סָפַר (sa.phar)
sa.phar
to recount; secretary
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 125 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb siphr carries the dual sense of counting and recounting, linking numerical precision with verbal narration. In its basic form, it means to count items or take account of a number, but in the intensive Piel stem, it shifts toward speech: to rehearse, declare, or tell a story. This connection suggests that in ancient Israelite thought, keeping an accurate record was inseparable from telling the truth about what had happened.
The word appears frequently in Psalms and Jeremiah, often when God is described as numbering His stars or recounting His deeds. It also gives rise to the noun sofer, meaning scribe or secretary, a learned official responsible for writing and record-keeping. The sources highlight that this role was not merely administrative but involved preserving the nation’s history and legal traditions with exactness.
A notable feature of siphr is its use in contexts where memory and testimony overlap. When a psalmist asks God to “recount” His faithfulness, it implies more than listing facts; it means declaring them with care so they are remembered accurately. This blend of counting and speaking shows how language and record-keeping worked together to maintain truth across generations.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word siphr bridges the gap between simple arithmetic and faithful storytelling. It means to count items precisely, but also to recount events with care so they are remembered accurately. This dual meaning reminds us that truth is not just a collection of facts, but a narrative we preserve and share with integrity.
In your daily life, this word invites you to be mindful of how you record and tell your own story. Just as God numbered the stars with purpose, your experiences are not random. When you recount what God has done for you, you are participating in an ancient practice of keeping a faithful record of His faithfulness.
Whether you are counting blessings or sharing a testimony, siphr encourages precision and honesty. It suggests that our words carry weight when they reflect reality. Let this word ground you in the confidence that your life has a narrative worth telling, one that honors both the details and the greater story of God’s care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 125 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ scribe35×
- and/ he recounted10×
- recount4×
- you will count3×
- it will be counted3×
- and/ they recounted3×
- [the] scribe of3×
- to/ recount2×
- to/ count2×
- they were counted2×
- recounting2×
- and/ you will count2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/סֹּפֵ֔ר10×
- הַ/סֹּפֵ֑ר4×
- וַ/יְסַפֵּ֨ר3×
- הַ/סּוֹפֵ֗ר3×
- הַ/סֹּפֵר֙3×
- הַ/סֹּפֵ֗ר3×
- סוֹפֵֽר\׃2×
- סֹפֵר֙2×
- סַפֵּ֥ר2×
- סִפְּרוּ\־2×
- יִסָּפֵ֖ר2×
- יִסָּפְר֛וּ2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 15:5
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.”
God uses the command to count stars to illustrate an uncountable promise, linking numerical impossibility with divine certainty.
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Exodus 10:2
and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh.”
The verb commands Moses to tell future generations about God’s signs, emphasizing that recounting history is essential for faith transmission.
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Genesis 41:49
Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.
Joseph’s grain storage was so vast he stopped counting, showing how the word can describe overwhelming abundance that exceeds numerical limits.
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Exodus 18:8
Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them.
Moses recounts all that Yahweh did to Pharaoh, demonstrating the use of siphr for detailed verbal testimony of past deliverance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word siphr mean?
How is siphr different from other words for speaking?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
What is the connection between counting and telling stories?
Every Occurrence (125 verses across 22 books)
Genesis 11 verses
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He…
Genesis 16:10Yahweh’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.”
Genesis 24:66The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
Genesis 29:13When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and…
Genesis 37:9He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and…
Genesis 37:10He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you…
Genesis 40:8They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t…
Genesis 40:9The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me,
Genesis 41:8In the morning, his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. Pharaoh told…
Genesis 41:12There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted…
Genesis 41:49Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number.