צפה CIPAH, Ex.36:34

[Isaac Fried]

We read there
וְאֶת הַקְּרָשִׁים צִפָּה זָהָב
KJV: "And he overlaid the boards with gold"
in which צִפָּה is from the root צף, 'swell', a variant of the roots
דב, זב, טב, סב, צב, שב
דף, זף, טף, סף, צף, שף

In 2Kings 6:5-7 we encounter צף CAP in the sense of 'float, rise, swim'
וְאֶת הַבַּרְזֶל נָפַל אֶל הַמָּיִם וַיִּצְעַק וַיֹּאמֶר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנִי וְהוּא שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, אָנָה נָפָל וַיַּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַמָּקוֹם וַיִּקְצָב עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ שָׁמָּה וַיָּצֶף הַבַּרְזֶל וַיֹּאמֶר הָרֶם לָךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ
NIV: "As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it."
In Songs 7:5(4) we encounter it in the sense of 'loom, rise to observe, lift oneself to see better, look forward'
אַפֵּךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַלְּבָנוֹן צוֹפֶה פְּנֵי דַמָּשֶׂק
NIV: "Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus."

Hence מצפה = מי-צפה MICPEH, 'lookout, vantage point'.

In spoken Hebrew (after Ezekiel 32:6): הצפה HA-CAP-AH is 'flooding, inundation, drenching'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

[Isaac Fried]

And not to forget the צוּף = צ-הוּא-ף CUP, 'gel', of Prov. 16:24
צוּף דְּבַשׁ אִמְרֵי נֹעַם מָתוֹק לַנֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּא לָעָצֶם
KJV: "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

Isaac Fried, Boston University

[Isaac Fried]

The root שקף $QP (related to שגב), of which we have the וישקף "and he viewed, and he inspected, and he lifted his eyes, and he directed his eyes", of Gen 19:28
וַיַּשְׁקֵף עַל פְּנֵי סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וְעַל כָּל פְּנֵי אֶרֶץ הַכִּכָּר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן
NIV: "He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace."
is but a slight variant of זקף, 'raise, straighten', as in Ps. 146:8
יהוה פֹּקֵחַ עִוְרִים יהוה זֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים
NIV: "the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down"
of which we have the משקוֹף = מה-שק-הוּא-ף (otherwise מזקוף = מה-זקוף) of Ex. 12:7
וְלָקְחוּ מִן הַדָּם וְנָתְנוּ עַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת וְעַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף
NIV: "Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames"

Isaac Fried, Boston University

[Isaac Fried]

Related to זקף is תקף, 'impose, attack, overpower' as in Qohelet 4:12
וְאִם יִתְקְפוֹ הָאֶחָד הַשְּׁנַיִם יַעַמְדוּ נֶגְדּו
NIV: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves."

Also תקיף = תק-היא-ף, 'assertive, forceful', As in Qohelet 6:10
וְלֹא יוּכַל לָדִין עִם שֶׁתַּקִּיף מִמֶּנּוּ
NIV: "no one can contend with someone who is stronger."

Isaac Fried, Boston University