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Hebrew verb · H6884

צָרַף

tsaraphtsaw-raf'

to refine

33 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: tsâraph

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H6884is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 10 of 39
    Old Testament books
  • 32
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · H6884

to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively)

The King James renders it: cast, (re-) fine(-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

tsaraph is rendered "to refine". It stands 33 times in the Hebrew text, across ten books.

  • Eight of the uses stand in Psalms, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Judges 7:4Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
  • The Greek text spells it thirty-two different ways.

The first use

Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

Judges 7:4וְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּ

The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.

Where the word stands

The word stands in ten of the 39 Old Testament books.

The other 29 Old Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

How the Greek text is glossed, word by word

  • refined5
  • a metalsmith3
  • metalsmith2
  • a refiner1
  • about to refine them1
  • and a metalsmith1
  • and I will refine them1
  • as refine1
  • as refines1
  • for the metalsmith1
  • goldsmiths1
  • I have refined you1

and 14 more, 33 uses in all

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

צָרַרtsararto confineUses54
צָרַעַתtsaraathleprosyUses35
צָרַעtsarabe leprousUses20
צָרַחtsarachto cryUses2
צָרַבtsarabto burnUses1

The words it stands beside

All 33, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

32 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • צְרוּפָ֑ה2
  • הַצֹּרְפִ֖ים1
  • וְאֶצְרֹ֥ף1
  • וְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּ1
  • וְיִצָּֽרְפוּ֙1
  • וְצֹרֵ֖ף1
  • וּצְרַפְתִּים֙1
  • כִּצְרֹ֣ף1
  • כִּצְרָף־1
  • לַצּוֹרֵ֗ף1
  • לִצְר֥וֹף1
  • לַצֹּרֵ֣ף1

and 20 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singular6HVqrmsa
  • verb · simple (qal), passive participle · feminine singular4HVqsfsa
  • preposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)3HR/Vqcc
  • preposition with the article + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singular2HRd/Vqrmsa
  • verb · intensive (piel), participle · masculine singular2HVprmsa
  • HC/VNu3mp1HC/VNu3mp
  • Hc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mp1Hc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mp
  • conjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singular1HC/Vqrmsa
  • HC/Vqu1cs1HC/Vqu1cs
  • HC/Vqu1cs/Sp3ms1HC/Vqu1cs/Sp3ms
  • the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine plural1HTd/Vqrmpa
  • verb · simple (qal), infinitive absolute1HVqaa

Judges

two uses
  • Then the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go. But if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

    Judges 7:4

    • וְאֶצְרְפֶ֥נּוּveetzrefenuHC/Vqu1cs/Sp3mstagged: so I may test it
  • So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.

    Judges 17:4

    • לַצּוֹרֵ֗ףlatzorefpreposition with the article + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: to the silversmith

2 Samuel

one use
  • As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

    2 Samuel 22:31

    • צְרוּפָ֔הtzerufahverb · simple (qal), passive participle · feminine singulartagged: refined

Nehemiah

two uses
  • Next to them, Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs, and next to him, Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

    Nehemiah 3:8

    • צֽוֹרְפִ֔ים סtzorfimverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine pluraltagged: goldsmiths
  • And between the upper room above the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.

    Nehemiah 3:32

    • הַצֹּרְפִ֖יםhatzorefimthe definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine pluraltagged: the goldsmiths

Psalms

eight uses
  • The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

    Psalms 12:6

    • צָ֭רוּףtzarufverb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singulartagged: refined
  • You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.

    Psalms 17:3

    • צְרַפְתַּ֥נִיtzeraftaniverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: you have tested me
  • As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

    Psalms 18:30

    • צְרוּפָ֑הtzerufahverb · simple (qal), passive participle · feminine singulartagged: refined
  • Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.

    Psalms 26:2

    • צָרְפָ֖הtzarefahverb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine singular + paragogic hetagged: test
  • For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.

    Psalms 66:10

    • צְ֝רַפְתָּ֗נוּtzeraftanuverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine pluraltagged: you have refined us
    • כִּצְרָף־kitzrof-preposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: as refine
  • until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right.

    Psalms 105:19

    • צְרָפָֽתְהוּ׃tzerafatehuverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person feminine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it tested him
  • Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it.

    Psalms 119:140

    • צְרוּפָ֖הtzerufahverb · simple (qal), passive participle · feminine singulartagged: refined

Proverbs

two uses
  • Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.

    Proverbs 25:4

    • לַצֹּרֵ֣ףlatzorefpreposition with the article + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: for the metalsmith
  • Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

    Proverbs 30:5

    • צְרוּפָ֑הtzerufahverb · simple (qal), passive participle · feminine singulartagged: refined

Isaiah

six uses
  • I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.

    Isaiah 1:25

    • וְאֶצְרֹ֥ףveetzrofHC/Vqu1cstagged: so I may refine
  • To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?

    Isaiah 40:19

    • וְצֹרֵ֖ףvetzorefconjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: and a metalsmith
    • צוֹרֵֽף׃tzorefverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: refining
  • The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled.

    Isaiah 41:7

    • צֹרֵ֔ףtzorefverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: a metalsmith
  • They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.

    Isaiah 46:6

    • צוֹרֵף֙tzorefverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: a metalsmith
  • See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

    Isaiah 48:10

    • צְרַפְתִּ֖יךָtzeraftikhaverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 1st person common singular + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: I have refined you

Jeremiah

six uses
  • The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged.

    Jeremiah 6:29

    • צָרַ֣ףtzarafverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: someone has refined
    • צָר֔וֹףtzarofverb · simple (qal), infinitive absolutetagged: steadfastly to refine
  • Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?

    Jeremiah 9:7

    • צוֹרְפָ֖םtzorfamverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: about to refine them
  • Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz—the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.

    Jeremiah 10:9

    • צוֹרֵ֑ףtzorefverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: a metalsmith
  • Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.

    Jeremiah 10:14

    • צוֹרֵ֖ףtzorefverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: metalsmith
  • Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.

    Jeremiah 51:17

    • צֹרֵ֖ףtzorefverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: metalsmith

Daniel

two uses
  • Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

    Daniel 11:35

    • לִצְר֥וֹףlitzrofpreposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to refine
  • Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.

    Daniel 12:10

    • וְיִצָּֽרְפוּ֙veyitzarefuHC/VNu3mptagged: so they may be refined

Zechariah

two uses
  • This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”

    Zechariah 13:9

    • וּצְרַפְתִּים֙utzeraftimHc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mptagged: and I will refine them
    • כִּצְרֹ֣ףkitzrofpreposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: as refines

Malachi

two uses
  • But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.

    Malachi 3:2

    • מְצָרֵ֔ףmetzarefverb · intensive (piel), participle · masculine singulartagged: a refiner
  • And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

    Malachi 3:3

    • מְצָרֵ֤ףmetzarefverb · intensive (piel), participle · masculine singulartagged: refines

The letters

Gematria 370· 1,090 mispar gadol

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESH gloss (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →