סְפָר (se.phar)
se.phar
Sephar
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun sephar appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Genesis 10:30. It identifies a geographical location described as being in the southern region of Arabia. The name itself derives from a root meaning "to number" or "counting," which suggests that the place name may have originally referred to a site known for its population count or perhaps a market where goods were tallied.
Because this entry occurs solely within the Table of Nations, it serves as a marker in the ancient genealogical record rather than a center of narrative action. Its singular usage highlights how early Israelite geography extended far beyond the immediate vicinity of Canaan, acknowledging distant settlements in the Arabian Peninsula as part of the broader known world.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Genesis 10 maps out the spread of humanity after the flood, and among its many distant locations is Sephar. This single mention in the Table of Nations reminds us that God’s care extends far beyond the familiar borders of Israel. The ancient world was vast, and this name marks a point in southern Arabia, showing that even remote settlements were part of the same human family.
When we read these genealogies, it is easy to skip over place names like Sephar. Yet they ground our faith in real history. God ordained the nations and their boundaries. Recognising this wide scope helps us see that every culture and community falls under His sovereign design, inviting us to respect the diversity He created.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sephar/ towards1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סְפָ֖רָ/ה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 10:30
Their dwelling extended from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.
This verse places Sephar in the southern region of Arabia, marking the eastern limit of the descendants of Joktan and illustrating the breadth of ancient geography.