Lexical Definition

‎סַף‎ çaph (saf) basin ^H:N-M
from ‎סָפַף‎, in its original sense of containing

bason, bowl, cup, door (post), gate, post, threshold.

• a vestibule (as a limit)
• also a dish (for holding blood or wine)

1) a spreading out, basin, goblet, bowl
1a) basin, goblet
2) threshold, sill
2a) threshold, sill, door-keeper

See Greek: αὐλή · εἴσοδος · θύρα · πύλη · πυλών

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎סַף‎ noun masculine basin, goblet (Late Hebrew ‎סַף‎; Phoenician ‎סף‎ (Inscription of Tyre^{(1), 5, 6}) Schröd^{ZMG xxxix (1886), 317 f.} ClGann^{Annales du Musée Guimet x. 511 = Recuell d'arch. orient.(1886), 89} Hal^{RŠJ xii.107} Bloch; but Lzb³³⁰ door-sill); — ‎׳‎‎ס‎ absolutebasin Exod 12:22 (twice in verse) (J; containing blood of passover lamb); construct ‎סַףרַֿעַל‎ Zech 12:2 goblet of reeling (intoxicating, figurative), probably also Hab 2:15, where read ‎מִסַּף חֲמָֽתְךָ‎ from the goblet of thy fury (for ᵑ0 ‎׳‎‎מְסַפֵּחַ ח‎, see I. ‎ספח‎); plural absolute ‎סַפּוֺת‎ 2Sam 17:28 basins for ordinary use; ‎הַסִּפִּים‎ Jer 52:19, ‎הַסִפּוֺת‎ 1Kgs 7:50 and construct ‎סִפּוֺת כֶּסֶף‎ 2Kgs 12:14*, of temple utensils.

II. ‎סַף‎ noun masculine^{Amos 9:1} threshold, sill (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician see Lzb¹. ‎סַף‎; Aramaic ‎סִפָּא‎, Arabic sippu Dl^{509, all} id.); — absolute ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 2Kgs 12:10* +, also ‎הַסָּ֑ף‎ Judg 19:27 + 3 t. (Baer Ginsb), ‎הַסָּ֑ף‎ 2Kgs 25:8 suffix ‎סִפִּי‎ Ezek 43:8, ‎סִפָּם‎ vEzek 43:8 plural ‎סִפִּים‎ Amos 9:1; Isa 6:4 + 6 t. Ezra, Chronicles; — threshold, sill Judg 19:27; Amos 9:1; Isa 6:4; Ezek 41:16 (twice in verse); Ezek 43:8 (twice in verse); 2Chr 3:7, ‎הַבַּיִת‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 1Kgs 14:17, ‎הַשַּׁעַר‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Ezek 40:6; Ezek 40:7, compare vEzek 40:6 b ‎שֹׁמֵרֹ הַסַּף‎ = door-keeper, an important temple official, Jer 35:4, so ‎׳‎‎שֹׁמְרֵי הַסּ‎ 2Kgs 12:10* (priests), 2Kgs 22:4 = 2Chr 34:9 (Levites!), 2Kgs 23:4; 2Kgs 25:18 = Jer 52:24 in Persia, of palace Esth 2:21; Esth 6:2 of tabernacle ‎הַסִּפִּים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ 1Chr 9:19 ‎שֹׁעֲרֵי‎ ‎׳‎‎הַסּ‎ 2Chr 23:4 (Levites), ‎׳‎‎שֹׁעֲרִים בַּסּ‎ 1Chr 9:22 collective ‎חֹרֶב בַּסָּ֑ף‎ Zeph 2:14 desolation in the thresholds.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References