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אֵפֶר

𐤀𐤐𐤓

ʼêpher

H665 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אפר to scatter, to strew, to cover (with dust or ashes)

Definition

Finely powdered residue remaining after the complete burning or combustion of organic material, especially wood, bones, or sacrifices. In ritual contexts, it refers to the material left on an altar after an offering is consumed by fire, or, metaphorically, to the condition of deep mourning or humiliation (e.g., sitting in ashes or referring to oneself as 'dust and ashes').

Semantic Range

ashes (remnant of fire), burned remains, powder from burning, symbol of mourning, symbol of humiliation, metaphor for mortality

Root / Etymology

The root is traditionally associated with a hypothesized root אפר meaning 'to strew, scatter' or 'to cover with dust/ashes.' However, this root does not otherwise appear as a verb in Biblical Hebrew, making the precise derivation uncertain. The noun אֵפֶר has no clear expanded family of words in Hebrew but is likely related to the Akkadian epēru (to cover with dust, to strew).

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֵפֶר is most commonly used in descriptions of the residue from burnt offerings in priestly and ritual contexts (Leviticus, Numbers), as well as in laments and idioms for mourning (e.g., Job 2:8, sitting in ashes). In poetry and wisdom literature, it is a metaphor for human mortality and humility, juxtaposed with 'dust' (עָפָר), but distinct in emphasizing the result of incineration. The Septuagint and later translations uniformly render it as 'ashes,' but English translations sometimes fail to distinguish between אֵפֶר (ashes from burning) and עָפָר (dust, soil, loose earth), the latter referring to unburned soil or ground. In contrast, Aramaic פּוּרָא (purāʾ) also denotes 'ash.' In later Second Temple and rabbinic literature, 'ashes' (אפר) acquires additional ritual and legal significance, especially concerning the red heifer purification rites. The word never designates a specific ethnic group or religious practitioner but appears exclusively for the material or metaphorical state.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to bestrew; ashes; ashes.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אפר (ʾ-p-r) — scatter, strew, cover with dust or ashes

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H666 אֲפֵר ornate headwrap

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H665-02 אֵ֣פֶר efer HNcmsc ashes ashes-of 8
H665-06 וָ/אֵֽפֶר vaefer HC/Ncmsa and ashes ashes 8
H665-03 הָ/אֵֽפֶר haefer HTd/Ncmsa ashes the ash-remains 2
H665-01 בָּ/אֵ֖פֶר baefer HRd/Ncmsa in ashes in the ashes 2
H665-04 כָּ/אֵ֥פֶר kaefer HRd/Ncmsa like ashes ashes 1
H665-05 לְ/אֵ֨פֶר֙ leefer HR/Ncmsa to ashes to ashes 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H665-06 Genesis 18:27 וָ/אֵֽפֶר vaefer HC/Ncmsa and ashes ashes
H665-02 Numbers 19:9 אֵ֣פֶר efer HNcmsc ashes ashes-of
H665-02 Numbers 19:10 אֵ֤פֶר efer HNcmsc ashes ashes-of
H665-02 2 Samuel 13:19 אֵ֨פֶר֙ efer HNcmsa ashes ashes-of
H665-02 Isaiah 44:20 אֵ֔פֶר efer HNcmsa on ashes ashes-of
H665-06 Isaiah 58:5 וָ/אֵ֨פֶר֙ vaefer HC/Ncmsa and ashes ashes
H665-02 Isaiah 61:3 אֵ֗פֶר efer HNcmsa ashes ashes-of
H665-06 Jeremiah 6:26 בָ/אֵ֔פֶר vaefer HRd/Ncmsa in ashes ashes
H665-01 Ezekiel 27:30 בָּ/אֵ֖פֶר baefer HRd/Ncmsa in-ashes in the ashes
H665-05 Ezekiel 28:18 לְ/אֵ֨פֶר֙ leefer HR/Ncmsa to ashes to ashes
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