סָפַר
çâphar · saw-far'
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
Lexicon
Derivation: a primitive root;
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
- 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
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: commune, (ac-) count; declare, number, [phrase] penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
Letters
- סSamekh60
Picture: a prop or pillar
- Concrete
- pillar · prop · thorn
- Extended
- to support · to uphold · to turn around · to be trusted
- פPe80
Picture: an open mouth
- Concrete
- mouth · lips · teeth
- Extended
- to speak · a word · an edge or opening · to scatter speech
- רResh200
Picture: a human head
- Concrete
- head · face · person
- Extended
- first · top · beginning · chief · the highest
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
to support and uphold › to speak, the word › the head, the highest
To support and uphold that works to speak, the word of the head, the highest.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of סָפַר above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
159 occurrences · 159 OT · 0 NT · 116 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- the scribe31 · 36%
- told7 · 8%
- declare5 · 6%
- scribe5 · 6%
- and told4 · 5%
- scribes3 · 3%
- and declare3 · 3%
- i will declare3 · 3%
- tell2 · 2%
- and they told2 · 2%
- have told2 · 2%
- and he told2 · 2%
- was scribe2 · 2%
- of the scribes2 · 2%
- to number2 · 2%
- and i will declare2 · 2%
- and tell2 · 2%
- then he shall number1 · 1%
- and that thou mayest tell1 · 1%
- may be declared1 · 1%
- numbering1 · 1%
- and we told1 · 1%
- tell me1 · 1%
- which cannot be numbered1 · 1%
- that it shall not be numbered1 · 1%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.