Lexical Definition

‎סֵפֶר‎ çêpher (say'-fer) scroll: document ^H:N-M
or (feminine) סִפְרָה çiphrâh (sif-raw'); (Psalm 56:8 (‎אֲבֵדָה‎)), from ‎סָפַר‎

bill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.

• properly, writing (the art or a document)
• by implication, a book

n f
1) book
n m
2) missive, document, writing, book
2a) missive
2a1) letter (of instruction), written order, commission, request, written decree
2b) legal document, certificate of divorce, deed of purchase, indictment, sign
2c) book, scroll
2c1) book of prophecies
2c2) genealogical register
2c3) law-book
2c4) book (of poems)
2c5) book (of kings)
2c6) books of the canon, scripture
2c7) record book (of God)
2d) book-learning, writing
2d1) be able to read (after verb 'to know')

See Greek: βιβλίον · βίβλος · γράμμα · ἐπαγγελία · ἐπιστολή · λόγος

Extended Information

meaning of: סֵפֶר

• : read

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: קִרְיַת סַנָּה

‎סֵ֫פֶר‎₁₈₅ noun masculine^{Isa 29:11} missive, document, writing, book (probably ancient loan-word from Assyrian šipru, missive, message Dl^{HWB 683}, Tel Amarna šipru, šipirtu, id. Wkl^{TA Gloss}; √ šâpâru, send, send message or letter Dl^{HWB 683}, Wkl^{l.c., whence} also sâpiru, writer, and (perhaps) ruler, šapirûtu, rule; see Hom^{Aufsätze (1892), 34} Buhl^{Lex 13}; perhaps compare Arabic go forth to journey, II. send on a journey Lane¹³⁷⁰; Late Hebrew ‎סֵפֶר‎ = Biblical Hebrew; so Aramaic ‎סִיפְרָא‎ ; Christian-Palestinian Aramaic Schw^{Idioticon 64}; Arabic ); — ‎׳‎‎ס‎ absolute 2Sam 11:14 +; construct Exod 24:7 +; suffix ‎סִפְרִי‎ Exod 32:33, ‎סִפְרְךָ‎ vExod 32:33; Ps 139:16 plural ‎סְפָרִים‎ 1Kgs 21:8 +; —

1. missive:
a. letter of instruction, written order, commission, or request, usually from king, 2Sam 11:14; 2Sam 11:15; 1Kgs 21:8 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 21:9; 1Kgs 21:11; 2Kgs 5:5; 2Kgs 5:6 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 5:7; 2Kgs 10:1; 2Kgs 10:2; 2Kgs 10:6; 2Kgs 10:7; 2Kgs 19:14 = Isa 37:14 compare 2Chr 32:17; 2Kgs 20:12 = Isa 39:1 = written decree for publication Esth 1:22; Esth 3:13; Esth 8:5; Esth 9:20; Esth 9:25; Esth 9:30 ( = ‎אִגֶּרֶת‎ vEsth 9:25 vEsth 9:29, see above), compare ‎וַיִּשְׁלַח‎ ‎סְפָרִים בְּיִד הָרָצִים בַּסּוּסִים רֹכְבֵי הָרֶכֶשׁ‎ Esth 8:10. — [‎׳‎‎כָּתַב ס‎ 2Sam 11:15; 1Kgs 21:8; 2Kgs 10:1; 2Kgs 10:6; 2Chr 32:17 ‎׳‎‎כָּתַב בַּסּ‎ (of specific contents) 2Sam 11:15; 1Kgs 21:9; 1Kgs 21:11 ‎קָרָא‎ ‎׳‎‎אֶתהַֿסּ‎ 2Kgs 5:7 read the letter]. —
b. from prophet Jer 29:1, other influential persons vJer 29:25 vJer 29:29 .

2. legal document, ‎כְּרִיתֻת‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ certificate of divorce Deut 24:1; Deut 24:3 and (figurative) Jer 3:8; Isa 50:1 ‎הַמִּקְנָה‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ deed of purchase Jer 32:11; Jer 32:12 (strike out article), vJer 32:12 vJer 32:14 vJer 32:16, compare ‎׳‎‎בַּסּ‎ vJer 32:10, ‎הַסְּפָרִים‎ vJer 32:14 (si vera lectio; strike out ᵐ5 Gie compare Gf), ‎סֵפֶר‎ vJer 32:16b; vJer 32:44 ‎׳‎‎ס‎ = indictment Job 31:35 (object of ‎כָּתַב‎; ‎׳‎‎כָּתַב בְּ‎ = sign Jer 32:10; Jer 32:12; Jer 32:44).

3. book, or scroll, in which something is written to preserve it for future use Exod 17:14 (E), Josh 18:9 (JE), 1Sam 10:25; Isa 30:8; Job 19:23 +; in form of roll, compare ‎וְנָגֹ֫לוּ כַּסֵּפֶר הַשָּׁמַיִם‎ Isa 34:4, ‎הֶחָתוּם‎ ‎׳‎‎הַסּ‎ Isa 29:11; Isa 29:12 (see Jer 36, etc., below); particular:
a. book of prophecies Jer 25:13; Jer 30:2 + 6 t. Jer 36; Dan 12:4 ‎חֲזוֺן נַחוּם‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Nah 1:1 ‎׳‎‎סֵפֶר י‎ Isa 34:4 so ‎מְגִלַּת סֵפֶר‎ Jer 36:2; Jer 36:4 (= ‎מְגִלָּה‎ vJer 36:6 + 6 t.; with many columns, ‎דְּלָתוֺת‎ vJer 36:23), Ezek 2:9, compare Ps 40:8*.
b. geneal. register, ‎׳‎‎ס‎ ‎תּוֺלְדוֺת‎ Gen 5:1 (P), ‎הַיַּ֫חַשׂ‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Neh 7:5.
c. law-book, ‎הַבְּרִית‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Exod 24:7 (E), 2Kgs 23:2 = 2Chr 34:30; 2Kgs 23:21 ‎הַתּוֺרָה‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Deut 28:61; Deut 29:20*; Deut 30:10; Deut 31:26; Deut 8:34 (all D), 2Kgs 22:8 = 2Chr 34:15; 2Kgs 22:11; Neh 8:3 ‎תּוֺרַת אֱלֹהִים‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Josh 24:26 (E), Neh 8:8 (reading ‎תּוֺרַת‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎, so ᵐ5, compare Talmud^{Nedarim 37 b}), vNeh 8:18; Neh 9:3 ‎׳‎‎תּוֺרַת י‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 2Chr 17:9; 2Chr 34:14 ‎תּוֺרַת משֶׁה‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Josh 8:31; Josh 23:6 (both D), 2Kgs 14:6; Neh 8:1 ‎משֶׁה‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 2Chr 25:4; 2Chr 35:12; Neh 13:1.
d. book of poems, ‎׳‎‎מִלְחֲמֹת י‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Num 21:14 (JE), ‎הַיָּשָׁר‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Josh 10:13 (JE), 2Sam 1:18.
e. book concerned with kings, ‎דֵּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 1Kgs 11:41, and especially ‎׳‎‎דּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי וגו‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 1Kgs 14:19; 1Kgs 14:29 + 31 t. Kings (18 t. of Israel, 15 t. of Judah), compare Esth 10:2 (of Media and Persia); also ‎דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לַמֶּלֶךְ‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ ‎דָּוִיד‎ 1Chr 27:24 (reading ‎׳‎‎ס‎ for ‎מִסְפָּד‎, ᵐ5 Kit^Hpt); ‎הַמְּלָכִים לִיהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 2Chr 16:11 ‎מַלְכֵי‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ ‎׳‎‎יְהוּדָה וְיִשׁ‎ 2Chr 25:26; 2Chr 28:26; 2Chr 32:32 ‎וִיהוּדָה‎ ‎׳‎‎יִשׂ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 2Chr 27:7; 2Chr 35:27; 2Chr 36:8 ‎׳‎‎יִשׂ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 1Chr 9:1; 2Chr 20:34 ‎׳‎‎הָמְּלָכִים מִדְרַשׁ ס‎ 2Chr 24:27 also ‎דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Neh 12:23; Esth 2:23 ‎הַזִּכְרֹנוֺת דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Esth 6:1. feminine once ‎בַּסְּפָרִים‎ Dan 9:2 by means of the Scriptures (canonical books) compare Ew Meinh Bev Marti^Kau.
g. God's record-book, Ps 139:16, ‎זִכָּרוֺן‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Mal 3:16 God's register of living, Exod 32:32; Exod 32:33 (E), ‎חַיִּים‎ ‎׳‎‎ס‎ Ps 69:29* ‎׳‎‎הַסּ‎ Dan 12:1 (citizens of Messianic kingdom).

4. ‎׳‎‎ס‎ = book-learning, especially writing: ‎יָדַע (הַ) סֵּפֶר‎ Isa 29:11; Isa 29:12 (twice in verse) (of abilityto read); so ‎לְלַמְּדָם סֵפֶר וּלְשׁוֺן‎ ‎כַּשְׂדִּים‎ Dan 1:4 to teach them the writing and speech of the Chaldeans (on construction see Ges^{«GKC:128a»§ 128a}); more generally ‎וְחָכְמָה‎ ‎׳‎‎הַשְׂכִּיל בְּכָלסֿ‎ vDan 1:17. — [‎סֵפֶר‎ book is joined with verbs thus: it is written (‎יִכָּפֶב‎) Mal 3:16 a thing is written ‎׳‎‎בַּסּ‎ Exod 17:14 + 20 t., ‎׳‎‎עַלסֿ‎ 2Sam 1:18 + 50 t. ( + Jer 36:32 ‎בַדְּיוֺ‎ with ink vJer 36:18), ‎׳‎‎אֶלסֿ‎ Jer 30:2; Jer 51:60 conversely ‎׳‎‎דָּרַשׁ מֵעַל ס‎ Isa 34:16, ‎׳‎‎שָׁמַע מֵעַל ס‎ Jer 36:11 see also ‎וְיֻחָ֑קוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎בַּסּ‎ Job 19:23 inscribe in a book, ‎חֻקָּהּ‎ ‎׳‎‎עָלסֿ‎ Isa 30:8 (|| ‎כָּתְבָהּ עַללֿוּחַ‎); ‎׳‎‎מָחָה מִסּ‎ blot out of a book Exod 32:32; Exod 32:33; Ps 69:29* ‎׳‎‎קָרָא אֶתהַֿסּ‎ Jer 51:63 read the book, scroll, but usually ‎׳‎‎קָרָא בְס‎ Jer 36:8; Jer 36:10; Jer 36:13; Neh 8:8; Neh 8:18; Neh 9:3; Neh 13:1]. — ‎׳‎‎ס‎ in ‎׳‎‎קִרְיַת ס‎, see ‎׳‎‎ק‎

Also see: סְפֹרָה

[‎סִפְרָה‎] noun feminine book; — suffix ‎הֲלאֹ בְּסִפְרָתֶ֑ךָ‎ Ps 56:9* (compare ‎סֵפֶר‎ 3 g); strike out as gloss Bi Che Hup-Now Du. — compare also [‎סְפֹרָה‎] below

Brown-Driver-Briggs References