Lexical Summary
saphar: To count, recount, relate, declare, tell
Original Word:סָפַר
Part of Speech:verb; noun masculine
Transliteration:caphar
Pronunciation:sah-FAR
Phonetic Spelling:(saw-far')
KJV: commune, (ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer
NASB:tell, count, told, related, counted, declare, numbered
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. (properly) to score with a mark as a tally or record
2. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate
3. intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
commune, account; declare, number, penknife, reckon, scribe, show forth, speak,
A primitive root; properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. Celebrate -- commune, (ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origindenominative verb from
sepherDefinitionto count, recount, relate
NASB Translationassigned (1), count (17), counted (6), counts (2), declare (6), declared (2), elapse (1), measuring (1), number (3), numbered (5), proclaim (1), recount (1), recounted (3), relate (3), related (9), relating (2), speak (1), state (1), surely (1), taken (1), taken account (1), talk (1), tell (23), telling (1), told (15), utter (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
107 ,
(probably ancient denominative from ; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Ethiopic
measure Di404); —
27Perfect3masculine singular2 Samuel 24:10, 2masculine singularPsalm 56:9,Leviticus 25:8, etc.;ImperfectPsalm 87:6 +Job 38:37 where read probably (Bu) for ,Job 31:4, 2Chron 2:1; 2 Chronicles 2:16, suffixEzra 1:8; 2masculine singularJob 39:2,Job 14:16,Deuteronomy 16:9, etc.;Imperative masculine singularGenesis 15:5; masculine plural1 Chronicles 21:2;Psalm 48:13;Infinitive constructGenesis 15:5 2t.;ParticipleIsaiah 33:18 (twice in verse) (see also below); —
count things, to learn their number, with accusative,Genesis 15:5 (twice in verse) (J)2 Samuel 24:10 10t. (+ accusative of congnate meaning with verb 2Chron 2:16); accusative omittedGenesis 41:49 (E); + (dativus commodi [dative of benefit] or ethicus [of interest]),Leviticus 15:13,28;Leviticus 23:15;Leviticus 25:8 (all PH),Deuteronomy 16:9;Ezekiel 44:26;Ezra 1:8;Psalm 87:6;Isaiah 33:8 (absolute),Isaiah 33:18 (but text suspicious, conjectures in Du CheHpt).
number = take account of, carefully observe and consider,reckon:Job 14:16of my steps thou takest account, soJob 31:4; see alsoJob 38:37 (compare above);Psalm 56:9my wandering hast thou reckoned, taken into account (Che reads after ).
Imperfect3masculine singularHosea 2:1 4t.; 3 masculine plural1 Kings 8:5; 2Chronicles 5:6,1 Chronicles 23:3; —be counted, numbered usually with negative, to indicate multitude,Genesis 16:10 (J)it is not to be counted, for multitude, soGenesis 32:13 (J),1 Kings 3:8 ("" ),1 Kings 8:5 (+id.), 2 Chronicles 5:6 (+id.); compareHosea 2:1 (+ ),Jeremiah 33:22 ("" ); positively, only1 Chronicles 23:3.
67Perfect1singularPsalm 119:26,Psalm 119:13; 3pluralJudges 6:13 3t.;Imperfect3masculine singularJob 38:37 +, 1 singularPsalm 22:18 +; cohortativeJob 15:7; 1pluralExodus 10:2, etc.;ImperativeIsaiah 43:26, etc.;Infinitive constructPsalm 50:16 5t.;ParticipleJudges 7:13;2 Kings 8:5; pluralPsalm 19:2;Psalm 78:4; —recount, rehearse, declare:
recount something (accusative) to ( person)Judges 6:13;Judges 7:13;Genesis 24:66 (J),1 Samuel 11:5 18t. (ofrehearsing glorious deeds ofPsalm 44:2;Psalm 73:28;Psalm 78:3;Psalm 78:4;Psalm 79:13); with accusative + localEzekiel 12:16, elsewhere of rehearsing name or praise ofExodus 9:16 (J)Psalm 9:15;Psalm 96:3 =1 Chronicles 16:24;Psalm 102:22;Jeremiah 51:10; with accusative alonePsalm 9:2;Psalm 19:2;Psalm 119:13 (+ instrumental),Psalm 145:6 8t. Psalms +Isaiah 43:21, all of rehearsing praise of ; comparePsalm 40:6they are too great to rehearse with accusative alsoJeremiah 23:28,32;Job 15:17;Job 28:27;Psalm 119:26; accusative omittedIsaiah 43:26, with personGenesis 40:8 (E) + 6 t., with personGenesis 37:10 (E), withExodus 10:2; with (q. v.)Psalm 73:15; withconcerningPsalm 2:7, comparePsalm 69:27 ( Ew Ol Gr Bi Che Baeadd; in that case read ); withconcerning + personJoel 1:3.
apparently, in weakened sense,talkPsalm 59:13;Psalm 64:6 (withconcerning),Psalm 73:15 (with ).
count exactly, accuratelyPsalm 22:18I can count exactly all my bones (in wasted body). —Psalm 40:6 see below
,Job 38:37 read .
be recounted, related, rehearsed: Perfect3masculine singularIsaiah 52:15;Imperfect3masculine singularJob 37:20 (clause as subject), +concerningPsalm 22:31; with localPsalm 88:12; absoluteHabakkuk 1:5.
,Psalm 45:2 (properly participle of ; Aramaic ,
id. compare
doctus, literatus; O Aramaicid., Lzb330 Cook85; Phoenician Lzb330); — absoluteJudges 5:14 +,2 Samuel 8:17 +; construct2 Kings 12:11 2t., +Jeremiah 52:25 (Gie GFM read as ""2 Kings 25:19); plural1 Kings 4:3;Jeremiah 8:8,1 Chronicles 2:55; 1Chron 34:13; constructEsther 3:12;Esther 8:9; —
enumerator, muster-officer in description of leaders of IsraelJudges 5:14.
=secretary2 Samuel 8:17 =2 Samuel 20:25 =1 Chronicles 18:16;2 Kings 18:18,37 =Isaiah 36:3,22; Solomon had two1 Kings 4:3 (in all these distinguished from ); also2 Kings 19:2 =Isaiah 37:2;Jeremiah 36:10,12, compareJeremiah 36:12;Jeremiah 36:20;Jeremiah 36:21,Jeremiah 37:15,20; acting as treasurer and paymaster2 Kings 12:11 2Chronicles 24:11, — compare ZadokNehemiah 13:13; —2 Kings 22:3,8,9,10,12 2Chron 34:15; 34:18; 34:20;1 Chronicles 24:6 (Levite);2 Kings 25:19 =Jeremiah 52:25 (si vera lectio in Kings) implies military authority (but perhaps gloss GFMJudges 5:14); Ew Sta and others read (as Jeremiah)scribe of General.
,secretaries who wrote out (king's) decrees, according toEsther 3:12;Esther 8:9.
2Chronicles 26:11 uses for muster-officer;1 Chronicles 2:55 mentions families of ; 2 Chronicles 34:13 knows as Levites;1 Chronicles 27:32 =man of learning.
learned men, 'scribes' able to read and writeJeremiah 36:26,32; with writing implements,Psalm 45:2,Ezekiel 9:2,3,Jeremiah 36:23; especiallylearned in the law, and assuming to issue its precepts,Jeremiah 8:8.
specifically , at once priest () and learned in the law (),Ezra 7:11, DiEzra 7:11 [compare AramaicEzra 7:12;Ezra 7:21],Ezra 7:6;Nehemiah 8:1,4,9,13;Nehemiah 12:26,36.
Topical Lexicon
Range and DistributionThe root סָפַר occurs roughly one-hundred sixty-one times in the Old Testament, found in Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Nearly half of the appearances come in Psalms and historical narrative; the remainder are scattered through prophetic and wisdom texts. Its semantic field revolves around numbering, recounting, reporting, and proclaiming.
Counting and Enumeration in Covenant Life
1. Population and inheritance. When the Lord promised Abram descendants, He said, “Look to the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to count them” (Genesis 15:5). The same verb is used inGenesis 16:10; 32:12;Exodus 12:37;Numbers 23:10 and elsewhere, anchoring the promise of countless offspring to the nation’s very origin.
2. Festal and liturgical timekeeping.Leviticus 23:15–16 commands Israel to “count for yourselves seven full weeks” from Firstfruits to Pentecost, integrating arithmetic obedience into worship.
3. Royal and military administration. In2 Samuel 24:1–10 David “counted the people,” revealing how numbering without divine warrant could lapse into presumption. The plague that followed became a cautionary tale against self-reliance.
Record Keeping and Scribal Service
From the same verbal root came the noun “scribe” (סֹפֵר) and “book” (סֵפֶר), showing how counting evolved into record keeping. The Chronicler repeatedly mentions royal scribes (for example,2 Chronicles 34:13) whose task was to number the laborers and keep project records. Thus the verb undergirds the biblical ideal of accurate historical transmission.
Recounting God’s Mighty Works
1. Personal testimony. “I will proclaim all Your wonders” (Psalm 9:14).
2. Communal worship. “Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with shouts of joy” (Psalm 107:22).
3. Intergenerational discipleship. “So the next generation would know… and they in turn would tell their children” (Psalm 78:6).
The act of recounting is thus integral to Israel’s memory and identity; every believer is summoned to become a living historian of grace.
Prophetic Declaration
The prophets employ the root to announce judgment and salvation:
• “Declare to My people their rebellion” (Isaiah 58:1).
• “Proclaim it to the ends of the earth: ‘The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!’” (Isaiah 48:20).
Here the verb serves as a divine commission—truth must be numbered out loud.
Wisdom Literature
Job laments, “Who can recount the wonders of the Almighty?” (Job 37:19), whileProverbs 12:23 contrasts the prudent who “conceals knowledge” with fools who “proclaim folly.” Counting words before speaking becomes an ethical mandate.
Messianic and Eschatological Hints
Psalm 22:17 (22:16 in Hebrew numbering) applies the verb in a messianic setting: “I can count all my bones.” InPsalm 40:5 the innumerable works of salvation prefigure the abundance realized in Christ: “Were I to proclaim and declare them, they are more than can be counted.” Revelation echoes this motif by describing a redeemed multitude “that no one could count” (Revelation 7:9), tying the Old Testament promise to its consummation.
Ministry Implications
• Faithful leaders must keep accurate records—of people, gifts, and history—reflecting God’s own precision.
• Public proclamation of Scripture and testimony is not optional; it is woven into the covenant call.
• Discipleship involves teaching believers to “number our days” (Psalm 90:12) so that life is stewarded wisely.
• Evangelism grows from recounting the gospel facts, echoingPsalm 19:1 where even the heavens “declare the glory of God.”
Summary
Whether used for arithmetic, record keeping, or proclamation, סָפַר portrays a people who take stock of God’s gifts and publish His works. The root bridges practical administration and doxological witness, urging every generation to keep accurate accounts of grace and to declare them without omission or exaggeration, until “His righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 111:3).
Forms and Transliterations
אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה אֲסַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃ אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֲסַפְּרָ֣ה אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה אֲסַפֵּ֥ר אֶ֭סְפְּרֵם אספר אספרה אספרם אספרנה׃ הַֽיְסֻפַּר־ הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר הַסֹּפֵ֑ר הַסֹּפֵ֔ר הַסֹּפֵ֖ר הַסֹּפֵ֗ר הַסֹּפֵ֜ר הַסֹּפֵ֡ר הַסֹּפֵר֒ הַסֹּפֵר֙ הַסּוֹפֵ֔ר הַסּוֹפֵ֖ר הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר הַסּוֹפֵ֜ר הַסּוֹפֵֽר׃ הַסּוֹפֵר֙ היספר היספר־ הסופר הסופר׃ הספר וְסָ֥פְרָה וְסָ֨פַר וְסָפַרְתָּ֣ וְסוֹפֵ֖ר וִֽיסַפְּר֖וּ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר וַ֭אֲסַפְּרָה וַֽיְסַפְּר֖וּם וַֽיְסַפְּרָ֑הּ וַֽיְסַפְּרוּם֙ וַֽיִּסְפְּרֵם֙ וַאֲסַפֵּֽרָה׃ וַיְסַ֨פְּרוּ־ וַיְסַפְּרוּ־ וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר וַיְסַפֵּ֤ר וַיְסַפֵּ֥ר וַיְסַפֵּ֧ר וַיְסַפֵּ֨ר וַיְסַפֶּר־ וַיִּסְפֹּ֣ר וַיִּסְפֹּ֨ר וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ֙ וַנְּ֨סַפֶּר־ וַתְּסַפֶּר־ וּ֝לְסַפֵּ֗ר וּנְסַפְּרָ֣ה וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם וּסְפֹר֙ ואספר ואספרה ואספרה׃ ויספר ויספר־ ויספרה ויספרו ויספרו־ ויספרום ויספרם ולספר ונספר־ ונספרה וסופר וספר וספרה וספרת וספרתם ותספר־ יְֽ֭סַפְּרוּ יְסַפְּר֖וּ יְסַפְּר֜וּ יְסַפֵּ֣ר יְסַפֵּ֬ר יְסַפֵּֽרוּ׃ יְסֻפַּ֖ר יְסֻפָּֽר׃ יִ֭סְפֹּר יִסְפְּרוּ־ יִסְפּֽוֹר׃ יִסָּפְר֛וּ יִסָּפֵ֑ר יִסָּפֵ֖ר יִסָּפֵר֙ יספור׃ יספר יספר׃ יספרו יספרו־ יספרו׃ לְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר לְסַפֵּ֣ר לִסְפֹּ֔ר לִסְפֹּ֖ר לִסְפֹּ֣ר לספר מְֽ֭סַפְּרִים מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים מְסַפֵּ֣ר מְסַפֵּ֥ר מִסַּפֵּֽר׃ מספר מספר׃ מספרים נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר נספר סְפַרְתֶּ֑ם סְפָרָ֖ם סִ֝פְּר֗וּ סִ֝פְר֗וּ סִ֭פַּרְתִּי סִפְּרוּ־ סִפְרוּ֙ סִפַּ֑רְתִּי סַפְּר֣וּ סַפְּר֤וּ סַפְּרָה־ סַפְּרוּ־ סַפֵּ֑רוּ סַפֵּ֥ר סָפַ֣ר סָפַ֪רְתָּ֫ה סֹפְרִ֑ים סֹפְרִֽים׃ סֹפְרִים֙ סֹפְרֵ֨י סֹפְרֵֽי־ סֹפֵ֑ר סֹפֵ֞ר סֹפֵ֤ר סֹפֵ֥ר סֹפֵֽר׃ סֹפֵר֙ סֻפַּ֤ר סוֹפְרִ֥ים סוֹפֵ֤ר סוֹפֵ֬ר סוֹפֵֽר׃ סופר סופר׃ סופרים ספר ספר׃ ספרה־ ספרו ספרו־ ספרי ספרי־ ספרים ספרים׃ ספרם ספרתה ספרתי ספרתם תְּ֝סַפְּר֗וּ תְּסַפֵּר֩ תִּסְפְּר֖וּ תִּסְפָּר־ תִּסְפֹּ֣ר תִּסְפּ֑וֹר תספור תספר תספר־ תספרו ’ă·sap·pə·rāh ’ă·sap·pə·ren·nāh ’ă·sap·pêr ’ăsappêr ’ăsappərāh ’ăsappərennāh ’es·pə·rêm ’espərêm asapPer asappeRah asappeRennah Esperem has·sō·p̄êr has·sō·w·p̄êr hassoFer hassōp̄êr hassōwp̄êr hay·sup·par hay·sup·par- haysuppar haysuppar- lə·sap·pêr lesapPer ləsappêr lis·pōr lisPor lispōr mə·sap·pə·rîm mə·sap·pêr mesapPer məsappêr mesappeRim məsappərîm mis·sap·pêr missapPer missappêr nə·sap·pêr nesapPer nəsappêr sā·p̄ar sā·p̄ar·tāh saFar saFarTah sap·pə·rāh- sap·pê·rū sap·pə·rū sap·pə·rū- sap·pêr sāp̄ar sāp̄artāh sapPer sappêr sapperah sappərāh- sapperu sappêrū sappərū sappərū- sə·p̄ā·rām sə·p̄ar·tem sefaRam sefarTem səp̄ārām səp̄artem sifRu sip·par·tî sip·pə·rū sip·pə·rū- sip̄·rū sipParti sippartî sipperu sippərū sippərū- sip̄rū sō·p̄ə·rê sō·p̄ə·rê- sō·p̄ə·rîm sō·p̄êr sō·w·p̄êr sō·wp̄·rîm soFer sofeRei sofeRim sofRim sōp̄êr sōp̄ərê sōp̄ərê- sōp̄ərîm sōwp̄êr sōwp̄rîm sup·par suppar tə·sap·pə·rū tə·sap·pêr tesapPer təsappêr tesappeRu təsappərū tis·pār- tis·pə·rū tis·pō·wr tis·pōr tispār- tispeRu tispərū tispor tispōr tispōwr ū·lə·sap·pêr ū·nə·sap·pə·rāh ū·sə·p̄ar·tem ū·sə·p̄ōr ulesapPer ūləsappêr unesappeRah ūnəsappərāh usefarTem useFor ūsəp̄artem ūsəp̄ōr vaasapPer vaasapPerah vaiyispeRem vaiyisPor vaiyissafeRu vanNesapper vattesapper vaysapPer vaysappeRah vaysapperu vaysappeRum veSafar vesafarTa veSaferah vesoFer visappeRu wa’ăsappêr wa’ăsappêrāh wa’ăsappərāh wa·’ă·sap·pê·rāh wa·’ă·sap·pə·rāh wa·’ă·sap·pêr wan·nə·sap·per- wannəsapper- wat·tə·sap·per- wattəsapper- way·sap·pə·rāh way·sap·pə·rū- way·sap·pə·rūm way·sap·pêr way·sap·per- way·yis·pə·rêm way·yis·pōr way·yis·sā·p̄ə·rū waysappêr waysapper- waysappərāh waysappərū- waysappərūm wayyispərêm wayyispōr wayyissāp̄ərū wə·sā·p̄ar wə·sā·p̄ar·tā wə·sā·p̄ə·rāh wə·sō·w·p̄êr wəsāp̄ar wəsāp̄artā wəsāp̄ərāh wəsōwp̄êr wî·sap·pə·rū wîsappərū yə·sap·pê·rū yə·sap·pə·rū yə·sap·pêr yə·sup·par yə·sup·pār yesapPer yəsappêr yesapPeru yəsappêrū yəsappərū yesupPar yəsuppar yəsuppār yis·pə·rū- yis·pō·wr yis·pōr yis·sā·p̄ə·rū yis·sā·p̄êr yisperu yispərū- yisPor yispōr yispōwr yissaFer yissafeRu yissāp̄êr yissāp̄ərū
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