Lexical Summary soph: end, rear Original Word: סוֹף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance conclusion, end, hinder participle From cuwph; a termination -- conclusion, end, hinder participle see HEBREW cuwph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom suph Definition an end NASB Translation conclusion* (1), end (3), rear (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סוֺף noun masculineEcclesiastes 7:2 end, late synonym of קֵץ; — ׳ס absolute Ecclesiastes 3:11, construct 2Chronicles 20:16 2t.; suffix סֹפוֺ Joel 2:20; — end of wady 2 Chronicles 20:16, of invading swarm Joel 2:20; of God's work מֵראֹשׁ וְעַדסֿוֺף Ecclesiastes 3:11; death as end of all men Ecclesiastes 7:2; = conclusion, sum of instruction Ecclesiastes 12:13. compare Baram. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Semantic Range The noun סוֹף conveys the idea of an extremity, whether spatial (a far edge), temporal (the point at which something is completed), or logical (a conclusion or summary). It signals the limit beyond which something does not extend and thus invites contemplation of completion, accountability, and divine purpose. Occurrences and Contexts 1. 2 Chronicles 20:16 – a literal boundary: “you will find them at the end of the valley.” The word marks the furthest reachable point of terrain where the enemy will be confronted. Spatial Boundaries and Divine Sovereignty In 2 Chronicles 20:16 and Joel 2:20, סוֹף marks edges of valleys and armies. Geography and military strength are not random; they lie within limits God Himself fixes (Job 38:10–11). Recognizing God-set boundaries cultivates trust that He remains Lord over the practical details of conflict and deliverance. Temporal Boundaries and Human Finitude Ecclesiastes repeatedly uses סוֹף to remind humankind that life under the sun moves toward a divinely appointed terminus. Death (Ecclesiastes 7:2) equalizes all people and exposes worldly pursuits as vapor apart from reverence for God. The preacher’s final “conclusion” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) calls readers to align their brief lives with eternal commandments, transforming the inevitability of the end into motivation for obedience. Epistemological Boundaries and Humility Ecclesiastes 3:11 declares that people “cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” סוֹף flags the cognitive edge of human understanding. Theologically, it guards against pride and fosters worship, for only the Creator comprehends both the inception and completion of history (see Isaiah 46:10). Eschatological Resonance While סוֹף is not a technical eschatological term, its idea points forward to the ultimate consummation. The New Testament employs τέλος (“end”) similarly: Christ is the “end of the Law” (Romans 10:4) and speaks of “the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3). Revelation amplifies the theme in “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). The limits indicated by סוֹף thus foreshadow the final judgment and renewal accomplished in Jesus Christ. Ministry and Pastoral Application • Funeral ministry: Ecclesiastes 7:2 legitimizes mourning houses as classrooms for wisdom, calling mourners to heed eternity. Summary סוֹף frames boundaries—geographical, temporal, intellectual, moral, and eschatological. By revealing that every created reality has an end under God’s control, the word summons faithful living within those God-ordained limits and fuels hope in the One who presides over every conclusion. Forms and Transliterations בְּס֣וֹף בסוף וְסֹפ֖וֹ וספו ס֣וֹף ס֥וֹף סֽוֹף׃ סוף סוף׃ bə·sō·wp̄ beSof bəsōwp̄ sō·wp̄ Sof sōwp̄ vesoFo wə·sō·p̄ōw wəsōp̄ōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Chronicles 20:16 HEB: וּמְצָאתֶ֤ם אֹתָם֙ בְּס֣וֹף הַנַּ֔חַל פְּנֵ֖י NAS: and you will find them at the end of the valley KJV: and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, INT: of Ziz will find the end of the valley front Ecclesiastes 3:11 Ecclesiastes 7:2 Ecclesiastes 12:13 Joel 2:20 5 Occurrences |
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