Bible Word Study
קוֹף
qôwph · a monkey
קוֹף
a monkey
Definition
The Hebrew word קוֹף (qôwph) refers specifically to a type of monkey or ape. In the biblical context, it denotes an exotic animal imported from distant lands, as seen in the cargo lists of King Solomon's trading ships (1 Kings 10:22, 2 Chronicles 9:21). The word does not carry any symbolic or metaphorical meaning in Scripture; it is used purely in a literal, zoological sense to describe a creature unfamiliar to the Israelite landscape. Its inclusion highlights the variety and wealth of goods brought from Ophir and Tarshish.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both in nearly identical historical accounts of Solomon's wealth. It appears in lists of luxury imports brought by the king's fleet from Ophir, alongside gold, silver, ivory, and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22, 2 Chronicles 9:21). The usage is purely descriptive and material, serving to catalog the exotic treasures that demonstrated Solomon's international trade connections and royal splendor.
Etymology
The word is of foreign origin, likely borrowed from a language of the regions where these animals were native, such as India or Africa. Some scholars connect it to the Sanskrit 'kapi' (monkey). The Hebrew form shows variation between קוֹף (qôwph) and קֹף (qoph), indicating its status as a loanword adopted into the language to name an unfamiliar creature.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near East, monkeys and apes were exotic curiosities, not native to Israel or its immediate neighbors. They were prestige items, imported as luxury goods for royal menageries or as gifts, signifying wealth, far-reaching trade networks, and royal power. Their mention alongside ivory and precious metals in Solomon's cargo lists underscores they were valued as rare commodities, much like precious stones or fine woods, rather than as common animals. There are no direct Hebrew synonyms for this specific animal. Other animals in the cargo lists, like תֻּכִּיִּים (tukkiyim, H8500) — 'peacocks', share the context of being exotic imports.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]