Original Word: תּוֹחַ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Towach
Pronunciation: TO-akh
Phonetic Spelling: (to'-akh)
KJV: Toah
NASB: Toah
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to depress]

1. humble
2. Toach, an Israelite

be astonished

From an unused root meaning to depress; humble; Toach, an Israelite -- Toah.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
an ancestor of Samuel
NASB Translation
Toah (1).

תּוֺחַ proper name, masculine ancestor of Samuel 1 Chronicles 6:19 [Levite !]; Θειε, Θοουε, ᵐ5^L Νααθ; "" תֹּ֫חוּ 1 Samuel 1:1; Θοκε, Θοου, ᵐ5^L Θωε.

תּוֺחֶ֫לֶת see יחל.

תּוֺךְ injury, see תֹּךְ below תכך.

תּוֹחַ (Toah)

Biblical Occurrence and Context

Toah is named once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 6:34, within the priestly genealogies compiled after the exile. These lists trace the ancestry of the Levitical musicians appointed by David to minister before the ark (1 Chronicles 6:31–32). The verse reads, “son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah”. Thus, Toah appears as the great-grandfather of the Kohathite singer Heman (and therefore an ancestor of the prophet Samuel), standing mid-stream in a long chain of worship servants.

Position in Levitical Lineage

1. Tribe: Levi
2. Clan: Kohath (the family entrusted with the most sacred tabernacle furnishings, Numbers 4:4–15).
3. Descendants: Eliel → Jeroham → Elkanah → Samuel (1 Chronicles 6:33–34).

Toah therefore forms a crucial link between the wilderness generation of Levi and the established monarchy under David, demonstrating the providential preservation of priestly service across centuries.

Connection to the Prophet Samuel

Comparing 1 Chronicles 6:34 with 1 Samuel 1:1 reveals a variant name, “Tohu,” in the earlier narrative. The Chronicler’s “Toah” and Samuel’s “Tohu” describe the same person, showing the harmony of Scripture despite minor spelling differences arising from dialect or transmission. Both texts affirm that Samuel’s lineage is thoroughly Levitical even though his family resided in Ephraim, underscoring the mobility of Levites and their calling to serve throughout Israel (Joshua 21:20–22).

Textual Variants and Harmonization

The Masoretic text of 1 Chronicles gives תּוֹחַ (Toah); some Septuagint manuscripts read Θαά, while 1 Samuel offers תּוּחוּ (Tohu). Rather than contradiction, these forms demonstrate the fluidity of non-theophoric personal names in pre-exilic records. The Chronicler, writing post-exile, standardizes the family register while consciously echoing Samuel’s earlier history, reinforcing the reliability of both accounts.

Historical Setting

Toah likely lived during the turbulent period of the Judges. Levites at that time often served in scattered towns, teaching the Law and officiating at local shrines (Judges 17–18; Deuteronomy 33:10). Though unnamed in narrative events, Toah would have been responsible for passing on the Kohathite traditions of handling holy things, an obligation later embodied in his descendant Heman under King David.

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. Continuity of Worship: The single reference to Toah highlights God’s commitment to preserve worship leaders generation after generation, even when broader society cycles through apostasy and renewal.
2. Quiet Faithfulness: Scripture honors obscure servants like Toah whose names appear only once yet whose faithfulness shapes future revival.
3. Covenant Identity: The Levitical genealogies remind readers that ministry credentials rest not on self-appointment but on divine calling and covenant lineage, a principle echoed in the New Testament affirmation of orderly, qualified ministry (1 Timothy 3:1–7).

Practical Applications for Church Ministry

• Celebrate unseen service: Many believers labor without public acclaim, yet their obedience influences future leaders, just as Toah’s heritage produced Samuel and Heman.
• Preserve doctrinal heritage: Just as Kohathites safeguarded sacred objects, churches today must safeguard sound teaching for succeeding generations (2 Timothy 2:2).
• Embrace inter-tribal mission: Though a Levite, Toah’s family lived among Ephraimites, modeling ministry beyond ethnic or geographical boundaries (Acts 1:8).

In sum, the brief mention of תּוֹחַ invites reflection on generational faithfulness, the sovereignty of God in orchestrating redemptive history, and the vital though often hidden role of every servant in the household of faith.

תּֽוֹחַ׃ תוח׃ tō·w·aḥ Toach tōwaḥInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts