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

Extended Information

• v

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 Che^Hpt).

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 masculine^{Ps 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 GFM^{Judg 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