Original Word: צִפּוּי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsippuwy
Pronunciation: tsip-POO-ee
Phonetic Spelling: (tsip-poo'-ee)
KJV: covering, overlaying
NASB: overlaying, plating, overlaid
Word Origin: [from H6823 (צָּפָה - overlaid)]

1. encasement (with metal)

covering, overlaying

From tsaphah; encasement (with metal) -- covering, overlaying.

see HEBREW tsaphah

Word Origin
from tsaphah
Definition
(metal) plating
NASB Translation
overlaid (1), overlaying (2), plating (2).

צִמּוּי noun [masculine] metal plating; — of idols Isaiah 30:22, capitals Exodus 38:17,19, altar Numbers 17:3; Numbers 17:4.

Definition and Scope

צִפּוּי denotes a layer of metal—usually silver, gold, or bronze—hammered or cast onto another object. Scripture employs the term in narratives of sanctified craftsmanship, acts of judgment, and prophetic calls to repentance, revealing how outward coverings can signify inward realities of holiness or corruption.

Occurrences and Thematic Context

1. Exodus 38:17 – overlay of silver on the capitals of the courtyard pillars
2. Exodus 38:19 – similar overlay work on adjoining posts
3. Numbers 16:38 – bronze plating for the altar from the censers of the rebels
4. Numbers 16:39 – completion of that plating by Eleazar the priest
5. Isaiah 30:22 – silver-coated and gold-plated idols rejected by the repentant nation

Tabernacle Craftsmanship and Worship Purity

In Exodus 38 the overlay enhances the pillars that framed the sanctuary courtyard: “...the tops of the pillars were overlaid with silver...” (Exodus 38:17). The outer courtyard was the first space approached by the worshiper. The gleam of silver symbolized purity and redemption (compare Exodus 30:11-16) and visually announced that Israel’s meeting with God was both beautiful and costly. צִפּוּי thus underscores the call to approach the Holy One with reverence and prepared hearts, not with common or indifferent attitudes.

Judgment and Memorial: The Rebellion of Korah

Numbers 16 turns the idea of plating into a sober reminder. After the earth swallowed Korah and his company, the LORD commanded, “...the bronze from the censers... shall be hammered into plating for the altar, because they presented them before the LORD and they have become holy; they will be a sign to the Israelites” (Numbers 16:38). The overlay created from objects of presumptuous worship became a permanent memorial that no unauthorized person may intrude upon the priestly office. Holiness defiled does not disappear; it is publicly displayed so future generations may fear God and cling to His appointed Mediator.

Confronting Idolatry: Prophetic Application

Isaiah denounces Judah’s trust in Egypt and idols: “You will desecrate your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images; you will throw them away...” (Isaiah 30:22). Here the glittering overlay epitomizes the emptiness of false security. What once seemed precious is finally cast aside “like a menstrual cloth.” צִפּוּי becomes a metaphor for deceptive appearances that mask spiritual impotence. The prophetic promise looks forward to wholehearted repentance, when God’s people abandon the visible trappings of rebellion for genuine reliance on Him.

Theological Reflection

Across these passages a consistent thread appears: a covering can either proclaim God’s holiness or expose human sin. In the Tabernacle, metallic overlay magnifies the beauty of ordained worship; in Korah’s judgment, it memorializes sacred boundaries; in Isaiah’s warning, it reveals the worthlessness of idols. Outward adornment, therefore, must be aligned with inward obedience, lest it testify against the worshiper instead of for him.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Worship spaces and liturgical objects should aim for excellence that points to divine glory, not human ostentation.
• Church leadership must respect God-given roles, recalling that self-appointed ministry invites discipline.
• Believers must examine the “platings” of modern life—prestige, technology, wealth—to ensure they serve rather than supplant devotion to Christ.
• Visible memorials of past failures, wisely employed, can instruct future generations in humility and faithfulness.

By tracing צִפּוּי from the Tabernacle to the prophets, Scripture teaches that what we overlay upon our lives—whether silver of redemption or veneer of idolatry—inevitably declares our allegiance.

וְצִפּ֥וּי וְצִפּ֧וּי וצפוי צִפּ֣וּי צִפּ֥וּי צִפּוּי֙ צפוי ṣip·pui ṣippui tzipPui vetzipPui wə·ṣip·pui wəṣippuiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts