Tsaraph צָרַף

Tsaraph (Hebrew צָרַף, Strong's H6884) is a Hebrew verb meaning “to refine”. It occurs 33 times in 29 verses of the Old Testament.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Hebrew (based on the abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Verses

Every verse with Tsaraph, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

Judges

• Judges 7:4
  And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.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 17:4
  Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.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.

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 22:31
  As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.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.

Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 3:8
  Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.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 3:32
  And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.And between the upper room above the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.

Psalms

• Psalm 12:6
  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
• Psalm 17:3
  Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.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.
• Psalm 18:30
  As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.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.
• Psalm 26:2
  Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.
• Psalm 66:10
  For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.
• Psalm 105:19
  Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right.
• Psalm 119:140
  Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it.

Proverbs

• Proverbs 25:4
  Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
• Proverbs 30:5
  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

Isaiah

• Isaiah 1:25
  And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.
• Isaiah 40:19
  The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
• Isaiah 41:7
  So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.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 46:6
  They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.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 48:10
  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 6:29
  The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged.
• Jeremiah 9:7
  Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?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 10:9
  Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.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 10:14
  Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.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
  Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.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.

Daniel

• Daniel 11:35
  And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.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 12:10
  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.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.

Zechariah

• Zechariah 13:9
  And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.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.’”

Malachi

• Malachi 3:2
  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: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 3:3
  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.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.

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).