טְרֵפָה
prey, i.e. flocks devoured by animals
Definition
טְרֵפָה refers to an animal that has been torn apart by a wild beast, making it ritually unclean and unfit for consumption or sacrifice. In the Torah, it specifically denotes livestock killed by predators, which the shepherd must prove was not due to his negligence (Exodus 22:13). This term is central to dietary and sacrificial laws, as eating טְרֵפָה is strictly forbidden for Israelites (Exodus 22:31, Leviticus 17:15). The concept also appears in Ezekiel, where the prophet expresses revulsion at eating unclean meat (Ezekiel 4:14), highlighting its enduring symbolic importance.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in legal and prophetic contexts within the Pentateuch and Ezekiel. In the legal texts (Genesis 31:39, Exodus 22:13, Leviticus 7:24, 17:15, 22:8), it defines a specific condition of an animal that renders it prohibited. The usage establishes rules for shepherds' liability and for ritual purity. In Ezekiel 4:14 and 44:31, the term is used prophetically to emphasize adherence to God's laws, even in extreme circumstances, underscoring the separation between clean and unclean.
Etymology
Derived from the root טרף (ṭrp, H2964), meaning 'to tear' or 'to rend.' טְרֵפָה is the feminine noun form, indicating the thing that has been torn. It is related to the common verb for a predator tearing its prey. The semantic development is straightforward, moving from the action of tearing to the state of being torn, specifically by wild animals.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it establishes a key distinction between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean. The prohibition against eating טְרֵפָה (Exodus 22:31) is tied to Israel's call to be 'a holy people.' It symbolizes wholeness and integrity before God; an animal torn by beasts is incomplete and marred by death outside the sacrificial system. Understanding this reinforces the biblical themes of holiness, covenant obedience, and the symbolic importance of physical wholeness reflecting spiritual purity.
In ancient Near Eastern pastoral societies, livestock were vital economic assets. A torn animal represented a tangible economic loss, addressed in laws of liability (Exodus 22:13). More importantly, the concept of טְרֵפָה was embedded in a worldview where physical states had spiritual consequences. Meat from an animal that died violently, with its blood not properly drained, was considered ritually contaminating and dangerous to consume, separating Israel's practices from those of surrounding nations.
נְבֵלָה (nᵉbēlâ, H5038) — a carcass that died of natural causes or unknown reasons, also unclean. פִּגּוּל (piggûl, H6292) — sacrificial meat that has become ritually abominable, often due to improper intent or timing.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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