teraphim Summary and Overview

givers of prosperity, idols in human shape, large or small, analogous to the images of ancestors which were revered by the Romans. In order to deceive the guards sent by Saul to seize David, Michal his wife prepared one of the household teraphim, putting on it the goat's-hair cap worn by sleepers and invalids, and laid it in a bed, covering it with a mantle. She pointed it out to the soldiers, and alleged that David was confined to his bed by a sudden illness (1 Sam. 19:13-16). Thus she gained time for David's escape. It seems strange to read of teraphim, images of ancestors, preserved for superstitious purposes, being in the house of David. Probably they had been stealthily brought by Michal from her father's house. "Perhaps," says Bishop Wordsworth, "Saul, forsaken by God and possessed by the evil spirit, had resorted to teraphim (as he afterwards resorted to witchcraft); and God overruled evil for good, and made his very teraphim (by the hand of his own daughter) to be an instrument for David's escape.", Deane's David, p. 32. Josiah attempted to suppress this form of idolatry (2 Kings 23:24). The ephod and teraphim are mentioned together in Hos. 3:4. It has been supposed by some (Cheyne's Hosea) that the "ephod" here mentioned, and also in Judg. 8:24-27, was not the part of the sacerdotal dress so called (Ex. 28:6-14), but an image of Jehovah overlaid with gold or silver (compare Judg. 17, 18; 1 Sam. 21:9; 23:6, 9; 30:7, 8), and is thus associated with the teraphim. (See THUMMIM T0003648.)

This word occurs only in the plural, and denotes images connected with magical rites. The derivation of the name is obscure. In one case -- #1Sa 19:13,16| --a single statue seems to be intended by the plural. The teraphim, translated "images" in the Authorized Version, carried away from Laban by Rachel were regarded by Laban as gods, and it would therefore appear that they were used by those who added corrupt practices to the patriarchal religion. Teraphim again are included among Micah's images. #Jud 17:3-5; 18:17,18,20| Teraphim were consulted for oracular answers by the Israelites, #Zec 10:2| comp. Judg 18:5,6; 1Sam 15:22,23; 19:13,16, LXX., and 2Kin 23:24 and by the Babylonians in the case of Nebuchadnezzar. #Eze 21:19-22|

TER'APHIM (givers of prosperity). The word is sometimes left untranslated; elsewhere "images," Gen 31:19, John 9:34-35; 1 Sam 19:16; "idolatry." 1 Sam 15:23. The derivation is not settled. Gesenius takes it from a root meaning "to be rich," so the teraphim dispensed prosperity. From the passages quoted it is plain that this word denotes household idol-gods or images. But since these were used as means of supernatural knowledge, they might be found in possession of those who were not idolaters. There is a very remarkable occurrence of the word in Hos 3:4, where teraphim are associated with idolatry. They were Teraphim. small images, resembling the human form, and were regarded as oracles. The use of teraphim came to the Hebrews from the family of Laban, for they were Aramaic deities. But, once introduced, they were tenaciously held to. We find them mentioned in a familiar way in the historical books. Jud 18:17; 1 Sam 19:13, 1 Sam 19:16; 2 Kgs 23:24, etc. They were not idols in the worst sense. They were used by Jehovah-worshippers acquainted with the second commandment. Thus we find a Levite in Micah's family using them, and in David's house were teraphim. 1 Sam 19:13. But in the days of the prophets they were denounced as idolatrous, and Josiah destroyed them, 2 Kgs 23:24, margin - an indication of the growth of correct religious feeling and the spread of knowledge. In regard to their size and appearance nothing definite is known. Probably they were varied. They may best be compared to the household penates of the classic world.

(See IDOL.) Sometimes left untranslated; elsewhere "images ... idolatry" (Genesis 31:19; Genesis 31:30; Genesis 31:34; Genesis 35:2, "strange gods".) Worshipped by Abram's kindred in Mesopotamia (Joshua 24:14). Images in human form; Maurer thinks busts, cut off at the waist, from taaraph "to cut off," tutelary household gods; small enough to be hidden beneath the camel's furniture or palanquin on which Rachel sat. Michal put them in David's bed to look like him (1 Samuel 19:13; Judges 17:5; Judges 18:14; Judges 18:17-18; Judges 18:20). Condemned as idolatrous (1 Samuel 15:23; 2 Kings 23:24). Used for divination (Ezekiel 21:21; Zechariah 10:2), and to secure good fortune to a house, as the penates. From Arabic tarafa, "to enjoy the good things of life," according to Gesenius. The Syriac teraph means "to inquire" of an oracle, Hebrew toreph "an inquirer" (Hosea 3:4-5). The Israelites used the teraphim for magic purposes and divination, side by side with the worship of Jehovah. Related perhaps to seraphim, the recognized symbol attending Jehovah; so perverted into a private idol meant to represent Him, a talisman whereby to obtain responses, instead of by the lawful priesthood through the Urim and Thummim. (See GATE.)