Lexical Summary
sephar: books, book
Original Word:סְפַר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:cphar
Pronunciation:seh-far
Phonetic Spelling:(sef-ar')
KJV: book, roll
NASB:books, book
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) from a root corresponding toH5608 (סָפַר - tell)]
1. a book
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
book, roll
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding tocaphar; a book -- book, roll.
see HEBREWcaphar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to
sepherDefinitiona book
NASB Translationarchives* (1), book (1), books (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Daniel 7:10 (see Biblical Hebrew ); — construct
Ezra 4:15 (twice in verse),
Ezra 6:18; plural absolute
Daniel 7:10books (of records, see Dr); emphatic
Ezra 6:1house of records.
Topical Lexicon
Scope and MeaningThe term סְפַר designates an official written record—an archival scroll, register, or documented decree. Although related to the broader word for “book” (ספר), סְפַר is used for writings preserved for legal, governmental, or judicial purposes. Its canonical appearances form a concise portrait of the way earthly and heavenly administrations preserve and consult authoritative documents.
Occurrences in Canonical Context
1.Ezra 4:15 (twice) – Persian officials urge Artaxerxes to “search… the record books of your fathers,” claiming that within those records the rebellious past of Jerusalem will be uncovered.
2.Ezra 6:1 – “Then King Darius ordered that a search be made in the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.” The scroll containing Cyrus’s original decree for the temple is located, vindicating the Jewish builders.
3.Ezra 6:18 – Priests and Levites are installed “according to what is written in the Book of Moses,” rooting post-exilic worship in documentary authority.
4.Daniel 7:10 – In the heavenly courtroom “the books were opened,” revealing an ultimate archive before which every power is judged.
Role in the Persian Administrative Framework
The Persian Empire maintained vast repositories of scrolls in Babylon, Ecbatana, and Susa. Kings relied on these archives to confirm past decrees, land grants, and civic privileges. Ezra’s narrative highlights the reliability of such records: Cyrus’s forgotten edict was still recoverable decades later. סְפַר therefore embodies the Persian conviction that written law transcends individual rulers—an idea Scripture leverages to demonstrate God’s hidden governance of world affairs.
Divine Sovereignty Expressed through Imperial Records
By having Cyrus’s decree preserved, the Lord ensured that pagan bureaucracy would serve His covenant purposes. A pagan archive became the instrument that thwarted local opposition and restarted temple construction. This convergence between human paperwork and divine promise exemplifiesProverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD; He directs it wherever He pleases.”
Liturgical and Covenant Implications
Ezra 6:18 ties priestly organization to “what is written in the Book of Moses.” The use of סְפַר here underlines that worship is not left to improvisation; it is shaped by an objective, written revelation. Post-exilic Israel, re-rooted in Torah authority, becomes a paradigm for every generation that seeks renewal through returning to the text.
Eschatological Dimension of the Heavenly Books
Daniel 7:10 shifts the setting from earthly archives to the heavenly court where “the books were opened.” The same concept of an unimpeachable record, here perfected, guarantees final justice. Earthly סְפַר scrolls can be misplaced or abused, but the heavenly registry is infallible and exhaustive. This anticipatesRevelation 20:12, where the dead are “judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.”
Practical Ministry Insights
• Written records safeguard truth. Faithful documentation—minutes, constitutions, covenants—protect congregations from drift and ensure continuity.
• Historical research can vindicate God’s people. Understanding civil laws and past precedents may open doors for gospel ministry, just as archival research in Ezra secured the temple’s completion.
• The certainty of heavenly records fuels ethical integrity. Knowing that every deed is preserved before God encourages holiness, transparency, and perseverance in well-doing.
Related Hebrew Terms and Distinctions
• ספר (sefer, Strong’s 5612) – the common term for any “book” or scroll, including Scripture.
• סֹפֵר (sopher, Strong’s 5608) – “scribe,” the custodian or producer of such writings.
סְפַר stands between these, emphasizing the archival artifact itself—an objective witness to law and history.
Summary
Whether in the Persian treasury or the throne room of Heaven, סְפַר underscores God’s use of written testimony to establish His purposes, protect His people, regulate worship, and guarantee final judgment. In every age, the faithful steward both the earthly documents entrusted to them and the eternal Word that will one day judge every heart.
Forms and Transliterations
בִּֽסְפַר־ בִּסְפַ֣ר בספר בספר־ וְסִפְרִ֥ין וספרין סְפַ֥ר סִפְרַיָּ֗א ספר ספריא bis·p̄ar bis·p̄ar- bisfar bisp̄ar bisp̄ar- sə·p̄ar seFar səp̄ar sifraiYa sip̄·ray·yā sip̄rayyā vesifRin wə·sip̄·rîn wəsip̄rîn
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
