Genesis 18:27:9Gen.18.27.W9TAB
עָפָ֥ר
afar
“dust”
- Transliteration
- a-FAR
- Extended
- ah-FAAR
- IPA
- /ʕaː.ˈfaːr/
Meaning by language
- English
- dust
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| Pe | p with dagesh; f without | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| Resh | r guttural, like the French r |
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Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
a-FAR
- phraseyour reading level
a-FAR va-E-fer
- clause
hin-ne-NA ho-AL-ti le-da-BER el-a-do-NAI ve-a-no-KHI a-FAR va-E-fer
- sentence
va-YA-an av-ra-HAM va-yo-MAR hin-ne-NA ho-AL-ti le-da-BER el-a-do-NAI ve-a-no-KHI a-FAR va-E-fer
Exegesis
The predicate nominal pair afar va'efer {עָפָר וָאֵפֶר | ʿā-p̄ār wā-ʾē-p̄er} ‘dust and ashes’ forms a compact expression of extreme human insignificance, likely functioning as a kind of hendiadys for mortal frailty. In English, this structure is rendered as a main assertion followed by a concessive clause (“though I am…” / “even though I am…”), preserving both Abraham’s bold initiative and his deep humility in approaching the divine Judge.
Root and etymology
ʿ-p-rAyin–Pe–Resh
“dust, dry earth”
In context — Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said, “Behold now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord , though I am dust and ashes.”
About this coordinate
Genesis 18:27:9 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 9 of Genesis 18:27, so the Hebrew word עָפָ֥ר (afar) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Gen.18.27.W9, which extends further down to each syllable (Gen.18.27.W9.S1) and character.