Phonetic Spelling:(ter-ay-faw')
KJV: ravin, (that which was) torn (of beasts, in pieces)
NASB:torn, animal torn, torn by beasts, torn flesh, torn to pieces, what has been torn
Word Origin:[feminine (collectively) ofH2964 (טֶּרֶף - prey)]
1. prey, i.e. flocks devoured by animals
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
prey, Flocks devoured by animals
Feminine (collectively) oftereph; prey, i.e. Flocks devoured by animals -- ravin, (that which was) torn (of beasts, in pieces).
see HEBREWtereph
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfem. of
terephDefinitiontorn animal, torn flesh
NASB Translationanimal torn (1), torn (4), torn by beasts (1), torn to pieces (1), torn flesh (1), what has been torn (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(by wild beasts); ; — absolute
Genesis 31:39 8t.
animal torn (by wild beasts), of sheep and goatsGenesis 31:39 (E); ox, ass or sheepExodus 22:12 (J E; strike out WeKlPr onAmos 3:12, as gloss fromGenesis 31:39); indefiniteGenesis 31:31 (J E; forbidden as food); commonly with (i.e. what dies naturally) as forbidden food,Leviticus 7:24 (P),Leviticus 17:15;Leviticus 22:8 (both H),Ezekiel 4:14;Ezekiel 44:31;torn flesh, in metaphor of Nineveh's king as lionNahum 2:13 ("" ).
Topical Lexicon
Definition and Semantic RangeThe term denotes meat or carcasses that have been violently torn or mauled, most often by wild beasts. By extension it can describe prey seized by predators or, figuratively, a ravaged victim of violence. The word is neither neutral nor ceremonially clean; it invariably conveys loss, defilement, and danger, whether in pastoral life, Israel’s legal code, or prophetic imagery.
Occurrences and Immediate Contexts
•Genesis 31:39 records Jacob’s integrity as a shepherd: “I did not bring you the animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself.” The usage highlights financial loss and personal responsibility.
•Exodus 22:13 relieves a hired shepherd of liability when he can present the mauled carcass as proof: “If it was torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn animal.”
•Exodus 22:31 commands Israel’s holiness: “You must not eat the flesh of an animal torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.”
•Leviticus 7:24, 17:15, and 22:8 repeatedly prohibit consumption of such meat, stressing ritual purity and public health.
•Ezekiel 4:14 and 44:31 show that priests and prophets upheld the standard even in exile: “I have never been defiled… nor have I eaten anything found dead or torn” (Ezekiel 4:14).
•Nahum 2:12 pictures Assyria’s ferocity: “He filled his lairs with the kill and his dens with the torn flesh,” turning the literal torn meat into a metaphor for imperial violence.
Legal and Ritual Implications
1. Policing holiness: By banning the eating of mauled carcasses, the Law separated Israel from surrounding nations that practiced indiscriminate consumption.
2. Protecting life: Meat torn by predators could carry disease. The prohibition guarded community health long before modern epidemiology.
3. Promoting justice: Regulations in Exodus distinguish between unavoidable losses and negligence, balancing mercy toward hired hands with accountability for owners.
4. Priestly example: Priests, who mediated between God and the people, modeled strict adherence (Leviticus 22:8;Ezekiel 44:31), underscoring that holiness begins with leadership.
Theological Themes
• Holiness versus corruption: Torn flesh is a vivid emblem of the fallen world’s violence and decay, underscoring the need for separation unto God.
• Stewardship and responsibility: Jacob’s willingness to “bear the loss” anticipates Christ the Good Shepherd who bears our iniquity (Isaiah 53:6).
• Mercy within law: While the carcass itself is unclean,Exodus 22:13 exempts the innocent from paying twice for something already lost, reflecting God’s equitable character.
Prophetic and Poetic Usage
Nahum uses the term to portray Nineveh’s rapacious appetite. The word moves beyond literal carrion to paint moral indictment: what Assyria does to nations is what a beast does to prey. By invoking imagery familiar from Israel’s dietary prohibitions, the prophet brands Nineveh as unclean and doomed.
Typological and Christological Insights
The shepherd who shoulders the cost of torn sheep (Genesis 31:39) foreshadows the Messiah who lays down His life for the flock. The repeated admonition to reject defiled flesh accentuates the sinless perfection of Christ, “a Lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19), whose body would not see decay (Psalm 16:10).
Pastoral and Practical Application
• Spiritual oversight: Like Jacob, church leaders guard the flock and assume sacrificial responsibility rather than blaming the sheep.
• Discernment in consumption: Believers today must reject “torn” spiritual food—teaching corrupted by worldly violence or compromise.
• Compassion for creation: Scripture’s concern over mauled animals reminds modern stewards to value life and prevent unnecessary cruelty.
Summary
Strong’s 2966 depicts more than a carcass; it confronts readers with the realities of loss, uncleanness, and predatory violence. From patriarchal shepherd fields to prophetic denunciations, the term presses God’s people toward holiness, justice, and shepherd-like care—ultimately directing hearts to the flawless Shepherd who redeems what sin has torn.
Forms and Transliterations
הַטְּרֵפָ֖ה הטרפה וּטְרֵפָ֔ה וּטְרֵפָ֛ה וּטְרֵפָ֤ה וטרפה טְרֵפָ֔ה טְרֵפָֽה׃ טְרֵפָה֙ טרפה טרפה׃ haṭ·ṭə·rê·p̄āh hattereFah haṭṭərêp̄āh ṭə·rê·p̄āh tereFah ṭərêp̄āh ū·ṭə·rê·p̄āh utereFah ūṭərêp̄āh
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