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אֵיפָה

𐤀𐤉𐤐𐤄

ʼêyphâh

H374 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain (Egyptian loanword referring to vessel, container, measure)

Definition

A dry measure of capacity, primarily for grain and similar goods, equal to approximately 20-22 liters (about 0.6 bushels); also, a standard vessel or container of this capacity. In some contexts, the term can refer more generally to a standard unit or standard of measurement.

Semantic Range

dry measure of grain (c. 20 liters); standard container or vessel; unit of standard quantity; general measure (rare, always in context of dry goods)

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from Egyptian (likely from 'ip.t' meaning 'basket' or 'box'). The word does not derive from a native Hebrew root, but is an ancient loanword related to Egyptian systems of measurement. The Hebrew form אֵיפָה (ʼêyphâh) preserves this external origin and refers specifically to a unit of dry measure.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The אֵיפָה is used in legal, ritual, and economic texts in the Hebrew Bible, especially in contexts concerning trade, tithes, and offerings, e.g., Exodus, Leviticus, and the Prophets. The ephah is one-tenth of a 'homer' (חֹמֶר), as described in Ezekiel 45:11, and roughly equivalent to the liquid measure 'bath' (בַּת). The word consistently denotes a specific volume rather than a general 'measure,' and context usually makes clear whether it refers to a container or to its capacity. In the Persian and later periods, the ephah is referenced as a fixed standard, reflecting the developing concern for standardized weights and measures in the biblical economy. The term is retained as a technical word in most English translations; however, its meaning as a fixed capacity is sometimes misunderstood by readers. Notably, the term does not refer to measures of length or weight, only to dry capacity; its usage is restricted to exchanges or offerings involving foodstuffs (primarily grain, sometimes flour or meal). The shortened form אֵפָה is attested in later books. In post-biblical times, measurement systems shifted, and the ephah ceased to be a living unit of measurement, remaining primarily a scriptural or historical term. In some English translations, 'ephah' is left untranslated; other translations supply 'bushel' or 'measure,' which can obscure the technical specificity of the term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) אֵפָה ; of Egyptian derivation; an ephah or measure for grain; hence, a measure in general; ephah, (divers) measure(-s).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

איפה (ʾ-y-p-h) — dry measure, grain container, standard quantity

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H374-04 הָ/אֵיפָ֖ה haeyfah HTd/Ncfsa of an ephah the grain-measure 13
H374-01 אֵיפָ֣ה eyfah HNcfsa ephah grain dry-measure 8
H374-07 וְ/אֵיפָ֑ה veeyfah HC/Ncfsa and-an-ephah and an ephah-measure 7
H374-06 לָ/אֵיפָֽה laeyfah HRd/Ncfsa to-an-ephah to a grain-measure 4
H374-08 וְ/אֵיפַת veeyfat HC/Ncfsc and an ephah and an ephah-measure of 3
H374-02 אֵ֥יפַת eyfat HNcfsc a just ephah dry-measure of 2
H374-03 הָ/אֵפָ֛ה haefah HTd/Ncfsa of an ephah the dry-measure vessel 2
H374-05 כְּ/אֵיפָ֥ה keeyfah HR/Ncfsa about an ephah ephah-measure 1

Occurrences in Scripture

40 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H374-04 Exodus 16:36 הָ/אֵיפָ֖ה haeyfah HTd/Ncfsa of an ephah the grain-measure
H374-03 Leviticus 5:11 הָ/אֵפָ֛ה haefah HTd/Ncfsa of an ephah the dry-measure vessel
H374-03 Leviticus 6:13 הָ/אֵפָ֥ה haefah HTd/Ncfsa of an ephah the dry-measure vessel
H374-02 Leviticus 19:36 אֵ֥יפַת eyfat HNcfsc a just ephah dry-measure of
H374-04 Numbers 5:15 הָ/אֵיפָ֖ה haeyfah HTd/Ncfsa an ephah the grain-measure
H374-04 Numbers 28:5 הָ/אֵיפָ֛ה haeyfah HTd/Ncfsa of an ephah the grain-measure
H374-01 Deuteronomy 25:14 אֵיפָ֣ה eyfah HNcfsa ephah grain dry-measure
H374-07 Deuteronomy 25:14 וְ/אֵיפָ֑ה veeyfah HC/Ncfsa and ephah and an ephah-measure
H374-01 Deuteronomy 25:15 אֵיפָ֧ה eyfah HNcfsa a full measure grain dry-measure
H374-08 Judges 6:19 וְ/אֵיפַת veeyfat HC/Ncfsc and an ephah and an ephah-measure of
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