Original Word: סֵפֶר
Part of Speech: noun masculine; feminine; noun feminine
Transliteration: cepher
Pronunciation: SAY-fer
Phonetic Spelling: (say'-fer)
KJV: bill, book, evidence, X learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll
NASB: book, letters, letter, deed, scroll, certificate
Word Origin: [from H5608 (סָפַר - tell)]

1. (properly) writing (the art or a document)
2. (by implication) a book

bill, book, evidence, learned letter, register, scroll

Or (feminine) ciphrah (Psa. 56:8; Psa. 56:9) {sif-raw'}; from caphar; properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book -- bill, book, evidence, X learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.

see HEBREW 'abedah

see HEBREW caphar

Word Origin
probably of foreign origin
Definition
a missive, document, writing, book
NASB Translation
Book (47), book (79), books (2), certificate (3), deed (6), deeds (3), illiterate* (1), indictment (1), letter (14), letters (15), literate* (1), literature (2), read* (1), scroll (6), scroll* (3), writ (1).

סֵ֫פֶר₁₈₅ noun masculine^{Isaiah 29:11} missive, document, writing, book (probably ancient loan-word from Assyrian šipru, missive, message Dl^{HWB 683}, Tel Amarna šipru, šipirtu, id. Wkl^{TA Gloss}; √ šâpâru, send, send message or letter Dl^{HWB 683}, Wkl^{l.c., whence} also sâpiru, writer, and (perhaps) ruler, šapirûtu, rule; see Hom^{Aufsätze (1892), 34} Buhl^{Lex 13}; perhaps compare Arabic go forth to journey, II. send on a journey Lane¹³⁷⁰; Late Hebrew סֵפֶר = Biblical Hebrew; so Aramaic סִיפְרָא ; Christian-Palestinian Aramaic Schw^{Idioticon 64}; Arabic ); — ׳ס absolute 2 Samuel 11:14 +; construct Exodus 24:7 +; suffix סִפְרִי Exodus 32:33, סִפְרְךָ Exodus 32:33; Psalm 139:16; plural סְפָרִים 1 Kings 21:8 +; —

1 missive:

a. letter of instruction, written order, commission, or request, usually from king, 2 Samuel 11:14,15; 1 Kings 21:8 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 21:9,11; 2 Kings 5:5,6 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 5:7; 2 Kings 10:1,2,6,7; 2 Kings 19:14 = Isaiah 37:14 compare 2 Chronicles 32:17; 2 Kings 20:12 = Isaiah 39:1; = written decree for publication Esther 1:22; Esther 3:13; Esther 8:5; Esther 9:20,25,30 ( = אִגֶּרֶת Esther 9:25; Esther 9:29, see above), compare וַיִּשְׁלַח סְפָרִים בְּיִד הָרָצִים בַּסּוּסִים רֹכְבֵי הָרֶכֶשׁ Esther 8:10. — [׳כָּתַב ס 2 Samuel 11:15; 1 Kings 21:8; 2 Kings 10:1,6; 2Chronicles 32:17; ׳כָּתַב בַּסּ (of specific contents) 2 Samuel 11:15; 1 Kings 21:9,11; קָרָא ׳אֶתהַֿסּ 2 Kings 5:7 read the letter]. —

b. from prophet Jeremiah 29:1, other influential persons Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 29:29 .

2 legal document, כְּרִיתֻת ׳ס certificate of divorce Deuteronomy 24:1,3and (figurative) Jeremiah 3:8; Isaiah 50:1; הַמִּקְנָה ׳ס deed of purchase Jeremiah 32:11,12 (strike out article), Jeremiah 32:12; Jeremiah 32:14; Jeremiah 32:16, compare ׳בַּסּ Jeremiah 32:10, הַסְּפָרִים Jeremiah 32:14 (si vera lectio; strike out ᵐ5 Gie compare Gf), סֵפֶר Jeremiah 32:16b; Jeremiah 32:44; ׳ס = indictment Job 31:35 (object of כָּתַב; ׳כָּתַב בְּ = sign Jeremiah 32:10,12,44).

3 book, or scroll, in which something is written to preserve it for future use Exodus 17:14 (E), Joshua 18:9 (JE), 1 Samuel 10:25; Isaiah 30:8; Job 19:23 +; in form of roll, compare וְנָגֹ֫לוּ כַּסֵּפֶר הַשָּׁמַיִם Isaiah 34:4, הֶחָתוּם ׳הַסּ Isaiah 29:11,12 (see Jeremiah 36, etc., below); particular:

a. book of prophecies Jeremiah 25:13; Jeremiah 30:2 6t. Jeremiah 36; Daniel 12:4; חֲזוֺן נַחוּם ׳ס Nahum 1:1; ׳סֵפֶר י Isaiah 34:4; so מְגִלַּת סֵפֶר Jeremiah 36:2,4 (= מְגִלָּה Jeremiah 36:6 6t.; with many columns, דְּלָתוֺת Jeremiah 36:23), Ezekiel 2:9, compare Psalm 40:8.

b. geneal. register, ׳ס תּוֺלְדוֺת Genesis 5:1 (P), הַיַּ֫חַשׂ ׳ס Nehemiah 7:5.

c. law-book, הַבְּרִית ׳ס Exodus 24:7 (E), 2 Kings 23:2 2Chronicles 34:30; 2 Kings 23:21; הַתּוֺרָה ׳ס Deuteronomy 28:61; Deuteronomy 29:20; Deuteronomy 30:10; Deuteronomy 31:26; Joshua 1:8; Joshua 8:34 (all D), 2 Kings 22:8 2Chronicles 34:15; 2 Kings 22:11; Nehemiah 8:3; תּוֺרַת אֱלֹהִים ׳ס Joshua 24:26 (E), Nehemiah 8:8 (reading תּוֺרַת ׳ס, so ᵐ5, compare Talmud^Nedarim37b), Nehemiah 8:18; Nehemiah 9:3; ׳תּוֺרַת י ׳ס2Chronicles 17:9; 34:14; תּוֺרַת משֶׁה ׳ס Joshua 8:31; Joshua 23:6 (both D), 2 Kings 14:6; Nehemiah 8:1; משֶׁה ׳ס2Chronicles 25:4; 35:12; Nehemiah 13:1.

d. book of poems, ׳מִלְחֲמֹת י ׳ס Numbers 21:14 (JE), הַיָּשָׁר ׳ס Joshua 10:13 (JE), 2 Samuel 1:18.

e. book concerned with kings, דֵּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה ׳ס 1 Kings 11:41, and especially ׳דּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי וגו ׳ס 1 Kings 14:19,29 31t. Kings (18 t. of Israel, 15 t. of Judah), compare Esther 10:2 (of Media and Persia); also דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לַמֶּלֶךְ ׳ס דָּוִיד 1 Chronicles 27:24 (reading ׳ס for מִסְמָּד, ᵐ5 Kit^Hpt); הַמְּלָכִים לִיהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל ׳ס2Chronicles 16:11; מַלְכֵי ׳ס ׳יְהוּדָה וְיִשׁ2Chronicles 25:26; 28:26; 32:32; וִיהוּדָה ׳יִשׂ ׳מ ׳ס2Chronicles 27:7; 35:27; 36:8; ׳יִשׂ ׳מ ׳ס 1 Chronicles 9:1; 2Chronicles 20:34; ׳הָמְּלָכִים מִדְרַשׁ ס2Chronicles 24:27; also דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים ׳ס Nehemiah 12:23; Esther 2:23; הַזִּכְרֹנוֺת דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים ׳ס Esther 6:1.

f. once בַּסְּפָרִים Daniel 9:2 by means of the Scriptures (canonical books) compare Ew Meinh Bev Marti^Kau.

g. God's record-book, Psalm 139:16, זִכָּרוֺן ׳ס Malachi 3:16; God's register of living, Exodus 32:32,33 (E), חַיִּים ׳ס Psalm 69:29; ׳הַסּ Daniel 12:1 (citizens of Messianic kingdom).

4 ׳ס = book-learning, especially writing: יָדַע (הַ) סֵּפֶר Isaiah 29:11,12 (twice in verse) (of abilityto read); so לְלַמְּדָם סֵפֶר וּלְשׁוֺן כַּשְׂדִּים Daniel 1:4 to teach them the writing and speech of the Chaldeans (on construction see Ges^{§ 128a}); more Generally וְחָכְמָה ׳הַשְׂכִּיל בְּכָלסֿ Daniel 1:17. — [סֵפֶר book is joined with verbs thus: it is written (יִכָּפֶב) Malachi 3:16; a thing is written ׳בַּסּ Exodus 17:14 20t., ׳עַלסֿ 2 Samuel 1:18 50t. ( + Jeremiah 36:32; בַדְּיוֺ with ink Jeremiah 36:18), ׳אֶלסֿ Jeremiah 30:2; Jeremiah 51:60; conversely ׳דָּרַשׁ מֵעַל ס Isaiah 34:16, ׳שָׁמַע מֵעַל ס Jeremiah 36:11; see also וְיֻחָ֑קוּ ׳בַּסּ Job 19:23 inscribe in a book, חֻקָּהּ ׳עָלסֿ Isaiah 30:8 ("" כָּתְבָהּ עַללֿוּחַ); ׳מָחָה מִסּ blot out of a book Exodus 32:32,33; Psalm 69:29; ׳קָרָא אֶתהַֿסּ Jeremiah 51:63 read the book, scroll, but usually ׳קָרָא בְס Jeremiah 36:8,10,13; Nehemiah 8:8; Nehemiah 8:18; Nehemiah 9:3; Nehemiah 13:1]. — ׳ס in ׳קִרְיַת ס, see ׳ק

[סִפְרָה] noun feminine book; — suffix הֲלאֹ בְּסִפְרָתֶ֑ךָ Psalm 56:9 (compare סֵפֶר 3g); strike out as gloss Bi Che Hup-Now Du. — compare also [סְפֹרָה] below

Overview

The Hebrew word סֵפֶר (sefer) designates a written document—most often a scroll, but also any formal record, letter, register or book. Appearing about 186 times across the Old Testament, it spans every major literary genre of Scripture and serves as a crucial vessel by which divine revelation, covenant stipulations, royal decrees and historical memory are preserved and transmitted.

Origins and Physical Form

A סֵפֶר was typically inked on papyrus or parchment and rolled on wooden staves. The physicality of the scroll underscores the incarnational principle of revelation: God’s words enter tangible media so they may be proclaimed, stored, copied and obeyed (Deuteronomy 17:18; Isaiah 30:8).

Instrument of Divine Revelation

From the first Pentateuchal references, סֵפֶר carries sacred weight. After Sinai, “Moses took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people” (Exodus 24:7). The phrase binds written words to the audible voice of God, making the scroll the covenant community’s authoritative standard.

The Book of the Covenant and Mosaic Law

Deuteronomy frequently pairs סֵפֶר with the law (torah). Israel’s kings must write their own copy “in a book” (Deuteronomy 17:18-19). The Levites deposit “this Book of the Law” beside the ark as a witness against covenant breach (Deuteronomy 31:24-26). Scripture’s self-attestation appears here: written revelation anchors national life, worship and ethics.

Royal Archives and Statecraft

Chronicles and Esther depict a bureaucratic use: records of kings, chronicles of deeds, census data, and taxation rolls (2 Chronicles 16:11; Esther 6:1). Even pagan courts such as Persia keep scrolls that ultimately serve God’s providential purposes, demonstrating His sovereignty over international history.

Prophetic Scrolls

Prophets are repeatedly commanded to inscribe their messages. “Write on a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you” (Jeremiah 30:2). Isaiah seals testimony “among My disciples” (Isaiah 8:16), and Ezekiel eats a scroll before proclaiming it (Ezekiel 2:9-3:3). The written form guarantees permanence and public accountability, so that future generations may test events against prophecy fulfilled.

Wisdom and Liturgical Use

Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes reflect contemplation on the nature and limits of written wisdom (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Psalm 40:7 prophetically places Messiah within “the scroll of the book,” indicating that Scripture’s ultimate subject is Christ.

Genealogies and Records of Identity

Post-exilic books (Ezra 2:62; Nehemiah 7:5) rely on genealogical scrolls to authenticate priestly lineage and tribal inheritance. Access to temple service and covenant privileges is mediated through trustworthy written records.

Symbols of Judgment and Hope

Daniel 7:10 pictures heavenly courtrooms with “books” opened; Malachi 3:16 speaks of a “scroll of remembrance” for those who fear the Lord. Earthly sefarim foreshadow celestial volumes that register deeds and names, culminating in Revelation’s “book of life.”

Formation of the Canon

Repeated commands to read, preserve and teach the scroll prepared Israel for a fixed canon. By the time of the Second Temple, sefer had become shorthand for any recognized portion of Scripture, enabling corporate readings such as Ezra’s public exposition (Nehemiah 8:1-8).

Christological Trajectory

Jesus reads from “the scroll of the prophet Isaiah” (Luke 4:17) and affirms “everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). The Old Testament sefarim therefore converge on the person and work of Christ, whose words are later inscribed as New Testament Scripture.

Ministry Implications

1. Authority: Because God’s covenantal speech is preserved in a sefer, contemporary preaching must anchor itself in the written Word rather than personal experience or tradition.
2. Transmission: Faithful copying, translation and distribution of Scripture continues the Old Testament pattern of preserving the scroll “for many days to come” (Isaiah 30:8).
3. Public Reading: From Joshua 8:34 to 1 Timothy 4:13, communal hearing of the book remains vital for congregational life.
4. Discipleship: Memorization and meditation on the written Word equip believers for obedience (Joshua 1:8; Colossians 3:16).

Representative Old Testament References

• Genesis 5:1; Genesis 17:14
• Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:7
• Deuteronomy 17:18-19; Deuteronomy 28:61; Deuteronomy 31:24-26
• Joshua 1:8; Joshua 24:26
• 1 Samuel 10:25
• 2 Kings 22:8-13
• 2 Chronicles 34:15
• Ezra 6:18
• Nehemiah 9:3
• Psalm 40:7; Psalm 69:28
• Proverbs 25:1
• Isaiah 8:1; Isaiah 34:16
• Jeremiah 36:2
• Ezekiel 2:9-10
• Daniel 9:2
• Malachi 3:16

Summary

Sefer frames the Bible’s own testimony about itself: God’s eternal word embodied in written form for covenant instruction, historical record, prophetic witness and messianic hope. Its 186 occurrences weave through Israel’s account to shape the Church’s conviction that “all Scripture is God-breathed” and sufficient for faith and practice.

בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ׃ בְּסֵ֖פֶר בְּסֵ֙פֶר֙ בְּסֵ֛פֶר בְּסֵ֣פֶר בְּסֵ֥פֶר בְּסֵ֨פֶר בַּסְּפָרִ֑ים בַּסְּפָרִ֔ים בַּסְּפָרִ֖ים בַּסֵּ֑פֶר בַּסֵּ֔פֶר בַּסֵּ֖פֶר בַּסֵּ֙פֶר֙ בַּסֵּ֛פֶר בַּסֵּ֣פֶר בַּסֵּ֥פֶר בַּסֵּ֥פֶר ׀ בַּסֵּֽפֶר׃ בַסֵּ֛פֶר בספר בספר׃ בספרים בספרתך׃ הַסְּפָרִ֗ים הַסְּפָרִ֛ים הַסְּפָרִ֣ים הַסֵּ֔פֶר הַסֵּ֖פֶר הַסֵּ֗פֶר הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ הַסֵּ֛פֶר הַסֵּ֜פֶר הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַסֵּ֤פֶר הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַסֵּֽפֶר׃ הספר הספר׃ הספרים וְסֵ֥פֶר וּסְפָרִ֣ים וספר וספרים כַסֵּ֖פֶר כספר מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖ מִסִּפְרִֽי׃ מִסֵּ֣פֶר מספר מספרי׃ מספרך סְפָרִ֗ים סְפָרִ֜ים סְפָרִ֡ים סְפָרִ֤ים סְפָרִ֥ים סְפָרִים֙ סִפְרְךָ֮ סֵ֑פֶר סֵ֔פֶר סֵ֖פֶר סֵ֙פֶר֙ סֵ֚פֶר סֵ֛פֶר סֵ֝֗פֶר סֵ֣פֶר סֵ֤פֶר סֵ֥פֶר סֵ֧פֶר סֵ֨פֶר ׀ סֵֽפֶר׃ סֵפֶר֒ סֵפֶר֩ ספר ספר׃ ספרים ספרך bas·sə·p̄ā·rîm bas·sê·p̄er ḇas·sê·p̄er bassefaRim basSefer bassəp̄ārîm bassêp̄er ḇassêp̄er bə·sê·p̄er bə·sip̄·rā·ṯe·ḵā beSefer bəsêp̄er besifraTecha bəsip̄rāṯeḵā chasSefer has·sə·p̄ā·rîm has·sê·p̄er hassefaRim hasSefer hassəp̄ārîm hassêp̄er ḵas·sê·p̄er ḵassêp̄er mis·sê·p̄er mis·sip̄·rə·ḵā mis·sip̄·rî misSefer missêp̄er missifreCha missifRi missip̄rəḵā missip̄rî sə·p̄ā·rîm sê·p̄er sefaRim Sefer səp̄ārîm sêp̄er sifreCha sip̄·rə·ḵā sip̄rəḵā ū·sə·p̄ā·rîm usefaRim ūsəp̄ārîm vasSefer veSefer wə·sê·p̄er wəsêp̄erInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts