Lexical Summary
tsaraph: To refine, to test, to purify, to smelt
Original Word:צָרַף
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:tsaraph
Pronunciation:tsaw-raf'
Phonetic Spelling:(tsaw-raf')
KJV: cast, (re-)fine(-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try
NASB:goldsmith, refined, tested, refine, goldsmiths, silversmith, smelter
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cast, refiner, founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try
A primitive root; to fuse (metal), i.e. Refine (literally or figuratively) -- cast, (re-)fine(-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto smelt, refine, test
NASB Translationgoldsmith (5), goldsmiths (2), pure (1), refine (3), refined (5), refiner's (1), refining goes (1), silversmith (2), smelt (1), smelter (2), smith (1), test (2), tested (4), tried (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id.; Phoenician
smelter; Assyrian
ƒurrupu,
refined,
ƒarpu,
silver,
naƒraptu,
crucible; Arabic
is
pure, unmixed (especially of wine); compare
pure silver, etc., Schulth
GGA, 1902, 673; also Zim
GGA, 1899, 250; KAT 3, 650 (Hebrew, etc., borrowed from Assyrian); very doubtful is Sabean
silver, money, compare Mordtm
Him. Inschr. pp. 14, 29 CIS
iv, No. 291, 1.1); —
Perfect3masculine singularJeremiah 6:29, suffixPsalm 105:19; 2masculine singular suffixPsalm 17:3, etc.;Imperfect1singularIsaiah 1:25, suffixJudges 7:4;Imperative masculine singularPsalm 26:2 Kt, Qr;Infinitive absoluteJeremiah 6:29;constructDaniel 11:35, etc.;Participle active suffixJeremiah 9:6, etc.;pass.Psalm 12:7, etc.; —
smelt, refine:Jeremiah 6:29 (twice in verse)in vain hath he smelted continually (infinitive absolute; figurative of purifying people); sosmelt awayIsaiah 1:25 (accusative of dross; figurative); of silverZechariah 13:9;Psalm 66:10,Psalm 12:7 (all simile); ofPsalm 18:31 =2 Samuel 22:31;Psalm 119:140;Proverbs 30:5 ();refine (men, by trials)Daniel 11:35 (+ , ).
testJudges 7:4I will test them (the warriors)for thee ( subject); — perhaps alsoJudges 7:3 (see I. ); more Generally, of 'stesting, trying (the hearts of) men (often "" )Jeremiah 9:6;Isaiah 48:10;Zechariah 13:9;Psalm 26:2;Psalm 66:10.
test (and prove true) a man (subject s saying)Psalm 105:19.
Participle active as
smelter, refiner, hence =goldsmithJudges 17:4;Jeremiah 10:9,14;Jeremiah 51:17;Isaiah 40:19 (twice in verse) (but perhaps strike out vb, compare Du Che Marti),Isaiah 41:7;Isaiah 46:6;Proverbs 25:4; as a guildNehemiah 3:8,32.
Imperfect3masculine pluralDaniel 12:10 manyshall be refined (by suffering; + , ).
Participle as
a refiner,Malachi 3:2 (simile of ), compare aloneMalachi 3:3 (+ ).
Topical Lexicon
Hebrew concept and semantic rangeצָרַף encompasses the deliberate processes of smelting ore, purifying precious metals, assaying their quality, and by extension examining the genuineness of persons, words, or communities. The verb is always purposeful: the heat is controlled, the objective is purity, and the outcome is either valuable metal or exposed dross.
Metallurgical background in ancient Israel
From early Iron-Age furnaces discovered at Timna and Faynan to later Second-Temple forges, metalworkers worked bellows-driven hearths reaching 1,200 °C. Ore was crushed, mixed with flux, and subjected to repeated heating until the slag separated from refined gold or silver. A refiner’s reputation rested on the clarity of his product; a single impurity marred both beauty and value. Scripture borrows this concrete craft to reveal the Lord’s work with His covenant people.
Scriptural occurrences overview
Approximately thirty-three verses employ צָרַף. Historical narrative is sparse (notably2 Samuel 22:31), while the majority cluster in Psalms, Proverbs, Prophets, and apocalyptic passages:
• Poetic praise of Yahweh’s word:Psalm 12:6;Psalm 18:30;Proverbs 30:5.
• National testing:Isaiah 1:25;Isaiah 48:10;Jeremiah 6:27-30;Zechariah 13:9.
• Personal sanctification:Psalm 66:10;Job 23:10;Proverbs 17:3.
• Eschatological refinement:Daniel 11:35;Daniel 12:10;Malachi 3:2-3.
Theological motif of refinement
1. Divine Word: “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over” (Psalm 12:6). Purity here guarantees inerrancy and reliability.
2. Divine Way: “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless” (2 Samuel 22:31). His actions prove consistent with His utterances.
3. Divine Work in saints: “For You, O God, have tested us; You refined us like silver” (Psalm 66:10). Saints emerge strengthened, never consumed.
4. Divine Judgment: Israel’s dross is removed (Isaiah 1:25) when covenant infidelity persists. Refinement can therefore bless the remnant yet condemn the unrepentant.
Prophetic applications
Jeremiah receives the vocation of “assayer and tester” (Jeremiah 6:27), standing at the crucible to announce that Judah’s ore contains only dross.Zechariah 13:9 portrays post-exilic refinement culminating in a remnant who will say, “The LORD is our God.”Malachi 3:2-3 projects a coming Messenger who “will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,” aligning messianic expectation with moral purification.
Wisdom literature usage
“A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts” (Proverbs 17:3). The proverb positions human motives under divine scrutiny.Proverbs 25:4 links removal of dross to vocational utility: once impurities are drawn out, the smith fashions a vessel; likewise, discipleship yields serviceability.
Cultic and liturgical significance
Psalmists affirm the tested quality of divine speech to reinforce trust in worship. Liturgically, psalms employing צָרַף reassure congregations that promises sung in the temple carry the same purity as refined silver—unaltered and durable.
Ministry implications for believers
• Expect purposeful trials: “He knows the way I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). Pastoral counsel can frame suffering as sanctifying rather than punitive.
• Preach and teach the flawless Word. Since Scripture is already refined, ministers must deliver it without alloy—resisting cultural dilution.
• Facilitate corporate holiness. Leaders, like Jeremiah, are called to expose dross within the community, guiding confession and repentance.
• Encourage eschatological hope.Daniel 11:35 assures that end-time adversity refines the wise; ultimate vindication awaits the purified.
Christological and eschatological dimensions
The refiner metaphor reaches its apex in Jesus Christ, whose first advent inaugurates purifying judgment (Malachi 3:2-3 fulfilled inJohn 2:14-17;Hebrews 9:14) and whose return completes it (Revelation 3:18, echoingIsaiah 48:10). Tribulation is neither arbitrary nor destructive but preparatory for the marriage supper of the Lamb, where the bride appears “like gold refined by fire.”
Practical exhortation
Submit to the Refiner’s fire, cling to the flawless Word, and anticipate the day when every impurity is removed and believers “shine like the brightness of the expanse of heaven” (Daniel 12:3), perfected for unbroken fellowship with their Lord.
Forms and Transliterations
הַצֹּרְפִ֖ים הצרפים וְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּ וְאֶצְרֹ֥ף וְיִצָּֽרְפוּ֙ וְצֹרֵ֖ף וּצְרַפְתִּים֙ ואצרף ואצרפנו ויצרפו וצרף וצרפתים כִּצְרָף־ כִּצְרֹ֣ף כצרף כצרף־ לִצְר֥וֹף לַצֹּרֵ֣ף לַצּוֹרֵ֗ף לצורף לצרוף לצרף מְצָרֵ֔ף מְצָרֵ֤ף מצרף צְ֝רַפְתָּ֗נוּ צְרַפְתִּ֖יךָ צְרַפְתַּ֥נִי צְרָפָֽתְהוּ׃ צְרוּפָ֑ה צְרוּפָ֔ה צְרוּפָ֖ה צָ֭רוּף צָר֔וֹף צָרְפָ֖ה צָרַ֣ף צֹרֵ֔ף צֹרֵ֖ף צֽוֹרְפִ֔ים צוֹרְפָ֖ם צוֹרֵ֑ף צוֹרֵ֖ף צוֹרֵֽף׃ צוֹרֵף֙ צורף צורף׃ צורפים צורפם צרוף צרופה צרף צרפה צרפתהו׃ צרפתיך צרפתנו צרפתני haṣ·ṣō·rə·p̄îm haṣṣōrəp̄îm hatztzoreFim kiṣ·rāp̄- kiṣ·rōp̄ kiṣrāp̄- kiṣrōp̄ kitzrof laṣ·ṣō·rêp̄ laṣ·ṣō·w·rêp̄ laṣṣōrêp̄ laṣṣōwrêp̄ latztzoRef liṣ·rō·wp̄ liṣrōwp̄ litzRof mə·ṣā·rêp̄ məṣārêp̄ metzaRef ṣā·rap̄ ṣā·rə·p̄āh ṣā·rō·wp̄ ṣā·rūp̄ ṣārap̄ ṣārəp̄āh ṣārōwp̄ ṣārūp̄ ṣə·rā·p̄ā·ṯə·hū ṣə·rap̄·ta·nî ṣə·rap̄·tā·nū ṣə·rap̄·tî·ḵā ṣə·rū·p̄āh ṣərāp̄āṯəhū ṣərap̄tanî ṣərap̄tānū ṣərap̄tîḵā ṣərūp̄āh ṣō·rêp̄ ṣō·w·rêp̄ ṣō·wr·p̄ām ṣō·wr·p̄îm ṣōrêp̄ ṣōwrêp̄ ṣōwrp̄ām ṣōwrp̄îm tzaRaf tzareFah tzaRof Tzaruf tzeraFatehu tzerafTani tzerafTanu tzerafTicha tzeruFah tzoRef tzorFam tzorFim ū·ṣə·rap̄·tîm ūṣərap̄tîm utzerafTim veetzreFennu veetzRof vetzoRef veyitztzareFu wə’eṣrəp̄ennū wə’eṣrōp̄ wə·’eṣ·rə·p̄en·nū wə·’eṣ·rōp̄ wə·ṣō·rêp̄ wə·yiṣ·ṣā·rə·p̄ū wəṣōrêp̄ wəyiṣṣārəp̄ū
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
