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אֶפֶס

𐤀𐤐𐤎

ʼepheç

H657 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A limit, end, or extremity; in various contexts, can denote a boundary (geographical or abstract), a point of cessation, or nonexistence. Used often as a negative particle or adverbial expression (e.g., nothing, none, only) to indicate the absence of something or the idea of exclusivity ('none besides'). Can also refer, in the dual form, to the ankle, as the extremity of the leg.

Semantic Range

end, limit, boundary, extremity (esp. anatomical: ankle); nothing, nonexistence, absence, zero; exclusion, only, none besides, except, save, nevertheless

Root / Etymology

From the root אָפֵס (ʼāpēs), meaning 'to end, cease to exist.' The nominal form אֶפֶס (ʼepheṣ) derives from this root and conveys the sense of limit, absence, or boundary. The sense relating to the ankle arises from the notion of the body's extremity or limit.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, אֶפֶס functions both as a noun ('end,' 'extremity,' or 'nothingness'), and as an adverb or particle of exclusion ('none besides me'). This sense of exclusivity is especially prominent in Deuteronomistic and prophetic literature where it underscores the uniqueness or singularity of a deity or entity by denying the existence or reality of alternatives (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 45:6). As a negation or negative adverb, it carries the force of 'there is not' or 'nothing exists except.' The dual form is attested primarily in anatomical contexts to signify 'ankles' (extremities of the leg, e.g., 2 Samuel 22:37). Its negative or privative uses overlap with, but are distinct from, terms like אַיִן (ayin, 'there is not') and בִּלְתִּי (bilti, 'except, without'). In post-biblical and Modern Hebrew, אֶפֶס retains the sense of 'zero' or 'nothing.' English translations often collapse the nuanced senses into 'nothing,' 'only,' or 'end,' but this can obscure the richer range of meaning in the original contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "end" 17 occurrences

The primary, concrete meaning of אֶפֶס is a limit or extremity (end/boundary/ankle), and the most frequent English renderings are forms of “end/ends.” Choosing “end” preserves the core spatial/limital sense naturally and allows consistent inflection across occurrences; the secondary senses of absence/exclusion can be conveyed by context and surrounding function words while keeping the same base lexical item.

Alternatives (27 occurrences):
"none" (6x) "nothing" (3x) "nevertheless" (2x) "however" (2x) "none besides" (2x) "absence of" (2x) "only" (1x) "there none" (1x) "like nonexistence" (1x) "besides" (1x) "there is none besides" (1x) "without cause" (1x) "extremities of" (1x) "ankles" (1x) "lack of" (1x) "without" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָפֵס; (sometimes like פָּעַל); cessation, i.e. an end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further; also the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot; ankle, but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless (where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without (cause).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אפס (ʼepheç) — to end, cease to exist, reach a limit

Root אפס to end, cease to exist, reach a limit

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H657-03 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of 12
H657-05 אֶ֗פֶס efes HNcmsa besides end-limit end 11
H657-13 וְ/אֶ֤פֶס veefes HC/Ncmsa and none and nonexistence and none 5
H657-04 בְּ/אֶ֥פֶס beefes HR/Ncmsa for lack of at the limit for lack of 3
H657-12 וְ/אַפְסִ֣/י veafesi HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs and none besides me and my limit and none besides me 3
H657-01 אָ֑פֶס afes HNcmsa None he has ceased none 2
H657-11 וּ/בְ/אֶ֥פֶס uveefes HC/R/Ncmsc and in absence and in absence-of and in absence of 2
H657-02 אָפְסָֽיִם afesayim HNcmda ankle-deep leg extremities ankles 1
H657-06 הַ/אֶ֨פֶס haefes HTi/Ncmsa Is there not the limit is there none 1
H657-07 לְ/אַפְסֵ֖י leafesey HR/Ncmpc to-ends-of to extremities of to the ends of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

44 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H657-05 Numbers 13:28 אֶ֚פֶס efes HNcmsa Nevertheless end-limit nevertheless
H657-13 Numbers 22:35 וְ/אֶ֗פֶס veefes HC/Ncmsa but only and nonexistence but only
H657-05 Numbers 23:13 אֶ֚פֶס efes HNcmsa only end-limit end
H657-05 Deuteronomy 15:4 אֶ֕פֶס efes HNcmsa save end-limit however
H657-13 Deuteronomy 32:36 וְ/אֶ֖פֶס veefes HC/Ncmsa and none and nonexistence and none
H657-03 Deuteronomy 33:17 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends extremities of ends of
H657-05 Judges 4:9 אֶ֚פֶס efes HNcmsa nevertheless end-limit nevertheless
H657-03 1 Samuel 2:10 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of
H657-06 2 Samuel 9:3 הַ/אֶ֨פֶס haefes HTi/Ncmsa Is there not the limit is there none
H657-05 2 Samuel 12:14 אֶ֗פֶס efes HNcmsa However end-limit however
H657-13 2 Kings 14:26 וְ/אֶ֤פֶס veefes HC/Ncmsa and none and nonexistence and none
H657-13 2 Kings 14:26 וְ/אֶ֣פֶס veefes-2 HC/Ncmsa nor and nonexistence and none
H657-05 Isaiah 5:8 אֶ֣פֶס efes HNcmsc no end-limit no end
H657-01 Isaiah 34:12 אָֽפֶס afes HNcmsa nothing he has ceased nothing
H657-09 Isaiah 40:17 מֵ/אֶ֥פֶס meefes HR/Ncmsa less than nothing end, limit from nothing
H657-10 Isaiah 41:12 וּ/כְ/אֶ֖פֶס ukheefes HC/R/Ncmsa and as non-existence as nonexistence and like nonexistence
H657-05 Isaiah 41:29 אֶ֖פֶס efes HNcmsa nothing end-limit nothing
H657-05 Isaiah 45:6 אֶ֖פֶס efes HNcmsa none end-limit none
H657-05 Isaiah 45:14 אֶ֥פֶס efes HNcmsc besides end-limit besides
H657-03 Isaiah 45:22 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends extremities of ends of
H657-13 Isaiah 46:9 וְ/אֶ֥פֶס veefes HC/Ncmsa and none and nonexistence and none
H657-12 Isaiah 47:8 וְ/אַפְסִ֣/י veafesi HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs and none besides me and my limit and none besides me
H657-12 Isaiah 47:10 וְ/אַפְסִ֥/י veafesi HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs and none besides me and my limit and there is none besides me
H657-04 Isaiah 52:4 בְּ/אֶ֥פֶס beefes HR/Ncmsa without cause at the limit without cause
H657-03 Isaiah 52:10 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of
H657-05 Isaiah 54:15 אֶ֖פֶס efes HNcmsa not end-limit end
H657-08 Jeremiah 16:19 מֵֽ/אַפְסֵי meafesey HR/D from-ends-of from the extremities of from the extremities of
H657-02 Ezekiel 47:3 אָפְסָֽיִם afesayim HNcmda ankle-deep leg extremities ankles
H657-01 Amos 6:10 אָ֑פֶס afes HNcmsa None he has ceased none
H657-05 Amos 9:8 אֶ֗פֶס efes HNcmsa except that end-limit end
H657-03 Micah 5:3 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends-of extremities of ends of
H657-12 Zephaniah 2:15 וְ/אַפְסִ֣/י veafesi HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs and none besides me and my limit and none besides me
H657-03 Zechariah 9:10 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc the ends of extremities of ends of
H657-03 Psalms 2:8 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of
H657-03 Psalms 22:28 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of
H657-07 Psalms 59:14 לְ/אַפְסֵ֖י leafesey HR/Ncmpc to-ends-of to extremities of to the ends of
H657-03 Psalms 67:8 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of
H657-03 Psalms 72:8 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc ends of extremities of ends of
H657-03 Psalms 98:3 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc the ends extremities of ends of
H657-11 Proverbs 14:28 וּ/בְ/אֶ֥פֶס uveefes HC/R/Ncmsc but in the lack and in absence-of but in the absence of
H657-04 Proverbs 26:20 בְּ/אֶ֣פֶס beefes HR/Ncmsc for lack of at the limit for lack of
H657-03 Proverbs 30:4 אַפְסֵי afesey HNcmpc the ends extremities of ends of
H657-04 Job 7:6 בְּ/אֶ֣פֶס beefes HR/Ncmsc without at the limit without
H657-11 Daniel 8:25 וּ/בְ/אֶ֥פֶס uveefes HC/R/Ncmsc and in absence and in absence-of and in absence of
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