---
title: סַף — threshhold · The Tanakh dictionary
description: סַף (5592), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 25 times: threshhold. BDB 1906: n.m. threshold, sill. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# סַף

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«סַף» in the Tanakh dictionary: **threshhold** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 25 times · **Key:** 5592 · **BDB:** סַף³

### Glosses

the.threshold (10); threshold (6); thresholds (4)

### Meaning (OSHB)

threshhold [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5592/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

n.m. threshold, sill [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5592/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.m. Am 9:1 threshold, sill (NH id.; Ph. v. Lzb i. סַף; Aramaic סִפָּא, ܣܶܦܳܐ, (sepo,) Arabic sippu Dl 509, all id.);—abs. ס׳ 2 K 12:10 +, also הַסָּ֑ף Ju 19:27 + 3 times (Baer Ginsb), הַסָּ֑ף 2 K 25:8; sf. סִפִּי Ez 43:8, סִפָּם v 8; pl. סִפִּים Am 9:1; Is 6:4 + 6 times Ez Ch;—threshold, sill Ju 19:27; Am 9:1; Is 6:4 Ez 41:16(×2); 43:8(×2); 2 Ch 3:7, ס׳הַבַּיִת 1 K 14:17, ס׳ הַשַּׁעַר Ez 40:6, 7, cf. v 6 b; שֹׁמֵר הַסַּף = door-keeper, an important temple official, Je 35:4, so שֹׁמְרֵי הַסּ׳ 2 K 12:10 (priests), 22:4 = 2 Ch 34:9 (Levites!), 2 K 23:4; 25:18 = Je 52:24; in Persia, of palace Est 2:21; 6:2; of tabern. שׁ׳ הַסִּפִּים 1 Ch 9:19; שֹׁעֲרֵי הַסּ׳ 2 Ch 23:4 (Levites), שֹׁעֲרִים בַּסּ׳ 1 Ch 9:22; coll. חֹרֶב בַּסָּ֑ף Zp 2:14 desolation in the thresholds.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 22 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (11 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 0 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (9 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «סַף» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5592/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Isaiah 6:4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/ISA.6.4/)

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וַיָּנֻ֙עוּ֙ אַמּ֣וֹת הַסִּפִּ֔ים מִקּ֖וֹל הַקּוֹרֵ֑א וְהַבַּ֖יִת יִמָּלֵ֥א עָשָֽׁן׃

*Word for word:* and they.shook the.foundations of the.thresholds from the.voice of the.\[one.who\].called and the house it.was.filled smoke

*JPS 1917:* And the posts of the door were moved at the voice of them that called, and the house was filled with smoke.

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[1 Kings 14:17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/1KI.14.17/)

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וַתָּ֙קָם֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ וַתָּבֹ֣א תִרְצָ֑תָה הִ֛יא בָּאָ֥ה בְסַף־הַבַּ֖יִת וְהַנַּ֥עַר מֵֽת׃

*Word for word:* and she.arose the.wife of.Jeroboam and she.went and she.came to Tirzah she \[was\].coming at the.threshold of the.house and the lad he.died

*JPS 1917:* And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah; and as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.

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- ← previous: [סְעָרָה](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/lemma_3a_5e1_5b0_5e2_5b8_5e8_5b8_5d4.md)
- next →: [סַף](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/5593.md)
- ↑ back to [ס](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1505-2.md)