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אֵבֶר

𐤀𐤁𐤓

ʼêber

H83 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ע-ב-ר to pass over, cross, move beyond

Definition

A large feather or pinion, specifically referring to the principal wing or wing-feather of a bird, and by extension, the whole wing as a symbol or instrument of flight or protection. In poetic or figurative usage, may denote the visual or dynamic aspect of bird's wings in motion, or, less commonly, serve symbolically to evoke concepts of protection, swiftness, or expansiveness.

Semantic Range

pinion (major wing feather), whole wing (especially of large birds), wings as instruments of flight or protection, metaphorical extension to protection or swiftness

Root / Etymology

From the root עבר (ayin-bet-resh), meaning 'to pass over, cross, move beyond.' The noun אֵבֶר derives from this root, with the original sense likely referencing that which 'passes over' or 'covers'; that is, the wing as something that crosses or spreads over an area.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical texts, אֵבֶר is typically employed to describe the wings of birds of prey or other large birds, often in contexts underlining strength, breadth, or protective capacity (e.g., Deut 32:11; Job 39:13, 26; Ps 55:7). The word is poetic and less commonly used in prose, where כנף (kanaph) serves as the more general term for 'wing.' While כנף almost always indicates the wing or extremity of an animal or garment, אֵבֶר emphasizes the key flight feathers or the expressive, dynamic feature of a bird’s wing. In later Hebrew and Jewish literary tradition, other terms become standard for 'wing,' but אֵבֶר remains in poetic, metrical, or literary usage. English translations often render אֵבֶר simply as 'wing,' but this can obscure its particular reference to the pinion or major feathering, thus missing the nuance of power, movement, or coverage that the term can evoke in context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָבַר; a pinion; (long-) wing(-ed).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עבר (ʿ-b-r) — to pass over, to cross, to go beyond

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4569 מַעֲבָר the crossing-places
H5668 עָבוּר for the sake of
H5669 עָבוּר from carried-over grain of
H5674 עָבַר I will cause to pass over
H5675 עֲבַר he crossed over

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H83-01 אֵ֖בֶר ever HNcmsa wing region across 2
H83-02 הָ/אֵ֔בֶר haever HTd/Ncmsa of-pinions the great wing 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H83-01 Isaiah 40:31 אֵ֖בֶר ever HNcmsa with wings region across
H83-02 Ezekiel 17:3 הָ/אֵ֔בֶר haever HTd/Ncmsa of-pinions the great wing
H83-01 Psalms 55:7 אֵ֭בֶר ever HNcmsa wing region across
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