עָפָר

H6083. aphar
עָפָר noun masculineLev 14:42 dry earth, dust; — absolute ׳ע Gen 2:7 +, construct עֲפַר Gen 13:16 +; suffix עֲפָרֵךְ Eze 26:12, עֲפָרוֺ Deu 9:21, etc.; plural construct עַפְרֹת Job 28:6; Pro 8:26; —
1 literally:
a. dry, loose earth, thrown (in malice) 2Sa 16:13 (|| אֲבָנִים); ע ׳וַיַעֲלוּ עַלרֿאֹשׁ Jos 7:6 (J E; sign of grief), so Eze 27:30; Lam 2:10, and (with זָרַק) Job 2:12; loose earth (on surface of ground) 1Ki 18:38; Amo 2:7; Mic 1:10; Isa 34:7, Isa 34:9; Lev 17:13 (H) Eze 24:7 (in figurative), Num 5:17; Job 14:19; Job 38:38; Job 39:14; Gen 26:15 (R), made into siege works Hab 1:10; of sand-storm Deu 28:24 (+ אָבָק); as serpent's food, token of punishment and humiliation, Gen 3:14 (J) Isa 65:25 (compare Mic 7:17 2e below); ע ׳זֹחֲלֵי Deu 32:24 (poem; compare 2e).
b. specifically as material of human body Gen 2:7; Gen 3:19 (J), Ecc 3:20, compare Job 4:19; Job 8:19; Psa 103:14, to which it returns (אֶלֿ שׁוּב) Gen 3:19; Job 10:9; Psa 104:29; Ecc 3:20; so (with עַל) Job 34:15; Ecc 12:7.
c. = surface of ground Exo 8:12; Exo 8:13 (twice in verse); (P; ׳ע הָאָרַץ), Job 19:25; Isa 25:12; Isa 26:5 (both || אֶרֶץ), surface of (whole) earth Job 41:25, ע ׳מְחִלוֺת Isa 2:19 (for hiding), so ׳ע alone Isa 2:10, compare ע ׳חֹרֵי Job 30:6; = soil, Job 5:6; Job 14:8.
d. powder of anything pulverized Deu 9:21 (twice in verse) (compare דָּ֑ק || Exo 32:20), 2Ki 23:6 (twice in verse); 2Ki 23:12, 2Ki 23:15, so in simile 2Sa 22:43 = Psa 18:43, hence = ashes Psa 18:4; Num 19:17.
e. debris, of ruined city 1Ki 20:10; Eze 26:4, Eze 26:12; Nehemiah 3:34; Neh 4:4; Psa 102:15. The following are late:
f. earth of the grave: ׳לֶע אֶשְׁכַּב Job 7:21, so (with עַל) Job 20:11; Job 21:26, compare Job 17:16; ע ׳יוֺרְדֵי Psa 22:30, ע ׳שֹׁכְנֵי Isa 26:19, אַדְמַתעֿ ׳יְשֵׁנֵי Dan 12:2; עֲפַרמָֿוֶת Psa 22:16; ׳ע in figure Psa 30:10.
g. mortar (i.e. dried mud) for plastering houses Lev 14:41-42, Lev 14:45 (P).
h. (iron-) ore Job 28:2; זָהָב עַפְרֹת Job 28:6 gold-dust (but see סַמִּיר).
i. material of earth Isa 40:12, compare תֵּבֵל עַפְרֹת ראֹשׁ Pro 8:26 the first of the earth particles of the world.
2 figurative:
a. of abundance Gen 13:16 (twice in verse); Gen 28:14 (all J) 2Ch 1:9; Job 27:16; Psa 78:27 (|| יַמִּים חוֺל), compare יַעֲקֹב עֲפַר Num 23:10 (JE); with added idea of commonness, worthlessness Zep 1:7; Zec 9:3.
b. of worthlessness (alone) Job 22:24.
c. simile of the scattered, dispersed 2Ki 13:7; ׳כֶּע Isa 41:2 (so van d. H. Ginsb; Baer ׳כֵּע; on meaning see Du Che, reading תְּשִׂימֵם for יִתֵּן).
d. of self-abasement Gen 18:27 (+ אֵפַר), וָאֵפֶר עַלעֿ ׳וְנִחַמְתִּי Job 42:6, בֶּע ׳יִתֵּן מִּיהוּ Lam 3:29.
e. of humiliation (sitting or lying in dust) Isa 47:1; compare Isa 29:4 (twice in verse), Job 16:15; Job 40:13; Psa 7:6; Psa 44:26; Psa 119:25, simile Job 30:19; licking dust Psa 72:9; Isa 49:23; Mic 7:17, compare Tel Amarna tikalu ipra (of enemies, see WklAltor. Forsch. iii. 291; also of serpent 1a above); of ׳י raising from the dust 1Sa 2:8 = Psa 113:7, 1Ki 16:2; of lifting oneself Isa 52:2.