Lexical Definition
אֶפֶס ʼepheç (eh'-fes) end H:N-M
from אָפֵס; (sometimes like פָּעַל)
ankle, but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless (where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without (cause).
- cessation, i.e. an end (especially of the earth)
- often used adverb, no further
- also the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot
1) ceasing, end, finality
See Greek: ἄκρον · ἀπώλεια · ἄφεσις · βία · ἔσχατος · κενός · ὀλίγος · οὐκέτι · πέρας · πλήν
Brown-Driver-Briggs
אָ֑פֶס אֶ֫פֶס noun masculine properly ceasing, hence
1. end, extremity, only in the poetic phrase אַפְסֵי אֶרֶץ (Ps 59:14* הארץ ׳א) ends, extreme limits, of the earth, used especially hyperbolically: Deut 33:17; 1Sam 2:10; Mic 5:3*; Jer 16:19; Ps 2:8; Ps 59:14*; Ps 72:8 (= Zech 9:10); + כָּלֿ Isa 45:22; Isa 52:10b (= Ps 98:3b) Ps 22:28*; Ps 67:8*; Prov 30:4.
2. Expressing non-existence:
a. as substantive. (mostly a rare poetic synonym of אַיִן): Isa 34:12 and all his princes יִהְיוּ אָ֑פֶס shall become nought, (Isa 41:29; Isa 41:12 יִהְיוּ כְאַיִן וּכְאֶפֶס; Isa 40:17 מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ (|| כְּאַיִן) as made of nought and worthlessness are they accounted by him, Isa 41:24 (readפָּעָלְכָם מֵאָ֑פֶס, || מֵאַיִן see אֶפַע); Isa 52:4 and Asshur oppressed him בְּאֶפֶס for nought.
b. as particle of negation, prop. cessation of. . ! (compare אֵין ֗֗֗ nought of...), very rare in prose (2Sam 9:3), chiefly a poetic synonym of ׃אֵין Isa 5:8 עַד אֶפֶס מָקוֺם till there is an end of place = till there is no place (compare עַָד אֵין Ps 40:13*), Amos 6:10 (compare אָֽיִן Judg 4:20), Deut 32:36 (hence, in prose, 2Kgs 14:26), Isa 45:6 (compare אָין Isa 43:11) vIsa 43:14; Isa 46:9; Isa 54:15 אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֺד Zeph 2:15; Isa 47:8; Isa 47:10 is probably to be rendered, 'I am, and there is none besides' (so Ges Ew Di etc.), the י being 'paragogic' as in זוּלָתי etc. (Ges«GKC:90»§ 90, 3 a Ew§ 211 b), compare וְאֵין עוֺד Isa 45:5; Isa 45:6; Isa 45:18; Isa 45:21 but according to De the י is suffix of 1 singular 'I am, and I am nought besides' (i.e. and I am nought besides my all-sufficient self). — בְּאֶפֶס (like בְּאֵין, q. v.) without: Prov 14:28; Prov 26:20; Job 7:6; Dan 8:25.
c. as adverb of limitation:
(a) only: Num 22:35 (compare אַח vNum 22:20) Num 23:13.
(b) אֶפֶס כִּי save that, howbeit (qualifying a preceding statement): Num 13:28; Deut 1:5; Judg 4:9; Amos 9:8 (+ 1Sam 1:5 ᵐ5 We Sta Dr). So אֶפֶס alone 2Sam 12:14 (the following כִּי signifying because).
[אֹ֫פֶס noun [masculine] only in the dual אָפְסָ֑ים not ׳א; see Baer), literally the two extremities, i.e. either the soles of the feet (so AW Ges; compare Aramaic פִּיסְּתָא, , or the ankles (so ᵑ6 ᵑ7 ᵑ9, & most): only Ezek 47:2 ׳מֵי א water of (i.e. reaching to) the soles (or ankles); compare vEzek 47:4 מֵי מָתְנָ֑יִם water reaching to the loins.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Numbers | 13:28 · 22:20 · 22:35 · 23:13 |
| Deuteronomy | 1:5 · 32:36 · 33:17 |
| Judges | 4:9 · 4:20 |
| 1 Samuel | 1:5 · 2:10 |
| 2 Samuel | 9:3 · 12:14 |
| 2 Kings | 14:26 |
| Job | 7:6 |
| Psalms | 2:8 · 22:28* · 40:13* · 59:14* · 67:8* · 72:8 · 98:3 |
| Proverbs | 14:28 · 26:20 · 30:4 |
| Isaiah | 5:8 · 34:12 · 40:17 · 41:12 · 41:24 · 41:29 · 43:11 · 43:14 · 45:5 · 45:6 · 45:18 · 45:21 · 45:22 · 46:9 · 47:8 · 47:10 · 52:4 · 52:10 · 54:15 |
| Jeremiah | 16:19 |
| Ezekiel | 47:2 · 47:4 |
| Daniel | 8:25 |
| Amos | 6:10 · 9:8 |
| Micah | 5:3* |
| Zephaniah | 2:15 |
| Zechariah | 9:10 |