Original Word: תָּפַף
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: taphaph
Pronunciation: tah-faf'
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-faf')
KJV: taber, play with timbrels
NASB: beating, beating tambourines
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to drum, i.e. play (as) on the tambourine

taber, play with timbrels

A primitive root; to drum, i.e. Play (as) on the tambourine -- taber, play with timbrels.

Word Origin
denominative verb from toph
Definition
to sound the timbrel, beat
NASB Translation
beating (1), beating tambourines (1).

[תָּפַף] verb denominative sound the timbrel, beat; —

Qal Participle עֲלָמוֺת תֹּפֵפוֺת Psalm 68:26; read Imperfect וַיָּ֫תָף 1 Samuel 21:14 ᵐ5 (see תוה).

Po`el Participle מְתֹפְפֹת עַללִֿבֵהֶן כְּקוֺל יוֺנִים Nahum 2:8; > Sta (after ᵐ5) מְצַפְצְפוֺת twittering.

Definition and Imagery

תָּפַף portrays the rhythmic striking of a hand-held frame drum or tambourine. In Scripture the verb evokes the sight of hands moving in measured cadence—either in jubilant procession or in mourning—so that the act of drumming becomes a living soundtrack to the covenant story.

Biblical Occurrences

• Psalm 68:25: “Singers lead the way, musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.”
• Nahum 2:7: “It is decreed: She will be exiled; she will be carried away. Her maidservants moan like doves and beat on their breasts.”

Celebratory Praise in Psalm 68

Psalm 68 pictures a triumphal march into the sanctuary, with vocalists, instrumentalists, and young women striking their tambourines. The verb emphasizes ordered, exuberant praise that unites the congregation around the victorious King. Every stratum of Israelite society joins the procession, illustrating that worship is communal, embodied, and exuberant.

Prophetic Lament in Nahum 2

Nahum reverses the normal association of drumming with joy. As Nineveh falls, slave-girls “beat on their breasts,” creating a dirge rather than a dance. The same rhythmic gesture that once celebrated victory now punctuates defeat. The shift underlines God’s justice: what was taken in arrogant triumph will be lost in humiliating exile.

Historical and Cultural Setting

Archaeological finds from Syro-Palestine depict women playing frame drums in religious and civic ceremonies. Such instruments required neither wealth nor specialized training, making them accessible across social lines. The verb’s sparse canonical distribution suggests that Scripture reserves it for scenes where the sound of the drum carries theological weight—either magnifying divine triumph or underscoring divine judgment.

Liturgical Significance

1. Inclusivity: The drum invites participation beyond the Levitical choir, allowing lay worshipers, especially women, to contribute audible praise.
2. Physicality: Worship encompasses the whole person. Striking a tambourine involves movement—hands, arms, and often dance—signifying that praise is not merely intellectual.
3. Memory: The rhythm of תָּפַף becomes a mnemonic heartbeat that carries Israel’s testimony from generation to generation.

Symbolic Themes

• Victory Processions (Psalm 68; compare Exodus 15:20-21).
• Reversal of Fortune (Nahum 2; compare Isaiah 24:8).
• Corporate Unity: Every participant keeps time to a single beat, mirroring Israel’s unified allegiance to the LORD.
• Eschatological Resonance: The prophetic drumbeat anticipates the final triumph when mourning will turn to dancing (Jeremiah 31:13).

Ministry Reflections

• Encourage embodied praise that engages both heart and body.
• Discern context: rhythmic celebration suits seasons of victory, while solemn pulses can accompany confession and lament.
• Remember that instruments, like words, must serve theological truth; joy without holiness or mourning without hope distorts the rhythm Scripture sets.

Key Related Passages for Study

Exodus 15:20-21; Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 18:6; Jeremiah 31:4; Psalm 149:3; Isaiah 24:8.

מְתֹפְפֹ֖ת מתפפת תּוֹפֵפֽוֹת׃ תופפות׃ mə·ṯō·p̄ə·p̄ōṯ metofeFot məṯōp̄əp̄ōṯ tō·w·p̄ê·p̄ō·wṯ tofeFot tōwp̄êp̄ōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts