---
title: סַפִּיר — sapphire · The Tanakh dictionary
description: סַפִּיר (5601), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 11 times: sapphire. BDB 1906: sapphire lapis lazuli. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# סַפִּיר

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«סַפִּיר» in the Tanakh dictionary: **sapphire** — 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:** 11 times · **Key:** 5601 · **BDB:** סַפִּיר

### Glosses

of.sapphire (3); sapphire (3); a.sapphire (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

sapphire [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5601/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

sapphire lapis lazuli [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5601/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.\[m.\] sapphire, perhaps also lapis lazuli (cf. Di Ex 24:10 NowArch. i. 131) (NH id., and סַמְפִּירִינוֹן; 𝔗 סַפִרִינוֹן; 𝔖 ܣܰܦܺܝܠܴܐ; loan-word from Skr. çanipriya according to LagGes. Abh. 72 LewyFremdw. 56 cf. Gk. σάπφειρος);—abs. ס׳ Ex 24:10 + 8 times; pl. סַפִּירִים Is 54:11 Ct 5:14;—with other jewels as ornaments of prince Ez 28:13; in high priest’s breastplate Ex 28:18; 39:11; found in mines Jb 28:6, costly Jb 28:16 cf. Is 54:11; taking high polish La 4:7 (in fig.); שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים Ct 5:14 ivory covered with sapphires (in fig.); lapis lazuli, according to Hi Bu Du al. in Jb 28:6 (עַפְרֹת זָהָב לוֹ being understood of sparkling crystals of iron pyrites in this), but v. Di; lapis lazuli may be intended in לִבְנַת הַסּ׳ Ex 24:10 (J) pavement of sapphire (in theoph., cf. אֶבֶן־ס׳ Ez 1:26; 10:1.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 11 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (7 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (7 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «סַפִּיר» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5601/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Exodus 28:18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/EXO.28.18/)

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וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃

*Word for word:* and the row (the) second \[will.be\].a.turquoise a.sapphire and an.emerald

*JPS 1917:* and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald;

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[Exodus 39:11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/EXO.39.11/)

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וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃

*Word for word:* and the row (the) second \[was\].a.turquoise a.sapphire and an.emerald

*JPS 1917:* And the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald.

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