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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אֶלֶףH504
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 Itof your herds4×Deuteronomy 7:13, Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:18, Deuteronomy 28:51
and oxen1×Psalms 8:7
oxen1×Proverbs 14:4
The oxen1×Isaiah 30:24
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 7:13אֲלָפֶ֙יךָ֙toof your herdsNoun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:4אֲלָפֶ֖יךָtoof your herdsNoun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:18אֲלָפֶ֖יךָtoof your herdsNoun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:51אֲלָפֶ֖יךָtoof your herdsNoun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularPsalms 8:7וַאֲלָפִ֣יםtoand oxenConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralProverbs 14:4אֲ֭לָפִיםtooxenNoun - masculine pluralIsaiah 30:24וְהָאֲלָפִ֣יםtoThe oxenConjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 7:13
Aligned rows7
Books represented4
Deuteronomy4Psalms1Proverbs1Isaiah1
Source forms
אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ3x’ă·lā·p̄e·ḵāDeuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:18, Deuteronomy 28:51
אֲלָפֶ֙יךָ֙1x’ă·lā·p̄e·ḵāDeuteronomy 7:13
אֲ֭לָפִים1x’ă·lā·p̄îmProverbs 14:4
וַאֲלָפִ֣ים1xwa·’ă·lā·p̄îmPsalms 8:7
וְהָאֲלָפִ֣ים1xwə·hā·’ă·lā·p̄îmIsaiah 30:24
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular4xDeuteronomy 7:13, Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:18, Deuteronomy 28:51
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural1xPsalms 8:7
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural1xIsaiah 30:24
Noun - masculine plural1xProverbs 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 definitionSource: 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: