Boy Old Testament Rare
Tohu
that lives; that declares
תֹּחוּ to.chu
Tohu (Hebrew: תֹּחוּ, to.chu) means “that lives; that declares”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 3 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Elihu in 1 Samuel 1.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Tohu
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 3 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 1 Samuel 1:1 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 6:34 |
| Cross-references | 31 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Jeroham co-occurrence Appears with Jeroham in 1 Samuel 1.
- Elihu co-occurrence Appears with Elihu in 1 Samuel 1.
- Zuph co-occurrence Appears with Zuph in 1 Samuel 1.
- Elkanah co-occurrence Appears with Elkanah in 1 Samuel 1.
- Peninnah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Peninnah.
- Hophni co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Hophni.
- Phinehas co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Phinehas.
Origin & meaning
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.1;
son of: Zuph (H6689);
father of: Elihu (H0453); also called Nahath at 1Ch.6.26; Toah at 1Ch.6.34;
§ Tohu = "lowly"
Levite, son of Zuph, father of Elihu, and great grandfather of Samuel
Tohu, also known as Nahath or Toah, was an ancestor of the prophet Samuel, mentioned in his genealogy.
The biblical story
Tohu, also referred to as Nahath or Toah, is mentioned in the genealogies of the prophet Samuel (1Sa.1.1; 1Ch.6.26, 34). He was the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite, and an ancestor of Samuel. The genealogy in 1Sa.1.1 traces Samuel's lineage back to Tohu, emphasizing his Ephraimite heritage. In 1Ch.6.26 and 1Ch.6.34, Tohu is mentioned in the genealogy of the Levites, specifically the descendants of Kohath. This suggests that Samuel's family had both Ephraimite and Levitical connections.
Key verses
Tohu appears in 3 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim–zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
1 Samuel 1:1 -
As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,
1 Chronicles 6:26 -
The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
1 Chronicles 6:34
Show all 3 references
1 Samuel (1)
- 1 Samuel 1:1
1 Chronicles (2)
- 1 Chronicles 6:26
- 1 Chronicles 6:34