Original Word: תּוֹר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: towr
Pronunciation: tohr
Phonetic Spelling: (tore)
KJV: border, row, turn
NASB: ornaments, turn, standard
Word Origin: [from H8446 (תּוּר - spy)]

1. a succession, i.e. a string or (abstractly) order

chapman, sent to descry, be excellent, merchantman, search out, seek, espy out

Or tor {tore}; from tuwr; a succession, i.e. A string or (abstractly) order -- border, row, turn.

see HEBREW tuwr

Word Origin
from tur
Definition
a plait, turn
NASB Translation
ornaments (2), standard (1), turn (2).

I. תּוֺר, תֹּר noun masculine plait, turn (Arabic period, succession (περίοδος)); — plural תּוֺרִים plaits (of hair ?) Songs 1:10, construct תּוֺרֵי זָהָב Songs 1:11 plaits, circlets of gold; singular turn, opportunity, construct תֹּר נַעֲרָה Esther 2:12, compare Esther 2:15. — תּוֺר אדם 1 Chronicles 17:17 is corrupt, "" 2 Samuel 7:19 תּוֺרַת הָאָדָם, also difficult, see תּוֺרָה

3; Klo Perles^{Anal. 68} תֹּאַר, q. v.

Definition and Semantic Range

Strong’s Hebrew 8447, תּוֹר, denotes an ordered arrangement or succession. In narrative settings it speaks of individual “turns” in a prescribed sequence, while in poetic language it portrays decorative “rows” or “settings” that enhance beauty.

Usage in the Court of Esther

• Esther 2:12 – “Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus…”.
• Esther 2:15 – “When the turn came for Esther… she found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.”

In the Persian royal court every candidate for queenship advanced according to a strict timetable. תּוֹר underscores that Esther’s audience with the king was neither random nor self-initiated; it was her divinely appointed moment in a providential sequence. The orderly system of the empire becomes the stage on which God’s hidden hand directs events for covenant preservation (Esther 4:14).

Usage in the Song of Songs

• Song of Songs 1:10 – “Your cheeks are beautiful with rows of jewels, your neck with strings of beads.”
• Song of Songs 1:11 – “We will make you rows of gold, with studs of silver.”

Here תּוֹר appears twice in parallel couplets that celebrate the bride’s elegance. The “rows” of ornaments picture symmetry, value, and intentional design. The beloved is not merely adorned; she is skillfully arranged, a poetic hint at the artistry of covenant love. The repetition (“rows… rows”) creates an inclusio that frames the bride as a masterpiece fashioned by committed affection.

Theological and Symbolic Significance

1. Providence and Order – Whether scheduling royal appointments or setting precious stones, תּוֹר conveys ordained orderliness. Scripture affirms that God “works out everything according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11).
2. Beauty Through Arrangement – Ornamentation in Song of Songs reveals that beauty is heightened by purposeful structure. Likewise, the tabernacle’s craftsmanship (Exodus 28) and the New Jerusalem’s jeweled foundation (Revelation 21) illustrate divine order producing splendor.
3. Individual Placement – Each young woman in Esther and each jewel in Song of Songs speaks to personal placement in a larger design. Believers are “living stones… built up as a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5); every “turn” and every “row” matters.

Ministry Applications

• Discipleship Scheduling – As the women awaited their appointed time, so disciplined rhythms (prayer, study, service) foster readiness for divine opportunities.
• Pastoral Counseling – Remind congregants that delays may be ordered stages in God’s larger tapestry; Esther waited a year before her תּוֹר arrived.
• Worship Planning – Worship leaders can echo the imagery of ornate rows by structuring liturgy that moves congregations toward beholden beauty and order.

Christological Connections

Jesus Christ embodies the perfect timing and arrangement of redemption: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son” (Galatians 4:4). As Esther stepped forward in her appointed “turn” to intercede for her people, so Christ stepped into history to secure an everlasting deliverance. The ornate “rows” adorning the bride foreshadow the Church, beautified through Christ’s sanctifying love (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Summary

תּוֹר, though occurring only four times, ties together royal protocol and bridal ornamentation to declare that God authors order, appoints moments, and fashions beauty. In every life, ministry, and redemptive epoch, His ordained “rows” and “turns” converge for His glory and the good of His people.

בַּתֹּרִ֔ים בתרים תֹּר֩ תֹּר־ תּוֹרֵ֤י תורי תר תר־ bat·tō·rîm battoRim battōrîm tō·w·rê tor tōr tōr- toRei tōwrêInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts