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אַף

𐤀𐤐

ʼaph

H639 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אף nose, nostril, to be angry

Definition

The anatomical nose or nostril; by extension, the face or countenance—often used metonymically for a person or as a synecdoche for the presence of someone. Further, by association with the visible sign of rapid breathing or flaring nostrils in emotion, it denotes anger or wrath. In figurative usage, refers to the state of being angry or indignant, particularly as it relates to the manifestation of emotion in facial expression or bearing.

Semantic Range

nose, nostril, face, countenance, presence, anger, wrath, state of indignation, person

Root / Etymology

Root: אָנַף (ʼanaph), meaning 'to be angry,' originally relating to the nose as the seat of angry breathing or flaring. אַף is the nominal form directly tied to this conceptual metaphor—the visible, physical feature (nose) becomes a stand-in for the internal emotion.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite texts, אַף primarily denotes the physical nose or nostril, often as an index of life and breath, particularly in poetic or descriptive passages. Over time, its usage expands into the figurative domain, denoting anger or wrath, reflecting the anthropological association of emotion with physical manifestation (e.g., 'his nose burned' for 'he was angry'). In narrative and legal texts, it can signify the countenance or presence of an individual or deity, sometimes standing for personhood itself. In later biblical books and post-exilic writings, אַף is particularly prominent as a term for divine wrath, often paired with other terms such as חֵמָה (anger) or קֶצֶף (rage) for rhetorical intensity. The translation 'anger' can sometimes obscure the physical and metaphorical imagery originally invoked by the word, especially in anthropomorphic depictions of YHWH. Modern English translations typically standardize as 'anger,' 'wrath,' 'nose,' or 'face,' but the original audience would have recognized the interplay between physical expression and emotional state.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָנַף; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire; anger(-gry), [phrase] before, countenance, face, [phrase] forebearing, forehead, [phrase] (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, [idiom] worthy, wrath.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אף (ʾ-p̄) — nose, nostril, anger

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H600 אֲנַף his face
H637 אַף indeed
H638 אַף and even
H649 אַפַּיִם two nostrils

Word Forms

35 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H639-01 אַף af HTa anger nose 72
H639-12 אַפּֽ/וֹ apo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his anger his nose 50
H639-04 אַפַּ֖יִם apayim HNcmda to anger nostrils 27
H639-11 אַפִּ֔/י api HNcmsc/Sp1cs my anger my nose 20
H639-06 אַפְּ/ךָ֖ apekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your anger your nose 19
H639-16 בְּ/אַפִּ֔/י beapi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs in my anger in my anger 11
H639-17 בְּ/אַפּ֖/וֹ beapo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his anger in his nose 11
H639-13 בְּ/אַ֥ף beaf HR/Ncmsa in anger in anger 9
H639-34 בְ/אַפִּ֔/י veapi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs in my anger my nose 6
H639-15 בְּ/אַפֶּ֔/ךָ beapekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms in your anger in your nose 6

Occurrences in Scripture

276 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H639-14 Genesis 2:7 בְּ/אַפָּ֖י/ו beapayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms into his nostrils in his nostrils
H639-09 Genesis 3:19 אַפֶּ֨י/ךָ֙ apeykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms of your face your nostrils
H639-14 Genesis 7:22 בְּ/אַפָּ֗י/ו beapayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms in its nostrils in his nostrils
H639-04 Genesis 19:1 אַפַּ֖יִם apayim HNcmda with his face nostrils
H639-02 Genesis 24:47 אַפָּ֔/הּ apah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her nose her nose
H639-01 Genesis 27:45 אַף af HTa anger nose
H639-01 Genesis 30:2 אַ֥ף af HTa anger nose
H639-12 Genesis 39:19 אַפּֽ/וֹ apo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his wrath his nose
H639-04 Genesis 42:6 אַפַּ֖יִם apayim HNcmda faces nostrils
H639-06 Genesis 44:18 אַפְּ/ךָ֖ apekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your anger your nose
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