Lexical Summary ephes: End, ceasing, nothing, only, nevertheless Original Word: אֶפֶס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ankle, but only, end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless where, no, none beside, From 'aphec; cessation, i.e. An end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further; also (like pa'al) the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot -- ankle, but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless (where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without (cause). see HEBREW 'aphec see HEBREW pa'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom aphes Definition a ceasing NASB Translation dearth (1), ends (14), however (2), lack (1), less...nothing (1), neither (1), nevertheless* (3), no more (1), no one (6), no other (1), non-existent (1), nor (1), nothing (2), only (2), there (1), there is no one (3), there is none (1), without (2), without cause (1), worthless (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אָ֑פֶס אֶ֫פֶס noun masculine properly ceasing, hence 1 end, extremity, only in the poetic phrase אַפְסֵי אֶרֶץ (Psalm 59:14 הארץ ׳א) ends, extreme limits, of the earth, used especially hyperbolically: Deuteronomy 33:17; 1 Samuel 2:10; Micah 5:3; Jeremiah 16:19; Psalm 2:8; Psalm 59:14; Psalm 72:8 (= Zechariah 9:10); + כָּלֿ Isaiah 45:22; Isaiah 52:10b (= Psalm 98:3b) Psalm 22:28; Psalm 67:8; Proverbs 30:4. 2 Expressing non-existence: a. as substantive. (mostly a rare poetic synonym of אַיִן): Isaiah 34:12 and all his princes יִהְיוּ אָ֑פֶס shall become nought, (Isaiah 41:29,12 יִהְיוּ כְאַיִן וּכְאֶפֶס; Isaiah 40:17 מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ ("" כְּאַיִן) as made of nought and worthlessness are they accounted by him, Isaiah 41:24 (readמָּעָלְכָם מֵאָ֑פֶס, "" מֵאַיִן see אֶפַע); Isaiah 52:4 and Asshur oppressed him בְּאֶפֶס for nought. b. as particle of negation, prop. cessation of. . ! (compare אֵין ֗֗֗ nought of...), very rare in prose (2Samuel 9:3), chiefly a poetic synonym of ׃אֵין Isaiah 5:8 עַד אֶפֶס מָקוֺם till there is an end of place = till there is no place (compare עַָד אֵין Psalm 40:13), Amos 6:10 (compare אָֽיִן Judges 4:20), Deuteronomy 32:36 (hence, in prose, 2 Kings 14:26), Isaiah 45:6 (compare אָין Isaiah 43:11) Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 46:9; Isaiah 54:15; אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֺד Zephaniah 2:15; Isaiah 47:8,10 is probably to be rendered, 'I am, and there is none besides (so Ges Ew Di etc.), the י being 'paragogic' as in זוּלָתי etc. (Ges§ 90, 3 a Ew§ 211 b), compare וְאֵין עוֺד Isaiah 45:5,6,18,21; but according to De the י is suffix of 1 singular 'I am, and I am nought besides' (i.e. and I am nought besides my all-sufficient self). — בְּאֶפֶס (like בְּאֵין, q. v.) without: Proverbs 14:28; Proverbs 26:20; Job 7:6; Daniel 8:25. c. as adverb of limitation: (a) only: Numbers 22:35 (compare אַח Numbers 22:20) Numbers 23:13. (b) אֶפֶס כִּי save that, howbeit (qualifying a preceding statement): Numbers 13:28; Deuteronomy 1:5; Judges 4:9; Amos 9:8 (+ 1 Samuel 1:5 ᵐ5 We Sta Dr). So אֶפֶס alone 2 Samuel 12:14 (the following כִּי signifying because). [אֹ֫פֶס noun [masculine] only in the dual אָפְסָ֑ים not ׳א; see Baer), literally the two extremities, i.e. either the soles of the feet (so AW Ges; compare Aramaic מִּיסְּתָא, Topical Lexicon Ephes (Strong’s Hebrew 657, אֶפֶס)Semantic Scope and Range of Meaning Ephes functions either as an adverb (“only, except”) or as a noun expressing total absence (“nothing, end, non-existence”). It can declare utter depletion of human resources, or, conversely, the absolute uniqueness of the LORD when all rivals are reduced to nothing. Statistical Overview Approximately forty-four occurrences appear across the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom literature, and especially the Prophets (with a concentration in Isaiah 40–48). Usage clusters around two ideas: (1) human impotence or lack, and (2) divine exclusivity. Human Need and Exhaustion 1. Material poverty during Joseph’s administration: These scenes underscore that when every earthly resource reaches ephes, covenant deliverance depends solely on the LORD. Divine Exclusivity and the Vanity of Idols Isaiah employs ephes to strip every pretender of significance: The prophetic rhetoric moves from exposing idols as “nothing” to proclaiming the LORD as the “only” God. Ephes therefore becomes a theological blade cutting down both foreign deities and misplaced confidences. Covenant Hope Amid National Crisis The Chronicler recalls Jehoshaphat’s crisis in 2 Chronicles 20, where vast armies approach “from beyond the sea… and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (20:2). Though ephes is not translated explicitly in English here, the sense of impending annihilation mirrors earlier uses: God’s people reach the brink of nothingness so that salvation might be attributed solely to Him. Wisdom Perspective Job and Proverbs echo the term to contrast human limitation with divine wisdom (compare Job 11:7; Proverbs 30:5-6 in Hebrew text traditions). When human knowledge finds its “end,” the fear of the LORD begins. Key Theological Themes 1. Total Dependence: Ephes exposes the futility of self-reliance (Genesis 47; Judges 6). Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral Care: Encourage believers facing depletion that God often intervenes at “nothing left.” Christological Reflection Isaiah’s insistence that there is “none but Me” funnels into the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ as the unique manifestation of the one God (John 1:18; John 14:6). Where idols are declared ephes, God incarnate is declared “the fullness of Deity” (Colossians 2:9). Summary Ephes is a small word with sweeping implications. It brands every human endeavor, idol, or enemy as “nothing” when measured against the living God, while simultaneously marking the precise moment when divine grace breaks in. In times of scarcity, exile, or spiritual contest, Scripture’s recurring ephes reminds the faithful that when all else is gone, the LORD alone remains—and that is more than enough. Forms and Transliterations אֶ֕פֶס אֶ֖פֶס אֶ֗פֶס אֶ֚פֶס אֶ֣פֶס אֶ֥פֶס אַפְסֵי־ אָ֑פֶס אָֽפֶס׃ אָפְסָֽיִם׃ אפס אפס׃ אפסי־ אפסים׃ בְּאֶ֣פֶס בְּאֶ֥פֶס באפס הַאֶ֨פֶס האפס וְאֶ֖פֶס וְאֶ֗פֶס וְאֶ֣פֶס וְאֶ֤פֶס וְאֶ֥פֶס וְאַפְסִ֣י וְאַפְסִ֥י וּבְאֶ֥פֶס וּכְאֶ֖פֶס ואפס ואפסי ובאפס וכאפס לְאַפְסֵ֖י לאפסי מֵֽאַפְסֵי־ מֵאֶ֥פֶס מאפס מאפסי־ ’ā·p̄ə·sā·yim ’ā·p̄es ’ap̄·sê- ’āp̄es ’āp̄əsāyim ’ap̄sê- ’e·p̄es ’ep̄es Afes afeSayim afsei bə’ep̄es bə·’e·p̄es beEfes Efes ha’ep̄es ha·’e·p̄es haEfes lə’ap̄sê lə·’ap̄·sê leafSei mê’ap̄sê- mê’ep̄es mê·’ap̄·sê- mê·’e·p̄es meafsei meEfes ū·ḇə·’e·p̄es ū·ḵə·’e·p̄es ūḇə’ep̄es ucheEfes ūḵə’ep̄es uveEfes veafSi veEfes wə’ap̄sî wə’ep̄es wə·’ap̄·sî wə·’e·p̄esLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 13:28 HEB: אֶ֚פֶס כִּֽי־ עַ֣ז NAS: Nevertheless, the people who live KJV: Nevertheless the people [be] strong INT: Nevertheless for are strong Numbers 22:35 Numbers 23:13 Deuteronomy 15:4 Deuteronomy 32:36 Deuteronomy 33:17 Judges 4:9 1 Samuel 2:10 2 Samuel 9:3 2 Samuel 12:14 2 Kings 14:26 2 Kings 14:26 Job 7:6 Psalm 2:8 Psalm 22:27 Psalm 59:13 Psalm 67:7 Psalm 72:8 Psalm 98:3 Proverbs 14:28 Proverbs 26:20 Proverbs 30:4 Isaiah 5:8 Isaiah 34:12 Isaiah 40:17 44 Occurrences |
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, or the ankles (so ᵑ6 ᵑ7 ᵑ9, & most): only