Lexical Summary
teraphim: Household gods, idols, images
Original Word:תְּרָפִים
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:traphiym
Pronunciation:te-rah-feem
Phonetic Spelling:(ter-aw-feme')
KJV: idols(-atry), images, teraphim
NASB:household idols, household idol, teraphim, idolatry
Word Origin:[plural fromH7495 (רָפָא רָפָה - heal)]
1. a healer
2. Teraphim (singular or plural) a family idol
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
idolatry, images, teraphim
Plural fromrapha'; a healer; Teraphim (singular or plural) a family idol -- idols(-atry), images, teraphim.
see HEBREWrapha'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definition(a kind of idol) perhaps household idol
NASB Translationhousehold idol (2), household idols (10), idolatry (1), teraphim (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Zechariah 10:2 (= plural of majesty NöZMG xlii (1888), 476) (√ and etymology-meaning dubious, compare GFMHast. DB TERAPHIM SayZA ii. 195 (citing Neubauer, and Assyriantarpû,spectre), al. √ , compare ); — always : — portable and sometimes smallGenesis 31:19,34:Genesis 31:35 (calledGenesis 31:30, all E), but in size and shape like a man1 Samuel 19:13,16; in household shrine (see also l.c.)Judges 17:5 (+ , compare GFMJu),Judges 18:14,17 (both + , , ), compareJudges 18:20 (omitted ),Hosea 3:4 (+ , , ); condemned1 Samuel 15:23;2 Kings 23:24 (+ ); used in divining (by king of Babylonian ),Ezekiel 21:26 (+ , ); as giving empty oraclesZechariah 10:2 ("" ). — See GFMl.c. NowArchaeology ii. 23 StaBlb. Theol. d. A. T. under the word.
see .
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and General DescriptionTeraphim are small cultic images, usually kept within the household, employed for protection, divination, or illegitimate worship. Their presence in Israel’s history illustrates the ongoing tension between covenant fidelity and the lure of idolatry.
Material Form and Appearance
Scripture gives only indirect clues. The teraphim Michal lays in David’s bed (1 Samuel 19:13) is large enough to mimic a man’s head and torso, suggesting life-sized or at least sizeable figures. Others are easily hidden in a camel’s saddle (Genesis 31:34), implying smaller, portable objects. They were likely carved wood or stone, sometimes overlaid with precious metal, resembling the “graven” and “molten” images mentioned alongside them (Judges 18:17).
Domestic and Cultic Functions
1. Household Guardianship: Rachel steals Laban’s teraphim, apparently believing they confer inheritance rights or divine favor upon the household (Genesis 31:19).
2. Divination: The king of Babylon “consults his idols” (Ezekiel 21:21) before war; Zechariah says “idols speak deceit” (Zechariah 10:2). They were considered oracular devices, competing with the legitimate means of revelation (Urim, prophets, Scripture).
3. Private Worship: Micah’s shrine includes an ephod and teraphim (Judges 17:5), indicating use in unauthorized priestly rites.Hosea 3:4 links teraphim with the ephod and sacrifice, showing their role in substitute temples when true worship is absent.
Key Biblical Occurrences and Lessons
•Genesis 31:19–35 – Rachel’s theft exposes the insecurity of relying on idols; the teraphim cannot protect Laban from loss.
•Judges 17–18 – Micah’s private sanctuary and the Danites’ theft of the teraphim reveal how syncretism spreads when leadership is absent: “every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).
•1 Samuel 19:13, 16 – Michal’s deception underscores the irony that an idol is used to preserve the LORD’s anointed, yet has no life in itself.
•2 Kings 23:24 – Josiah’s reforms purge “the household idols” along with mediums and necromancers, demonstrating true revival entails removing every competing spiritual authority.
•Hosea 3:4 – Israel’s exile leaves the nation “without ephod or household idols,” showing God will strip away even illegitimate supports to draw His people back to Himself.
•Zechariah 10:2 – Post-exilic prophets still confront teraphim, proving idolatry survives outward judgment and must be addressed in the heart.
Prophetic and Theological Assessment
Teraphim are consistently classified with “abominations” (2 Kings 23:24) and condemned as sources of deception (Zechariah 10:2). Rebellion is likened to their use (1 Samuel 15:23). The prophets treat them not as neutral cultural artifacts but as rivals to the living God. Their impotence highlights the uniqueness of the LORD, who alone speaks truth and directs history.
Redemptive-Historical Significance
The narrative arc moves from toleration (patriarchal period) to eradication (Josiah) to eschatological hope. Hosea foresees a day when Israel will be “without…household idols”—a necessary discipline that prepares for Messianic restoration (Hosea 3:5). Thus, the decline of teraphim parallels God’s progressive revelation: as the fullness of Scripture and the promise of Christ unfold, substitutes for divine guidance are exposed and eliminated.
Practical Ministry Applications
• Guard the Home: As teraphim thrived in private spaces, believers must ensure their households remain free from modern equivalents—objects, habits, or ideologies that usurp devotion to Christ.
• Discern True Guidance: Like Ezekiel’s Babylonian king, cultures still seek direction through counterfeit spirituality. Scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit are the believer’s sanctioned means of guidance.
• Reform Requires Removal: Josiah’s example proves revival is not merely emotional but involves decisive action against every form of idolatry, however embedded in tradition.
• Hope in Discipline: Seasons without visible supports (Hosea 3:4) can be God’s mercy, leading His people to depend wholly on Him, anticipating the ultimate reign of the Son of David.
Summary
Teraphim represent the persistent temptation to merge covenant faith with cultural religions. Their account warns, instructs, and ultimately points to the sufficiency of the LORD’s revelation culminating in Jesus Christ, in whom all counterfeit voices are silenced and true worship is restored.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּתְּרָפִ֔ים בתרפים הַתְּרָפִ֖ים הַתְּרָפִ֗ים הַתְּרָפִ֣ים הַתְּרָפִ֨ים הַתְּרָפִֽים׃ התרפים התרפים׃ וּתְרָפִ֔ים וּתְרָפִ֖ים וּתְרָפִֽים׃ ותרפים ותרפים׃ bat·tə·rā·p̄îm batteraFim battərāp̄îm hat·tə·rā·p̄îm hatteraFim hattərāp̄îm ū·ṯə·rā·p̄îm uteraFim ūṯərāp̄îm
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