What does עָפָר (kə‘āp̄ār) mean in the Bible?
עָפָר (kə‘āp̄ār): Dust as humanity's material origin and mortality; earth from which humans are formed and to which they return.
Hebrew · H6083
עָפָר
Dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay , earth , mud
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
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.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
עָפָר H6083
Pronunciation kə‘āp̄ār
What does עָפָר (kə‘āp̄ār) mean in the Bible?
עָפָר (kə‘āp̄ār): Dust as humanity's material origin and mortality; earth from which humans are formed and to which they return.
Full entry for עָפָר (H6083) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6083?
The BSB source-word alignment has 110 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the dust (19), dust (12), in the dust (11), like dust (5), from the dust (4).
Where does עָפָר (kə‘āp̄ār) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 2:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (26), Isaiah (15), Psalms (13), Genesis (9).
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 the dust 19× Genesis 13:16, Exodus 8:16, Exodus 8:17, Numbers 5:17
dust 12× Genesis 3:19, Joshua 7:6, 2 Samuel 16:13, Job 2:12
in the dust 11× Deuteronomy 32:24, Job 7:21, Job 16:15, Job 40:13
like dust 5× Job 27:16, Job 30:19, Psalms 78:27, Zephaniah 1:17
from the dust 4× 1 Samuel 2:8, Job 5:6, Job 8:19, Psalms 113:7
like the dust 3× Genesis 13:16, Genesis 28:14, 2 Kings 13:7
to the dust 3× Psalms 22:29, Psalms 44:25, Psalms 119:25
as the dust 2× 2 Samuel 22:43, 2 Chronicles 1:9
in the ground 2× Job 30:6, Isaiah 2:19
of the dust 2× 1 Kings 16:2, Proverbs 8:26
the soil 2× Job 14:19, Ezekiel 26:4
[before] the dust 1× Ecclesiastes 12:7
[enough] dust 1× 1 Kings 20:10
[from] the dust 1× Genesis 2:7
[it] to powder 1× 2 Kings 23:6
am but dust 1× Genesis 18:27
and dust 1× Genesis 3:14
and her soil 1× Isaiah 34:9
and out of the dust 1× Isaiah 29:4
and powder 1× Deuteronomy 28:24
and soil 1× Ezekiel 26:12
and the dust 1× 1 Kings 18:38
and the plaster 1× Leviticus 14:41
and their soil 1× Isaiah 34:7
are dust 1× Psalms 103:14
are in the dust 1× Job 4:19
as dust 1× Psalms 18:42
as fine as dust 1× Deuteronomy 9:21
containing flecks 1× Job 28:6
dirt 1× Genesis 26:15
earth 1× Job 41:33
from the earth 1× Job 28:2
in the soil 1× Job 14:8
it 1× Deuteronomy 9:21
it with dirt 1× Leviticus 17:13
it with dust 1× Ezekiel 24:7
its dust 1× 2 Kings 23:6
mortar 1× Leviticus 14:42
of rubble 1× Nehemiah 4:2
on her dust 1× Psalms 102:14
out of the dust 1× Isaiah 29:4
plaster 1× Leviticus 14:45
rubble 1× Nehemiah 4:10
siege ramps 1× Habakkuk 1:10
some of the ashes 1× Numbers 19:17
the earth 1× Job 19:25
the sand 1× Job 39:14
their ashes 1× 2 Kings 23:4
their dust 1× 2 Kings 23:12
to dust 1× Isaiah 41:2
to powder 1× 2 Kings 23:15
when the dust 1× Job 38:38
will be dust 1× Isaiah 65:25
Will the dust 1× Psalms 30:9
with dirt 1× Job 7:5
your dust 1× Isaiah 52:2
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 2:7 עָפָר֙ to [from] the dust Noun - masculine singular Genesis 3:14 וְעָפָ֥ר to and dust Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Genesis 3:19 עָפָ֣ר to dust Noun - masculine singular Genesis 3:19 עָפָ֖ר to dust Noun - masculine singular Genesis 13:16 כַּעֲפַ֣ר to like the dust Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 13:16 עֲפַ֣ר to the dust Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 18:27 עָפָ֥ר to am but dust Noun - masculine singular Genesis 26:15 עָפָֽר׃ to dirt Noun - masculine singular Genesis 28:14 כַּעֲפַ֣ר to like the dust Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 8:16 עֲפַ֣ר to the dust Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 2:7
Aligned rows 110
Books represented 25
Genesis 9 Exodus 3 Leviticus 4 Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 4 Joshua 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 3 2 Kings 6 2 Chronicles 1 Nehemiah 2 Job 26 Psalms 13 Proverbs 1 Ecclesiastes 3 Isaiah 15 Lamentations 2 Ezekiel 4 Daniel 1 Amos 1 Micah 2 Habakkuk 1 Zephaniah 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
עָפָ֥ר 11x ‘ā·p̄ār Genesis 18:27, Job 10:9, Job 19:25, Job 20:11
עֲפַ֣ר 7x ‘ă·p̄ar Genesis 13:16, Exodus 8:16, Exodus 8:17, Leviticus 14:45
עָפָ֣ר 5x ‘ā·p̄ār Genesis 3:19, Job 17:16, Job 21:26, Job 30:6
עָפָ֖ר 5x ‘ā·p̄ār Genesis 3:19, Joshua 7:6, Daniel 12:2, Micah 1:10
עָפָ֑ר 4x ‘ā·p̄ār Job 7:5, Psalms 22:29, Psalms 30:9, Isaiah 2:19
עָפָֽר׃ 4x ‘ā·p̄ār Genesis 26:15, Deuteronomy 32:24, Isaiah 26:5, Ezekiel 24:7
לֶעָפָ֣ר 3x le·‘ā·p̄ār Job 7:21, Psalms 44:25, Psalms 119:25
מֵעָפָ֣ר 3x mê·‘ā·p̄ār Job 5:6, Job 28:2, Psalms 113:7
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 38x Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:19, Genesis 18:27, Genesis 26:15
Noun - masculine singular construct 10x Genesis 13:16, Exodus 8:16, Exodus 8:17, Leviticus 14:45
Article | Noun - masculine singular 8x Leviticus 14:41, Numbers 5:17, 1 Kings 16:2, 1 Kings 18:38
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular 7x Leviticus 17:13, 2 Samuel 16:13, Job 4:19, Job 16:15
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular 7x 2 Kings 13:7, Job 27:16, Job 30:19, Psalms 78:27
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular 5x 1 Samuel 2:8, Job 5:6, Job 28:2, Psalms 113:7
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Genesis 13:16, Genesis 28:14, 2 Samuel 22:43, 2 Chronicles 1:9
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular 4x Job 7:21, Psalms 7:5, Psalms 44:25, Psalms 119:25
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Dust as humanity's material origin and mortality; earth from which humans are formed and to which they return.
Source Gloss
dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay , earth , mud
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Dust as humanity's material origin and mortality; earth from which humans are formed and to which they return.
dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud BDB: dry earth Usage: ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Like dust; dry earth; signifies something that has lost all substance, power, and life
Showing 1 selected witness from 110 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עָפָר is built from this root:
עָפַר H6080
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
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