אֲלָפִים֙
𐤀𐤋𐤐𐤉𐤌
alafim
thousands
prop, the same as אֶלֶף; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand; thousand.
Exodus 18:21 · Word #16
Lexicon H505
| Lemma | אֶלֶף |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤀𐤋𐤐 |
| Transliteration | ʼeleph |
| Strong's | H505 |
| In-context | thousands |
Morphology HAcbpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | A — Adjective — Describes a noun |
| Subtype | c — Cardinal Number — Cardinal number |
| Gender | b — Both — Both (masculine and feminine) |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
SIBI-P1 H505-02
thousands
| Root | אלף (ʾ-l-p) |
| Core Meanings | ox, cattle, clan-unit, thousand, group |
| Semantic Range | a thousand (numerical), large indefinite number, clan or tribal subdivision, military contingent, group associated with cattle or property |
| Conceptual Significance | In the Hebrew Bible, אֶלֶף functions both as a precise number and as a social unit (clan or military division), reflecting Israel’s tribal organization. Its dual sense bridges numerical counting and covenantal community structure, often conveying magnitude, blessing, or military strength. |
| Morphological Notes | Masculine plural absolute noun (common noun), from אֶלֶף (ʼeleph). No pronominal suffix; simple plural form. |
| Rendering Rationale | The form אֲלָפִים is a masculine plural absolute noun from אֶלֶף, meaning "thousand" or a large clan-unit. Rendering it as "thousands" preserves the plural number indicated by the morphology (masculine plural absolute) and reflects the word’s development from a concrete clan or cattle-group into a standard numerical unit. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root אלף (ox, cattle, clan-unit, thousand, group)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H506-01 |
alaf | a thousand |
H504-01 |
alafeykha | your clan-thousands |
H505-01 |
alafim | thousands |
Word Usage (507 occurrences of H505)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis 20:16 | אֶ֤לֶף | elef | a thousand |
| Genesis 24:60 | לְ/אַלְפֵ֣י | lealefey | thousands of |
| Exodus 12:37 | אֶ֧לֶף | elef | thousand |