אֶפֶס דַּמִּים
𐤀𐤐𐤎 𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤌
Efes Damim
H658 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating a specific location: 'Ephes-Dammim', literally 'edge of blood' or 'boundary of blood.' Refers to a place identified as a border area notable for prior bloodshed or conflict. In biblical texts, it denoted a specific site in the territory of Judah associated with the encampment of opposing Israelite and Philistine forces.
Semantic Range
proper place name (Ephes-Dammim), boundary marked by or associated with bloodshed, border region known for violence or past battles
Root / Etymology
Compound term from the noun אֶפֶס (ʼepheṣ, 'end,' 'extremity,' or 'border') and the plural noun דַּמִּים (dammîm, 'bloods,' plural of דָּם dam, 'blood'). The construction suggests 'border of blood' or 'boundary of bloodshed.' The meaning likely alludes to the area's history or reputation as a place of conflict and violence. The root of אֶפֶס is אפס ('to cease, be at an end'), and דָּם derives from דמם ('to be red, to bleed,' semantically associated with blood).
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name 'Ephes-Dammim' appears in Joshua 15:41 and 1 Samuel 17:1 as the site where Philistines and Israelites prepared for battle, famously associated with the David and Goliath narrative. Its name indicates a borderland with a remembered connection to violence or battles. Some translations render the name as 'Boundary of Bloodshed' or transliterate it. In earlier Israelite usage, the name would evoke historical or legendary violence associated with the site, underscoring its significance as a contested area between Israelites and Philistines. The location's precise identification remains uncertain, though it is placed in the Shephelah region of Judahite territory. English translations often preserve the transliterated form, which obscures the name's literal meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אֶפֶס and the plural of דָּם; boundary of blood-drops; Ephes-Dammim, a place in Palestine; Ephes-dammim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אפס, דמם (ʾ-p-s; d-m-m) — end, extremity, boundary; blood, bloodshed
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H658-02 |
דַּמִּֽים | damim | HNp |
Dammim | bloods | 1 |
H658-01 |
בְּ/אֶ֥פֶס | beefes | HR/Np |
at Ephes | in Boundary-of-Blood | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H658-01 |
1 Samuel 17:1 | בְּ/אֶ֥פֶס | beefes | HR/Np |
at Ephes | in Boundary-of-Blood |
H658-02 |
1 Samuel 17:1 | דַּמִּֽים | damim | HNp |
Dammim | bloods |