סְפָרָד
𐤎𐤐𐤓𐤃
Sefarad
H5614 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A geographical name referring to a place called Sepharad, whose precise location is uncertain. In the sole biblical occurrence (Obadiah 20), it designates a region associated with the exile or dispersion of Israelites (specifically of Jerusalem). Later Jewish tradition identified 'Sepharad' with various locations, most famously with Spain, but in the biblical context the actual place remains unidentified.
Semantic Range
a region or area associated with exile; a geographical designation for Israelite dispersal; later in post-biblical context, identified with Spain
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain. The word סְפָרָד is of foreign derivation and does not derive from any known Hebrew root. Its earliest attestation is as a place name, likely a borrowing from another ancient Near Eastern language. Various theories have linked it to the Persian period and regions within the Median or Lydian world, but these remain speculative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In its only biblical occurrence (Obadiah 20), 'Sepharad' is listed alongside other places of Israelite exile, and the exact reference is ambiguous. Ancient translations and traditions offer varied identifications: early Greek and Latin translators left the name untranslated; the Targums (Jewish Aramaic translations) sometimes render it as 'Asia,' while later rabbinic and medieval writings identified Sepharad with Spain, laying the foundation for the term 'Sephardic' as designation for Jews of Iberian descent. However, in the historical context of Obadiah, 'Sepharad' cannot be equated with Spain, and its precise location remains unknown. The term never connotes a religious or ethnic group in the Hebrew Bible, but purely a region associated with exile and diaspora. The reference in Obadiah appears alongside other exilic locations, suggesting a general theme of dispersion without specifying the identity of inhabitants beyond their connection to Jerusalem.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign derivation; Sepharad, a region of Assyria; Sepharad.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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uncertain (unknown (foreign origin)) — uncertain, foreign place name, region associated with exile or diaspora
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5614-01 |
בִּ/סְפָרַ֑ד | bisefarad | HR/Np |
in Sepharad | in Sepharad | in Sefarad | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5614-01 |
Obadiah 1:20 | בִּ/סְפָרַ֑ד | bisefarad | HR/Np |
in Sepharad | in Sepharad | in Sefarad |