What does אֶפֶס (ʾepes) mean in the Bible?
אֶפֶס (ʾepes): Extremity and cessation unified: boundary markers (earth's edge, ankle) and negation (no further, nothing).
Hebrew · H657
אֶפֶס
Cessation , i.e. an end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further ; also the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot
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אֶפֶס H657
Pronunciation ʾepes
What does אֶפֶס (ʾepes) mean in the Bible?
אֶפֶס (ʾepes): Extremity and cessation unified: boundary markers (earth's edge, ankle) and negation (no further, nothing).
Full entry for אֶפֶס (H657) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H657?
The BSB source-word alignment has 44 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the ends (11), . . . (3), and [there is] none (2), and there is none (2), Nevertheless (2).
Where does אֶפֶס (ʾepes) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 13:28. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (14), Psalms (6), Deuteronomy (3), Numbers (3).
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 ends 11× 1 Samuel 2:10, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 22:27, Psalms 67:7
. . . 3× 2 Samuel 9:3, 2 Kings 14:26, Isaiah 41:12
and [there is] none 2× Isaiah 46:9, Zephaniah 2:15
and there is none 2× Isaiah 47:8, Isaiah 47:10
Nevertheless 2× Numbers 13:28, 2 Samuel 12:14
without 2× Job 7:6, Proverbs 26:20
[and] 1× 2 Kings 14:26
amount to nothing 1× Isaiah 41:29
and no one [remains] 1× Deuteronomy 32:36
ankle-deep 1× Ezekiel 47:3
as nothingness 1× Isaiah 40:17
but 1× Judges 4:9
but a lack 1× Proverbs 14:28
but not 1× Daniel 8:25
even to the ends 1× Deuteronomy 33:17
from the ends 1× Jeremiah 16:19
however 1× Deuteronomy 15:4
it is not 1× Isaiah 54:15
no 1× Isaiah 5:8
None 1× Amos 6:10
only 1× Numbers 22:35
there is no 1× Isaiah 45:14
there is none 1× Isaiah 45:6
to nothing 1× Isaiah 34:12
to the ends 1× Psalms 59:13
without cause 1× Isaiah 52:4
You will only 1× Numbers 23:13
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 13:28 אֶ֚פֶס to Nevertheless Noun - masculine singular construct Numbers 22:35 וְאֶ֗פֶס to only Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 23:13 אֶ֚פֶס to You will only Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 15:4 אֶ֕פֶס to however Noun - masculine singular construct Deuteronomy 32:36 וְאֶ֖פֶס to and no one [remains] Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 33:17 אַפְסֵי־ to even to the ends Noun - masculine plural construct Judges 4:9 אֶ֚פֶס to but Noun - masculine singular 1 Samuel 2:10 אַפְסֵי־ to the ends Adverb 2 Samuel 9:3 הַאֶ֨פֶס to . . . Article | Noun - masculine singular 2 Samuel 12:14 אֶ֗פֶס to Nevertheless Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Numbers 13:28
Aligned rows 44
Books represented 17
Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 3 Judges 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 2 2 Kings 2 Job 1 Psalms 6 Proverbs 3 Isaiah 14 Jeremiah 1 Ezekiel 1 Daniel 1 Amos 2 Micah 1 Zephaniah 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
אַפְסֵי־ 12x ’ap̄·sê- Deuteronomy 33:17, 1 Samuel 2:10, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 22:27
אֶ֚פֶס 3x ’e·p̄es Numbers 13:28, Numbers 23:13, Judges 4:9
אֶ֖פֶס 3x ’e·p̄es Isaiah 41:29, Isaiah 45:6, Isaiah 54:15
אֶ֗פֶס 2x ’e·p̄es 2 Samuel 12:14, Amos 9:8
בְּאֶ֣פֶס 2x bə·’e·p̄es Job 7:6, Proverbs 26:20
וְאַפְסִ֣י 2x wə·’ap̄·sî Isaiah 47:8, Zephaniah 2:15
וּבְאֶ֥פֶס 2x ū·ḇə·’e·p̄es Proverbs 14:28, Daniel 8:25
אֶ֕פֶס 1x ’e·p̄es Deuteronomy 15:4
Parsing patterns
Adverb 13x 1 Samuel 2:10, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 22:27, Psalms 67:7
Noun - masculine singular 7x Numbers 23:13, Judges 4:9, Isaiah 34:12, Isaiah 41:29
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 5x Numbers 22:35, Deuteronomy 32:36, 2 Kings 14:26, Isaiah 46:9
Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Numbers 13:28, Deuteronomy 15:4, 2 Samuel 12:14, Isaiah 5:8
Conjunctive waw | Adverb | first person common singular 2x Isaiah 47:8, Isaiah 47:10
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 2x Proverbs 14:28, Daniel 8:25
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 2x Job 7:6, Proverbs 26:20
Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x 2 Samuel 9:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Extremity and cessation unified: boundary markers (earth's edge, ankle) and negation (no further, nothing).
Source Gloss
cessation , i.e. an end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further ; also the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Extremity and cessation unified: boundary markers (earth's edge, ankle) and negation (no further, nothing).
cessation, i.e. an end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further; also the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot BDB: ceasing Usage: ankle, but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless (where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without (cause).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
אֶפֶס is built from these roots:
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