Original Word: צוּף
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsuwph
Pronunciation: tsoof
Phonetic Spelling: (tsoof)
KJV: honeycomb
NASB: honeycomb
Word Origin: [from H6687 (צּוּף - engulf)]

1. comb of honey (from dripping)

honeycomb

From tsuwph; comb of honey (from dripping) -- honeycomb.

see HEBREW tsuwph

Word Origin
from tsuph
Definition
(honey) comb
NASB Translation
honeycomb (1), honeycomb* (1).

I. צוּף noun masculine (honey-)comb (as exuding honey); — only figurative: construct צוּףדְּֿבַשׁ Proverbs 16:24; plural נֹפֶת צוּפִים Psalm 19:11 (+דְּבַשׁ), ᵐ5 κηρίον, κηρία, ᵑ9 favus.

Imagery of the Honeycomb

The Hebrew noun צוּף evokes the sight, scent, and taste of honey as it seeps from the comb. In the ancient Near East the honeycomb was prized for its unprocessed purity—sweet, nourishing, and untainted by human mixing. This imagery grounds the two biblical occurrences, setting the stage for metaphorical applications that celebrate something inherently good, refreshing, and life-giving.

Occurrences in Scripture

Psalm 19:10 contrasts the statutes of the LORD with “honey from the comb”, declaring that divine revelation surpasses even the richest natural sweetness. Proverbs 16:24 likens gracious words to a honeycomb, calling them “sweet to the soul and healing to the bones”. In both settings צוּף serves as a climactic comparison, underscoring the unrivaled pleasure produced by God’s truth and by speech that reflects His character.

Cultural and Historical Background

Bees were widely cultivated in ancient Israel; clay beehives and honey-processing installations have been uncovered at sites such as Tel Rehov. Honey provided an essential sweetener, a ready source of energy, and a valuable trade item. Because it needed no leavening or fermentation, it symbolized a goodness that existed apart from human manipulation. Israelites recognized honey as a divinely provided luxury (Deuteronomy 8:8), a feature of the “land flowing with milk and honey.” Thus, when the writers of Psalm 19 and Proverbs 16 chose צוּף, they tapped into a familiar agricultural treasure whose sweetness was perceived as a direct blessing from God.

Symbolic Significance

1. Excellence: Honeycomb represents the highest quality of sweetness, paralleling the flawless excellence of God’s law and of wholesome speech.
2. Purity: Untouched by external additives, it pictures the unadulterated nature of divine revelation and of words springing from a pure heart.
3. Sustenance: Honey provides quick nourishment; similarly, Scripture and gracious words fortify the inner person.
4. Healing: Ancient medicine used honey for its antiseptic properties; Proverbs 16:24 highlights speech that restores the whole person (“healing to the bones”).

Connection to the Word of God

Psalm 19 situates צוּף within a hymn that moves from creation’s witness to the written Torah. By comparing ordinances to honeycomb, David affirms that God’s speech not only instructs but delights. The metaphor rebuts any notion that obedience is sterile or burdensome; rather, engagement with Scripture satisfies the deepest appetites of the soul.

Speech and Interpersonal Relationships

Proverbs 16:24 applies the same imagery to human communication. The verse teaches that language shaped by truth and kindness mirrors the sweetness of God’s own word, bringing tangible benefit to listeners. This establishes a biblical pattern: divine speech is the model, human speech the practical outworking.

Theological Reflections

• Revelation: צוּף highlights the sensory dimension of God’s self-disclosure—His word can be “tasted” (Psalm 34:8; 1 Peter 2:2-3).
• Sanctification: As honeycomb nourishes, so Scripture feeds spiritual growth (Jeremiah 15:16).
• Community: Pleasant words create a culture of edification, reflecting the unity envisioned in Ephesians 4:29.

Practical Ministry Implications

Preachers and teachers should present Scripture not merely as information but as life-giving sweetness. Counselors can employ Proverbs 16:24 to encourage speech that heals fractured relationships. Parents and disciplers may illustrate Bible memorization through the image of consuming honey, helping learners associate God’s commands with delight rather than drudgery.

Intertextual Echoes

The motif recurs when Jonathan tastes wild honey and his “eyes brightened” (1 Samuel 14:27), prefiguring the vitality bestowed by God’s word. The bridegroom in Song of Solomon 4:11 declares, “Honey and milk are under your tongue,” linking loving words to the same sweetness. Ultimately, Jesus embodies the fullness of divine revelation; receiving Him parallels partaking of honeycomb purity and joy.

Summary

צוּף, though appearing only twice, captures a rich biblical theology of sweetness, purity, and restoration. Whether pointing to the perfection of God’s statutes or the transformative power of godly speech, the honeycomb metaphor invites believers to savor, internalize, and share the life-giving goodness that flows from the mouth of the LORD.

צוּף־ צוּפִֽים׃ צוף־ צופים׃ ṣū·p̄îm ṣūp̄- ṣūp̄îm tzuf tzuFimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts