What does אֶלֶף mean in the Bible?
אֶלֶף is a Hebrew word meaning "a family ; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow".
Hebrew · H504
אֶלֶף
A family ; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow
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Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
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אֶלֶף H504
What does אֶלֶף mean in the Bible?
אֶלֶף is a Hebrew word meaning "a family ; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow".
Full entry for אֶלֶף (H504) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H504?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of your herds (4), and oxen (1), oxen (1), The oxen (1).
Where does אֶלֶף appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 7:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (4), Isaiah (1), Proverbs (1), Psalms (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It of your herds 4× Deuteronomy 7:13, Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:18, Deuteronomy 28:51
and oxen 1× Psalms 8:7
oxen 1× Proverbs 14:4
The oxen 1× Isaiah 30:24
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 7:13 אֲלָפֶ֙יךָ֙ to of your herds Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:4 אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ to of your herds Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:18 אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ to of your herds Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:51 אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ to of your herds Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Psalms 8:7 וַאֲלָפִ֣ים to and oxen Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural Proverbs 14:4 אֲ֭לָפִים to oxen Noun - masculine plural Isaiah 30:24 וְהָאֲלָפִ֣ים to The oxen Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 7:13
Aligned rows 7
Books represented 4
Deuteronomy 4 Psalms 1 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 1
Source forms
אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ 3x ’ă·lā·p̄e·ḵā Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:18, Deuteronomy 28:51
אֲלָפֶ֙יךָ֙ 1x ’ă·lā·p̄e·ḵā Deuteronomy 7:13
אֲ֭לָפִים 1x ’ă·lā·p̄îm Proverbs 14:4
וַאֲלָפִ֣ים 1x wa·’ă·lā·p̄îm Psalms 8:7
וְהָאֲלָפִ֣ים 1x wə·hā·’ă·lā·p̄îm Isaiah 30:24
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular 4x Deuteronomy 7:13, Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:18, Deuteronomy 28:51
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural 1x Psalms 8:7
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural 1x Isaiah 30:24
Noun - masculine plural 1x Proverbs 14:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. a family ; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow
Source Gloss
a family ; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
a family; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow BDB: cattle Usage: family, kine, oxen.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
אֶלֶף is built from this root:
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain