← H5611 H5613 →

סֵפֶר

𐤎𐤐𐤓

çêpher

H5612 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An inscribed document or written record, typically in the form of a scroll or letter; encompasses any physical or conceptual writing, including legal documents, official records, correspondence, and literary compositions. It can refer either to the object (a written document, book, or scroll) or to the act or product of writing as a record or message.

Semantic Range

written document, scroll, letter, book, record, register, legal document, bill, narrative text, correspondence, evidence, certificate

Root / Etymology

From the root סָפַר (s-p-r), meaning 'to count, to recount, to relate, to write.' The masculine noun סֵפֶר (sefer) derives from this root, signifying the result of recounting or documenting—thus, a 'writing' or 'document.' The feminine form סִפְרָה (sifrāh) is rare and primarily poetic.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, סֵפֶר is most often used to refer to physical documents—contracts, decrees, genealogical records, legal evidence, letters, and literary works. The specific format was typically a strip or roll (scroll) of flexible material such as parchment, papyrus, or leather. In legal or diplomatic usage, a סֵפֶר might be an official decree or treaty record (e.g., 'book of the covenant,' Exodus 24:7), a bill of divorce (סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת, Deuteronomy 24:1), or a census or genealogical register. Literary usage includes narrative writings, prophetic scrolls (Isaiah 29:11–12; Jeremiah 36), and poetic works (Psalms). The semantic range in later Hebrew expands to encompass 'book' in the modern sense, but in biblical contexts, codices were unknown; 'book' means 'scroll' or 'written record.' English translations as 'book' can sometimes mislead, and in many cases 'scroll,' 'document,' or 'letter' is more accurate. The feminine form סִפְרָה appears rarely, used poetically or in parallelism for metrical purposes. In some post-exilic and later contexts, סֵפֶר comes to denote authoritative or sacred texts, contributing to the development of the concept of the 'Scriptures.'

Translation Consistency

primary "book" 43 occurrences

Sepher most often functions as a physical or textual record (scroll, written record, register) and "book" is the most natural, widely understood English choice that covers that range. It fits literary and legal contexts ("book of...", "books"), reads naturally across translation contexts, and aligns well with the dominant renderings (book/scroll/written). Alternatives like "scroll" or "document" are more narrow or modern; "book" provides consistent, idiomatic coverage.

Alternatives (7 occurrences):
"letters" (4x) "written record" (1x) "written document" (1x) "letter" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (feminine) סִפְרָה; (Psalm 56:8 (אֲבֵדָה)), from סָפַר; properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book; bill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

ספר (Misepar) — to count, to enumerate, to recount

Root ספר to count, to recount, to write, to record, to relate
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

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5612-14 סֵ֖פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of 97
H5612-06 הַ/סֵּ֖פֶר hasefer HTd/Ncmsa the book the written record the book 29
H5612-03 בְּ/סֵ֣פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in the book in a written record of in the book 16
H5612-02 בַּ/סֵּ֔פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in the book in the written record in the book 15
H5612-13 סְפָרִים֙ sefarim HNcmpa letters written records letters 12
H5612-05 הַ/סְּפָרִ֛ים hasefarim HTd/Ncmpa letters the written records the books 4
H5612-01 בַּ/סְּפָרִ֖ים basefarim HRd/Ncmpa in the letters in the written records in the books 3
H5612-17 בַ/סֵּ֛פֶר vasefer HRd/Ncmsa in the book in the written record in the book 2
H5612-04 בְּ/סִפְרָתֶֽ/ךָ besiferatekha HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms in your book in your written-record in your written-record 1
H5612-07 ה/ספר hsfr HTd/Ncmsa book the written record the book 1

Occurrences in Scripture

188 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5612-14 Genesis 5:1 סֵ֔פֶר sefer HNcmsc book written record of book of
H5612-02 Exodus 17:14 בַּ/סֵּ֔פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in a book in the written record in the book
H5612-14 Exodus 24:7 סֵ֣פֶר sefer HNcmsc book written record of book of
H5612-11 Exodus 32:32 מִֽ/סִּפְרְ/ךָ֖ misiferekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms from Your book from your recorded document from your book
H5612-12 Exodus 32:33 מִ/סִּפְרִֽ/י misiferi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs from My book from my written record from my book
H5612-02 Numbers 5:23 בַּ/סֵּ֑פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa on a scroll in the written record in the book
H5612-03 Numbers 21:14 בְּ/סֵ֖פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in the book in a written record of in the book
H5612-14 Deuteronomy 17:18 סֵ֔פֶר sefer HNcmsa a scroll written record of book of
H5612-14 Deuteronomy 24:1 סֵ֤פֶר sefer HNcmsc a document written record of book of
H5612-14 Deuteronomy 24:3 סֵ֤פֶר sefer HNcmsc a-scroll written record of book of
H5612-02 Deuteronomy 28:58 בַּ/סֵּ֣פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in the book in the written record in the book
H5612-03 Deuteronomy 28:61 בְּ/סֵ֖פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in the book in a written record of in the book
H5612-02 Deuteronomy 29:19 בַּ/סֵּ֣פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in the book in the written record in the book
H5612-03 Deuteronomy 29:20 בְּ/סֵ֥פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in book in a written record of in the book of
H5612-02 Deuteronomy 29:26 בַּ/סֵּ֥פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in this book in the written record in the book
H5612-03 Deuteronomy 30:10 בְּ/סֵ֥פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in the book in a written record of in the book
H5612-14 Deuteronomy 31:24 סֵ֑פֶר sefer HNcmsa a book written record of book of
H5612-14 Deuteronomy 31:26 סֵ֤פֶר sefer HNcmsc book written record of book of
H5612-14 Joshua 1:8 סֵפֶר֩ sefer HNcmsc book written record of book of
H5612-03 Joshua 8:31 בְּ/סֵ֨פֶר֙ besefer HR/Ncmsc in book in a written record of in a book of
H5612-03 Joshua 8:34 בְּ/סֵ֥פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in the book in a written record of in the book
H5612-14 Joshua 10:13 סֵ֣פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 Joshua 18:9 סֵ֑פֶר sefer HNcmsa a book written record of book of
H5612-03 Joshua 23:6 בְּ/סֵ֖פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in-book in a written record of in a book of
H5612-03 Joshua 24:26 בְּ/סֵ֖פֶר besefer HR/Ncmsc in the book in a written record of in a book of
H5612-02 1 Samuel 10:25 בַּ/סֵּ֔פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in the book in the written record in the book
H5612-14 2 Samuel 1:18 סֵ֥פֶר sefer HNcmsc book written record of book of
H5612-14 2 Samuel 11:14 סֵ֖פֶר sefer HNcmsa a letter written record of a written record
H5612-02 2 Samuel 11:15 בַּ/סֵּ֖פֶר basefer HRd/Ncmsa in the letter in the written record in the written document
H5612-14 1 Kings 11:41 סֵ֖פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 14:19 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 14:29 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 15:7 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 15:23 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 15:31 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 16:5 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 16:14 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 16:20 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 16:27 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-13 1 Kings 21:8 סְפָרִים֙ sefarim HNcmpa letters written records letters
H5612-08 1 Kings 21:8 ה/ספרים hsfrym HTd/Ncmpa the letters the inscribed documents the letters
H5612-13 1 Kings 21:8 סְפָרִ֗ים sefarim-2 HNcmpa letters written records letters
H5612-01 1 Kings 21:9 בַּ/סְּפָרִ֖ים basefarim HRd/Ncmpa in the letters in the written records in the books
H5612-01 1 Kings 21:11 בַּ/סְּפָרִ֔ים basefarim HRd/Ncmpa in the letters in the written records in the letters
H5612-14 1 Kings 22:39 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book of written record of book of
H5612-14 1 Kings 22:46 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc book-of written record of book of
H5612-14 2 Kings 1:18 סֵ֛פֶר sefer HNcmsc the book written record of book of
H5612-14 2 Kings 5:5 סֵ֖פֶר sefer HNcmsa a letter written record of a letter
H5612-06 2 Kings 5:6 הַ/סֵּ֔פֶר hasefer HTd/Ncmsa the letter the written record the book
H5612-06 2 Kings 5:6 הַ/סֵּ֤פֶר hasefer-2 HTd/Ncmsa the letter the written record the book
← H5611 Hebrew Lexicon H5613 →