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סְפַרְוִי

𐤎𐤐𐤓𐤅𐤉

Sefarevi

H5616 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ספר to count, to enumerate, to tell

Definition

A person originating from or inhabiting Sepharvaim, an ancient city connected with the region of Mesopotamia; denotes a specific geographic identity. The term refers to individuals or populations associated with Sepharvaim, particularly mentioned in the context of populations resettled by Assyria in the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria) during the 8th century BCE.

Semantic Range

person or population originating from Sepharvaim, inhabitant of Sepharvaim, Sepharvite; by extension, one of the non-Israelite peoples resettled in Samaria

Root / Etymology

Formed as a gentilic adjective from סְפַרְוַיִם (Sepharvaim), the name of an ancient city likely in Mesopotamia. Sepharvaim itself is of uncertain etymology, but possibly related to the root ספר (s-p-r), meaning 'to count, number' in other contexts, though this connection is not lexically firm. The typical gentilic suffix -ִי (-î) denotes origin or association.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical contexts, סְפַרְוִי occurs exclusively in passages referring to populations transplanted by the Neo-Assyrian empire into the former territories of northern Israel following the conquest of Samaria (2 Kings 17:24,31). The term refers to a specific ethnic/geographic group rather than a religious or tribal identity. English translations often render it as 'Sepharvite,' but this does not capture the ancient geographic specificity—Sepharvaim is generally identified with a region or city in upper Mesopotamia, though its precise location is uncertain. In later Jewish and Christian writings, 'Sepharvaim' is sometimes conflated anachronistically with other Babylonian or Mesopotamian groups, but the biblical term is more geographically narrow. The usage does not imply religious or ethnic Israelite or Judahite identity but strictly geographic origin. The gentilic form parallels terms for other groups resettled by the Assyrians in Samaria, such as Hamathite or Avvite.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

patrial from סְפַרְוַיִם; a Sepharvite or inhabitant of Sepharvain; Sepharvite.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ספר (s-p-r) — to count, to enumerate, to tell

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
H5616-01 וְ/הַ/סְפַרְוִ֗ים vehasefarevim HC/Td/Ngmpa and-the-Sepharvites the Sepharvaimites 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5616-01 2 Kings 17:31 וְ/הַ/סְפַרְוִ֗ים vehasefarevim HC/Td/Ngmpa and-the-Sepharvites the Sepharvaimites
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