---
title: אֵפֶר — ashes · The Tanakh dictionary
description: אֵפֶר (665), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 22 times: ashes. BDB 1906: ashes. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# אֵפֶר

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«אֵפֶר» in the Tanakh dictionary: **ashes** — 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:** 22 times · **Key:** 665 · **BDB:** אֵ֫פֶר

### Glosses

ash\[es\] (19); the.ash\[es\] (2); of.ash\[es\] (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

ashes [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/665/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

ashes [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/665/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.\[m.\] ashes (as light, flying?)—א׳ abs. Gn 18:27 +; cstr. Nu 19:9, 10—ashes of red heifer, used in purifications Nu 19:9, 10; on head, as sign of humiliation 2 S 13:19; contrition Dn 9:3 (‖ צוֹם, שַׂק), Jon 3:6 (‖ שַׂק) cf. Jb 42:6 (עָפָר וא׳), Is 58:5 (‖ שַׂק); mourning Est 4:1, 3 (‖ שַׂק) cf. Jb 2:8 (ישׁב בתוך הא׳), Je 6:26 (‖ שַׂק), Ez 27:30 (‖ עפר); in sim. scattereth hoarfrost כָּא׳ ψ 147:16; but also as filthy, loathsome כעפר וא׳ Jb 30:19 (Di sim. of mourning, grief), as worthless, מִשְׁלֵי א׳ Jb 13:12 proverbs of ashes; fig. of worthlessness Is 44:20; insignificance עפר וא׳ Gn 18:27; ignominy Ez 28:18 Mal 3:21; distress \& sorrow א׳ כַּלֶּחֶם אָכָ֑לְתִּי ψ 102:10 (so Assyrian cf. ZimBP 42) cf. La 3:16 Is 61:3 (פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 22 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (5 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (3 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «אֵפֶר» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/665/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Job 13:12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.13.12/)

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זִֽ֭כְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵ֑פֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹ֝֗מֶר גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃

*Word for word:* memorials your \[are\].proverbs of.ash\[es\] \[are\].(to) defenses of.clay defenses your

*JPS 1917:* Your memorials shall be like unto ashes, your eminences to eminences of clay.

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[Job 42:6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.42.6/)

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עַל־כֵּ֭ן אֶמְאַ֣ס וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי עַל־עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃פ

*Word for word:* therefore I.reject and I.repent on dust and ash\[es\]

*JPS 1917:* Wherefore I abhor my words, and repent, seeing I am dust and ashes.

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