אֶלֶף
𐤀𐤋𐤐
ʼeleph
H505 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
A grouping or total of one thousand units or individuals, frequently used to designate a large, often literal, number or to indicate a military or tribal unit of considerable size. The word can also refer to a group, clan, or subdivision within a tribe, particularly in social or military contexts. Less commonly, may denote a 'clan' or 'family division' within Israelite society.
Semantic Range
one thousand (literal number), large quantity, military division or company, clan or family group, grouping of cattle (rare)
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root אלף, which carries the core idea of 'to learn, be familiar, associate, lead.' The nominal form אֶלֶף likely originated in reference to a herd or association (possibly of cattle or people). Its development includes use as a numerical value ('thousand') and as a term for a kin or military group. The use of 'ox' as root meaning comes from the pictograph aleph, but this is not lexically primary here.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the earliest biblical narratives (e.g., the Pentateuch), אֶלֶף most often denotes the number one thousand, which could refer to a literal tally or to a substantial but potentially generalized amount. In military or tribal lists (notably in Numbers and Joshua), the term can denote a subdivision within a tribe or clan, often interpreted as a military company or family group. This sense is debated; some scholarship suggests flexibility between 'thousand' and 'clan,' with interpretation depending on context—especially where population numbers in ancient Israel appear symbolically large. Later, in post-exilic and Second Temple texts, the term is used in straightforwardly numerical senses. English translations reliably render the numerical meaning, but may obscure more nuanced tribal or social senses. The word is distinct from פָּר (par, 'bull/ox') and מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah, 'family/clan'), though it overlaps in certain administrative contexts. The letter aleph (א) was originally represented by an ox-head pictograph, but the link between 'ox' and 'thousand' is historical only in script development, not in lexical meaning of אֶלֶף.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
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.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אלף (ʾ-l-p) — to associate, to become familiar, to train, to lead
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H441 | אַלּוּף | clan chief |
| H502 | אָלַף | the one training us |
| H503 | אָלַף | causing to multiply by thousands (feminine plural) |
| H504 | אֶלֶף | your clans |
| H506 | אֲלַף | one thousand |
Word Forms
28 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H505-08 |
אֶ֤לֶף | elef | HAcbsa |
thousand | thousand-unit | 221 |
H505-01 |
אֲלָפִים֙ | alafim | HAcbpa |
thousand | thousands | 119 |
H505-02 |
אָֽלֶף | alef | HAcbsa |
thousand | thousand-group | 65 |
H505-04 |
אַלְפַּ֕יִם | alepayim | HAcbpa |
two thousand | two thousand | 28 |
H505-09 |
הָ/אֲלָפִים֙ | haalafim | HTd/Acbpa |
the thousands | the thousands | 14 |
H505-03 |
אַלְפֵ֖י | alefey | HAcbpc |
thousand | thousands of | 12 |
H505-26 |
וְ/אֶלֶף֩ | veelef | HC/Acbsa |
and a thousand | and a thousand-group | 8 |
H505-14 |
לַ/אֲלָפִ֑ים | laalafim | HR/Acbpa |
to thousands | to thousands | 4 |
H505-18 |
לְ/אֶ֥לֶף | leelef | HR/Acbsa |
for a thousand | to a thousand-group | 3 |
H505-17 |
לְ/אַלְפֵ֣י | lealefey | HR/Acbpc |
for thousands | to thousands of | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
507 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H505-08 |
Genesis 20:16 | אֶ֤לֶף | elef | HAcbsa |
a thousand | thousand-unit |
H505-17 |
Genesis 24:60 | לְ/אַלְפֵ֣י | lealefey | HR/Acbpc |
thousands of | to thousands of |
H505-08 |
Exodus 12:37 | אֶ֧לֶף | elef | HAcbsa |
thousand | thousand-unit |
H505-01 |
Exodus 18:21 | אֲלָפִים֙ | alafim | HAcbpa |
thousands | thousands |
H505-01 |
Exodus 18:25 | אֲלָפִים֙ | alafim | HAcbpa |
thousands | thousands |
H505-14 |
Exodus 20:6 | לַ/אֲלָפִ֑ים | laalafim | HR/Acbpa |
to thousands | to thousands |
H505-03 |
Exodus 32:28 | אַלְפֵ֖י | alefey | HAcbpc |
thousand | thousands of |
H505-14 |
Exodus 34:7 | לָ/אֲלָפִ֔ים | laalafim | HRd/Acbpa |
for thousands | to thousands |
H505-26 |
Exodus 38:25 | וְ/אֶלֶף֩ | veelef | HC/Acbsa |
and a thousand | and a thousand-group |
H505-08 |
Exodus 38:26 | אֶ֨לֶף֙ | elef | HAcbsa |
thousand | thousand-unit |