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Hebrew · H505

אֶלֶף

Hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

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אֶלֶף H505

What does אֶלֶף mean in the Bible?

אֶלֶף is a Hebrew word meaning "hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand".

Full entry for אֶלֶף (H505) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does אֶלֶף mean in the Bible?

אֶלֶף is a Hebrew word meaning "hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand".

How does the BSB render H505?

The BSB source-word alignment has 506 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (271), thousand (59), a thousand (24), of thousands (21), two thousand (7).

Where does אֶלֶף appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 20:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Numbers (104), 1 Chronicles (81), 2 Chronicles (62), Ezekiel (40).

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
. . . 271× Exodus 12:37, Exodus 38:26, Numbers 1:21, Numbers 1:23
thousand 59× Exodus 32:28, Numbers 31:5, Joshua 7:3, Joshua 7:4
a thousand 24× Numbers 35:4, Deuteronomy 1:11, Deuteronomy 32:30, Judges 15:15
of thousands 21× Genesis 24:60, Exodus 18:21, Exodus 18:25, Numbers 31:14
two thousand 7× Numbers 35:5, 1 Samuel 13:2, 1 Kings 7:26, 2 Kings 18:23
1,254 4× Ezra 2:7, Ezra 2:31, Nehemiah 7:12, Nehemiah 7:34
and a thousand 4× Judges 20:10, 1 Samuel 13:2, 2 Kings 24:16, 1 Chronicles 29:21
for a thousand 4× Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Chronicles 12:14, 1 Chronicles 16:15, Psalms 105:8
- 3× Numbers 31:4, Numbers 31:5, 1 Samuel 6:19
[his] thousands 3× 1 Samuel 18:7, 1 Samuel 21:11, 1 Samuel 29:5
1,000 {} 3× Ezra 1:9, Nehemiah 7:70, Job 42:12
a thousand [cubits] 3× Ezekiel 47:4, Ezekiel 47:5
of the clans 3× Numbers 1:16, Numbers 10:4, Joshua 22:21
thousand [men] 3× Judges 8:10, 1 Samuel 13:2, 2 Samuel 18:7
thousands 3× Numbers 10:36, 1 Samuel 18:8, Psalms 68:17
to a thousand [generations] 3× Exodus 20:6, Exodus 34:7, Deuteronomy 5:10
1,017 2× Ezra 2:39, Nehemiah 7:42
1,052 2× Ezra 2:37, Nehemiah 7:40
1,247 2× Ezra 2:38, Nehemiah 7:41
2,172 2× Ezra 2:3, Nehemiah 7:8
a thousand [shekels] 2× 2 Samuel 18:12, Song Of Solomon 8:11
among the clans 2× Joshua 22:14, Micah 5:2
and 1,000 2× Ezra 1:10, Job 42:12
The eleven 2× Judges 17:2, Judges 17:3
[and] two thousand 1× Numbers 35:5
[there were] 2,700 1× 1 Chronicles 26:32
[valued at] 1,000 1× Ezra 8:27
[was] two thousand 1× Numbers 7:85
1 ,700 1× Judges 8:26
1,000,000 {} 1× 1 Chronicles 22:14
1,100,000 {} 1× 1 Chronicles 21:5
1,222 1× Ezra 2:12
1,400 1× 2 Chronicles 1:14
1,400 {} 1× 1 Kings 10:26
1,700 1× 1 Chronicles 26:30
2,000 {} 1× Nehemiah 7:72
2,000 more 1× Judges 20:45
2,056 1× Ezra 2:14
2,067 1× Nehemiah 7:19
2,300 1× Daniel 8:14
2,322 1× Nehemiah 7:17
2,600 1× 2 Chronicles 35:8
2,812 1× Ezra 2:6
2,818 1× Nehemiah 7:11
a thousand [chariots] 1× 2 Samuel 8:4
a thousand [pieces] 1× Genesis 20:16
a thousand {to flight} 1× Joshua 23:10
a thousand men 1× Numbers 31:4
a thousand strong 1× Amos 5:3
about a thousand 1× Judges 9:49
along with a thousand 1× 2 Samuel 19:17
among a thousand 1× Ecclesiastes 7:28
and [repaired] a thousand 1× Nehemiah 3:13
and 1,760 1× 1 Chronicles 9:13
and 1,775 1× Exodus 38:25
and 2,000 1× 1 Chronicles 5:21
and 2,200 1× Nehemiah 7:71
and 2,400 1× Exodus 38:29
and by thousands 1× 2 Samuel 18:4
and clans 1× 1 Samuel 10:19
and thousands 1× 1 Samuel 29:2
are the thousands 1× Deuteronomy 33:17
clans 1× Joshua 22:30
commanders 1× 1 Chronicles 12:34
eleven hundred [shekels] 1× Judges 16:5
my clan 1× Judges 6:15
of [their] unit 1× 1 Samuel 17:18
of 1,000,000 men 1× 2 Chronicles 14:9
of a thousand men 1× 1 Samuel 18:13
of about two thousand 1× Joshua 3:4
of the 1,335 1× Daniel 12:12
on a thousand 1× Psalms 50:10
out of [every] thousand 1× Judges 20:10
So a thousand men 1× Numbers 31:5
than a thousand elsewhere 1× Psalms 84:10
than thousands [of pieces] 1× Psalms 119:72
the clans 1× 1 Samuel 23:23
the thousand 1× Numbers 31:6
the thousand [shekels] 1× Song Of Solomon 8:12
there will be 1,290 1× Daniel 12:11
Though a thousand 1× Psalms 91:7
thousand [cors] 1× 2 Chronicles 27:5
thousand [shekels] 1× 2 Kings 5:5
thousand [will flee] 1× Isaiah 30:17
thousand of us 1× 2 Samuel 18:3
to thousands 1× Jeremiah 32:18
totaled 2,630 1× Numbers 4:40
totaled 2,750 1× Numbers 4:36
two 1× Joshua 7:3
was 2,600 1× 2 Chronicles 26:12
were over the units 1× Numbers 31:48
with 1,200 1× 2 Chronicles 12:3
with a thousand 1× 1 Samuel 25:2
With the 1,775 [shekels] 1× Exodus 38:28
with thousands 1× Micah 6:7
worth a thousand [shekels] 1× Isaiah 7:23
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 20:16 אֶ֤לֶף to a thousand [pieces] Number - masculine singular Genesis 24:60 לְאַלְפֵ֣י to of thousands Preposition-l | Number - masculine plural construct Exodus 12:37 אֶ֧לֶף to . . . Number - masculine singular Exodus 18:21 אֲלָפִים֙ to of thousands Number - masculine plural Exodus 18:25 אֲלָפִים֙ to of thousands Number - masculine plural Exodus 20:6 לַאֲלָפִ֑֔ים to to a thousand [generations] Preposition-l | Number - masculine plural Exodus 32:28 אַלְפֵ֖י to thousand Number - masculine plural construct Exodus 34:7 לָאֲלָפִ֔ים to to a thousand [generations] Preposition-l, Article | Number - masculine plural Exodus 38:25 וְאֶלֶף֩ to and 1,775 Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular Exodus 38:26 אֶ֙לֶף֙ to . . . Number - masculine singular
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned row Genesis 20:16
Aligned rows 506
Books represented 25
Genesis 2 Exodus 11 Numbers 104 Deuteronomy 6 Joshua 12 Judges 35 1 Samuel 28 2 Samuel 19 1 Kings 21 2 Kings 11 1 Chronicles 81 2 Chronicles 62 Ezra 19 Nehemiah 17 Esther 2 Job 8 Psalms 8 Ecclesiastes 2 Song Of Solomon 3 Isaiah 6 Jeremiah 3 Ezekiel 40 Daniel 3 Amos 1 Micah 2
Source forms
אֶ֖לֶף 85x ’e·lep̄ Numbers 1:21, Numbers 1:23, Numbers 1:27, Numbers 1:29
אֲלָפִ֖ים 33x ’ă·lā·p̄îm Numbers 3:22, Numbers 3:34, Numbers 4:44, Numbers 31:36
אֶ֔לֶף 31x ’e·lep̄ Numbers 1:25, Numbers 2:15, Numbers 3:43, Numbers 26:7
אֶ֛לֶף 24x ’e·lep̄ Numbers 2:9, Numbers 2:16, Numbers 2:24, Numbers 31:32
אָ֑לֶף 23x ’ā·lep̄ Numbers 31:38, Numbers 31:40, Joshua 8:25, Joshua 23:10
אֲלָפִ֔ים 21x ’ă·lā·p̄îm Exodus 38:26, Numbers 2:32, Numbers 4:48, 2 Kings 14:7
אָֽלֶף׃ 20x ’ā·lep̄ Numbers 31:33, Numbers 31:34, Numbers 31:35, Numbers 31:44
אֲלָפִים֙ 20x ’ă·lā·p̄îm Exodus 18:21, Exodus 18:25, Numbers 3:28, Judges 3:29
Parsing patterns
Number - masculine singular 259x Genesis 20:16, Exodus 12:37, Exodus 38:26, Numbers 1:21
Number - masculine plural 119x Exodus 18:21, Exodus 18:25, Exodus 38:26, Numbers 1:46
Number - md 28x Numbers 4:36, Numbers 4:40, Numbers 7:85, Numbers 35:5
Number - masculine singular construct 25x Numbers 35:4, Deuteronomy 1:11, Joshua 8:3, Judges 8:26
Article | Number - masculine plural 14x Numbers 31:14, Numbers 31:48, Numbers 31:52, Numbers 31:54
Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular 8x Exodus 38:25, Numbers 3:50, Numbers 26:51, Judges 20:10
Number - masculine plural construct 7x Exodus 32:28, Numbers 10:36, Deuteronomy 33:17, Judges 4:10
Noun - masculine plural construct 5x Numbers 1:16, Numbers 10:4, Joshua 22:21, Joshua 22:30
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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

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