סְפָר
𐤎𐤐𐤓
çᵉphâr
H5610 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A census or enumeration—the systematic counting or registering of people, often for administrative, military, or fiscal purposes. The term refers specifically to the act or record of counting individuals, typically members of a clan, tribe, or nation.
Semantic Range
census, enumeration, act of counting, official register, inventory of people
Root / Etymology
The noun סְפָר is derived from the root ס-פ-ר (ספר), which carries the core meaning of counting, numbering, recounting, or recording. The noun reflects a product or instance of that verbal action, namely, a record or result of counting: a census or register. The formation is consistent with other nouns in this pattern indicating an act or product of the root verb.
Historical & Contextual Notes
סְפָר occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible and is best attested in administrative or official contexts, referring to the outcome of a census process. The term is closely related to the root ספר, meaning 'to count' or 'to number,' and is conceptually grouped with other census-related vocabulary such as מִפְקָד (mifqād, 'muster, enrollment') and סֵפֶר (sēfer, 'book, document, written record'), yet specifically denotes an enumeration event or its record rather than a general document. During the monarchic period, censuses were integral to taxation, conscription, and tribal administration. The concept does not overlap with religious censuses or headcounts unique to priestly ritual. Later translations sometimes equate the term with 'register' or 'roll,' but its function in the biblical text usually pertains to the total number, the act of official registration, and the list of those accounted for. English translations such as 'census,' 'enrollment,' or 'register' may obscure the distinctly administrative and numeric character suggested by the term. The word is not to be confused with סֵפֶר ('book,' which originates from the same root but refers to a written document more generally).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from סָפַר; a census; numbering.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ספר (s-p-r) — to count, to number, to recount, to record
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4557 | מִסְפָּר | in counted number of |
| H4558 | מִסְפָּר | counted total |
| H4559 | מִסְפֶּרֶת | Mispereth |
| H5601 | סַפִּיר | in the blue precious stones |
| H5608 | סָפַר | I will recount |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5610-01 |
הַ/סְּפָ֔ר | hasefar | HTd/Ncmsa |
the census | the census-register | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5610-01 |
2 Chronicles 2:16 | הַ/סְּפָ֔ר | hasefar | HTd/Ncmsa |
the census | the census-register |