Lexical Definition
סָפַר çâphar (saw-far') to recount H:V
a primitive root
commune, (ac-) count; declare, number, [phrase] penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
- properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate
- intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate
v
1) to count, recount, relate
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to count (things)
1a2) to number, take account of, reckon
1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered
1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare
1c1) to recount (something), rehearse
1c2) to talk
1c3) to count exactly or accurately
1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related
n m
2) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
2a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary
2b) learned man, scribe
See Greek: ἀναγγέλλω · ἀπαγγέλλω · ἀριθμέω · γραμματεύς · διαγγέλλω · διηγέομαι · ἐκδιηγέομαι · ἐξαγγέλλω · ἐξηγέομαι · λαλέω · λέγω · συνάγω · ὑποδείκνυμι · ψηφίζω
Brown-Driver-Briggs
סָפַר107 verb count, Pi`el recount, relate (probably ancient denominative from סֵפֶר; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Ethiopic 
measure Di404); —
Qal27 Perfect 3 masculine singular ׳ס 2Sam 24:10, 2 masculine singular סָפַרְתָּה Ps 56:9*, וְסָפַרְתָּ֫ Lev 25:8, etc.; Imperfect יִסְפֹּר Ps 87:6 + Job 38:37 where read probably יִסְפֹּר (Bu) for ᵑ0 יְסַפֵּר, יִסְפּוֺר Job 31:4, וַיִּסְפֹּר 2Chr 2:1*; 2Chr 2:16*, suffix וַיִּסְפְּרֵם Ezra 1:8 2 masculine singular תִּסְפֹּר Job 39:2, תִּסְפּוֺר Job 14:16, תִּסְפָּרֿ Deut 16:9, etc.; Imperative masculine singular סְפֹר Gen 15:5 masculine plural סִפְרוּ 1Chr 21:2; Ps 48:13* Infinitive construct לִסְפֹּר Gen 15:5 + 2 t.; Participle סֹפֵר Isa 33:18 (twice in verse) (see also סֹפֵר
n. below); —
1. count things, to learn their number, with accusative, Gen 15:5 (twice in verse) (J) 2Sam 24:10 + 10 t. (+ accusative of congnate meaning with verb 2Chr 2:16*); accusative omitted Gen 41:49 (E); + ל (dativus commodi [dative of benefit] or ethicus [of interest]), Lev 15:13; Lev 15:28; Lev 23:15; Lev 25:8 (all PH), Deut 16:9; Ezek 44:26; Ezra 1:8; Ps 87:6; Isa 33:8 (absolute), vIsa 33:18 (but text suspicious, conjectures in Du CheHpt).
2. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon: צְעָדַי תִּסְפּוֺר Job 14:16 of my steps thou takest account, so Job 31:4 see also Job 38:37 (compare above); נֹדִי סָפַרַתַּה Ps 56:9* my wandering hast thou reckoned, taken into account (Che reads סִפַּרְתִּי after ᵐ5).
Niph`al Imperfect 3 masculine singular יִסָּפֵר Hos 2:1* + 4 t.; 3 masculine plural יִסָּֽפְרוּ 1Kgs 8:5; 2Chr 5:6, וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ 1Chr 23:3 — be counted, numbered usually with negative, to indicate multitude, מֵרֹב ׳לֹא יִסּ Gen 16:10 (J) it is not to be counted, for multitude, so Gen 32:13* (J), 1Kgs 3:8 (|| יִמָּנֶה לֹא), 1Kgs 8:5 (+ id.), 2Chr 5:6 (+ id.); compare Hos 2:1* (+ יִמַּד לֹאֿ), Jer 33:22 (|| לֹא יִמַּד); positively, only וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ הַלְּוִיִּם 1Chr 23:3.
Pi`el67 Perfect 1 singular סִפַּ֫רְתִּי Ps 119:26, סִפַּ֑רְתִּי vPs 119:13 3 plural סִפְּרוּ Judg 6:13 + 3 t.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular יְסַפֵּר Job 38:37 +, 1 singular אֲסַפֵּר Ps 22:18* +; cohortative אֲסַפֵּ֑רָה Job 15:7 1 plural וַנְּסַפֶּרֿ Exod 10:2, etc.; Imperative סַפֵּר Isa 43:26, etc.; Infinitive construct (לְ) סַפֵּר Ps 50:16 + 5 t.; Participle מְסַפֵּר Judg 7:13; 2Kgs 8:5 plural מְסַפְּרִים Ps 19:2*; Ps 78:4 — recount, rehearse, declare:
1. recount something (accusative) to (לְ person) Judg 6:13; Judg 7:13; Gen 24:66 (J), 1Sam 11:5 + 18 t. (of rehearsing glorious deeds of ׳י Ps 44:2*; Ps 73:28; Ps 78:3; Ps 78:4; Ps 79:13); with accusative + בְּ local Ezek 12:16, elsewhere of rehearsing name or praise of ׳י Exod 9:16 (J) Ps 9:15*; Ps 96:3 = 1Chr 16:24; Ps 102:22*; Jer 51:10 with accusative alone Ps 9:2*; Ps 19:2*; Ps 119:13 (+ בְּ instrumental), Ps 145:6 + 8 t. Psalms + Isa 43:21, all of rehearsing praise of ׳י; compare עָֽצְמוּ מִסַּפֵּר Ps 40:6* they are too great to rehearse with accusative also Jer 23:28; Jer 23:32; Job 15:17; Job 28:27; Ps 119:26 accusative omitted Isa 43:26, with לְ person Gen 40:8 (E) + 6 t., with אֶלֿ person Gen 37:10 (E), with בְּאָזְנֵי Exod 10:2 with כְּמוֺ (q. v.) Ps 73:15 with אֶלֿ concerning Ps 2:7, compare Ps 69:27* ( ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Ew Ol Gr Bi Che Bae add; in that case read יֹסִ֑פוּ); with עַלֿ concerning + לְ person Joel 1:3.
2. apparently, in weakened sense, talk Ps 59:13*; Ps 64:6* (with ל concerning), Ps 73:15 (with כְּמוֺ).
3. count exactly, accurately אֲסַפֵּר כָּלעַֿצְמוֺתָ֑י Ps 22:18* I can count exactly all my bones (in wasted body). — Ps 40:6* see below 1, Job 38:37 read יִסְפֹּר.
Pu`al be recounted, related, rehearsed: Perfect 3 masculine singular סֻפַּר לְ Isa 52:15 Imperfect 3 masculine singular יְסֻפַּר לְ Job 37:20 (clause as subject), + לְ concerning Ps 22:31* with בְּ local Ps 88:12* absolute יְסֻפָּ֑ר Hab 1:5.
סֹפֵר, סוֺפֵר noun masculinePs 45:2* enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe (properly participle of סָפַר; Aramaic סַפְרָא, 
id. compare 
doctus, literatus; O Aramaic ספרא id., Lzb330 Cook85; Phoenician ספר Lzb330); — absolute סֹפֵר Judg 5:14 +, סוֺפֵר 2Sam 8:17 +; construct סֹפֵר 2Kgs 12:11* + 2 t., + Jer 52:25 (Gie GFM read ׳הַסּ as || 2Kgs 25:19); plural סֹפְרִים 1Kgs 4:3; Jer 8:8, ׳סוֺ 1Chr 2:55; 1Chr 34:13 construct סֹפְרֵי Esth 3:12; Esth 8:9 —
1. a. enumerator, muster-officer in description of leaders of Israel ׳משְׁכִים בְּשֵׁבֶט ס Judg 5:14.
b. king's official = secretary 2Sam 8:17 = 2Sam 20:25 = 1Chr 18:16; 2Kgs 18:18; 2Kgs 18:37 = Isa 36:3; Isa 36:22 Solomon had two 1Kgs 4:3 (in all these distinguished from מַזְכִּיר); also 2Kgs 19:2 = Isa 37:2; Jer 36:10; Jer 36:12, compare ׳לִשְׁכַּת הַסּ vJer 36:12 vJer 36:20 vJer 36:21, ׳בֵּית הַסּ Jer 37:15; Jer 37:20 acting as treasurer and paymaster 2Kgs 12:11* = 2Chr 24:11, — compare Zadok Neh 13:13 — 2Kgs 22:3; 2Kgs 22:8; 2Kgs 22:9; 2Kgs 22:10; 2Kgs 22:12 = 2Chr 34:15; 2Chr 34:18; 2Chr 34:20; 1Chr 24:6 (Levite); שַׂר הַצָּבָא ׳הַסּ 2Kgs 25:19 = Jer 52:25 (si vera lectio in Kings) implies military authority (but ׳שַׂר הַצּ perhaps gloss GFMJudg 5:14); Ew Sta and others read (as Jeremiah) scribe of general.
c. in Persia, secretaries who wrote out (king's) decrees, according to Esth 3:12; Esth 8:9.
d. 2Chr 26:11 uses ׳ס for muster-officer; 1Chr 2:55 mentions families of סוֺפְרִים; 2Chr 34:13 knows ׳ס as Levites; ׳ס 1Chr 27:32 = man of learning.
2. professional class of learned men, 'scribes' able to read and write Jer 36:26; Jer 36:32 with writing implements, ׳מָהִיר עֵט ס Ps 45:2*, ׳קֶסֶת הַסּ Ezek 9:2; Ezek 9:3, ׳תַּעַר הַסּ Jer 36:23 especially learned in the law, and assuming to issue its precepts, עֵט שֶׁקֶר סֹפְרִים Jer 8:8.
3. specifically of Ezra, at once priest (כֹּהֵן) and learned in the law (סֹפֵר), Ezra 7:11, ׳בְרֵי מִצְוֺת י Di ׳ס vEzra 7:11 [compare Aramaic vEzra 7:12 vEzra 7:21], מָהִיר בְּתוֺרֵת משֶׁה ׳ס vEzra 7:6; Neh 8:1; Neh 8:4; Neh 8:9; Neh 8:13; Neh 12:26; Neh 12:36.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References