אֶפֶס

n.m. proposes ceasing, hence end, extremity, only in the poet. phrase אַפְסֵי אֶרֶץ (ψ 59:14 א׳ הארץ) ends, extreme limits, of the earth, used especially hyperbolically: Dt 33:17 1 S 2:10 Mi 5:3 Je 16:19 ψ 2:8; 59:14; 72:8 (= Zc 9:10); + כָּל־ Is 45:22; 52:10b (= ψ 98:3b) ψ 22:28; 67:8 Pr 30:4. Expressing non-existence: as subst. (mostly a rare poet. syn. of אַיִן): Is 34:12 and all his princes יִהְיוּ אָ֑פֶס shall become nought, 41:29; 41:12 יִהְיוּ כְאַיִן וּכְאֶפֶס; 40:17 מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ (‖ כְּאַיִן) as made of nought and worthlessness are they accounted by him, 41:24 (read פָּעָלְכָם מֵאָ֑פֶס, ‖ מֵאַיִן, v. אֶפַע); 52:4 and Asshur oppressed him בְּאֶפֶס for nought. as part. of negation, proposes cessation of …! (cf. אֵין … nought of …), very rare in prose (2 S 9:3), chiefly a poet. syn. of אֵין: Is 5:8 עַד אֶפֶס מָקוֹם till there is an end of place = till there is no place (cf. עַד אֵין ψ 40:13), Am 6:10 (cf. אָֽיִן Ju 4:20), Dt 32:36 (hence, in prose, 2 K 14:26), Is 45:6 (cf. אין 43:11) v 14; 46:9; 54:15; אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֹד Zp 2:15 Is 47:8, 10 is prob. to be rendered, ‘I am, and there is none besides’ (so Ges Ew Di etc.), the י being ‘paragogic’ as in זוּלָתִי etc. (Ges§ 90, 3a Ew§ 211b), cf. וְאֵין עוֹד Is 45:5, 6, 18, 21; but according to De the י is sf. of 1 s. ‘I am, and I am nought besides’ (i.e. and I am nought besides my all-sufficient self).—בְּאֶפֶס (like בְּאֵין, q.v.) without: Pr 14:28; 26:20 Jb 7:6 Dn 8:25. as adv. of limitation: (a) only: †Nu 22:35 (cf. אַךְ v 20) 23:13. (b) אֶפֶס כִּי save that, howbeit (qualifying a preceding statement): †Nu 13:28 Dt 15:4 Ju 4:9 Am 9:8 (+ 1 S 1:5 𝔊 We Sta Dr). So אֶפֶס alone †2 S 12:14 (the foll. כִּי signifying because).