H0657a H0657a
End, extremity; nothingness, non-existence; adversative particle 'however, but'; privative 'without, for lack of.'
Efes moves between the concrete and the abstract with remarkable fluidity. At its most vivid, it names the 'ends of the earth' -- the farthest horizons of the created world -- in some of the Bible's grandest prophetic poetry (Ps 2:8; Isa 45:22). Yet the same root expresses absolute negation: 'there is none,' 'nothing,' 'nothingness.' Spanish captures this split well, rendering confines for the geographic sense but nadie and nada for the existential negation. The word also functions as an adversative particle ('however, but') and a privative preposition ('without'), showing how a noun of cessation grammaticalizes into logical connectives. The thread uniting all senses is the idea of a limit -- spatial, existential, or logical.
Senses
1. ends of (the earth) — The geographic-poetic sense: 'ends of the earth' (afse-erets), the remotest boundaries of the inhabited world. Concentrated in Psalms, Isaiah, and Deuteronomy, this phrase carries enormous theological weight -- God's sovereignty extends to the afse-erets (Ps 2:8; Zech 9:10). Spanish confines, German Ende, and French extremite all select 'boundary/limit' vocabulary, while the construct chain with erets is nearly formulaic across all 14 occurrences. 14×
AR["أقاصي-","أَطْرافِ-","أَقَاصِي-","أَقَاصِيَ","أَقْاصِي-","أَقْصَى-","إِلى-أَقاصي","مِنْ-أَقْاصِي-"]·ben["-প্রান্তগুলো-","প্রান্ত-","প্রান্ত-থেকে-","প্রান্তগুলি","প্রান্তগুলি-","প্রান্তে-","প্রান্তের","প্রান্তের-","সীমানা-","সীমান্ত-","সীমান্ত-পর্যন্ত","সীমান্তগুলি"]·DE["Ende","[אפסי]","der-ends-von","der-ends-von-","ends-von","ends-von-","zu-der-ends-von"]·EN["ends-of","ends-of-","from-ends-of-","the-ends-of","the-ends-of-","to-the-ends-of"]·FR["ends-de","ends-de-","extrémité","extrémités-de","fin","à-extrémités-de","אפסי"]·heb["אפסי","אפסי-","ל-אפסי","מ-אפסי"]·HI["किनारों","छोर","छोर-","छोरों-","छोरों-तक","छोरों-से-"]·ID["dari-ujung-ujung-","ujung","ujung-ujung","ujung-ujung-"]·IT["da-estremita-di","ends-di","estremita-di","estremità","estremità-di-","tuttavia"]·jav["piyambakipun","pungkasan-","pungkasan-pungkasan-","pungkasan-saking","pungkasaning","pungkasaning-","pungkasanipun-","saking-pungkasaning"]·KO["끝-들-까지","끝-들-이","끝들","끝들(접)-","끝들-","끝들-까지","끝들-에서","끝들-의","끝들-이","끝들을","끝들이-","끝들이여-"]·PT["até-os-confins","confins-da","confins-de","confins-de-","dos-confins-de","extremidades-de","extremidades-de-","os-confins","os-confins-da"]·RU["-концы-","до-концов","концов","концов-","концы-","краи-","край-","края-","краёв-","от-концов-"]·ES["confines-de","confines-de-","desde-extremos-de","hasta-confines-de","los-confines-de"]·SW["hadi-miisho","kutoka-miisho-ya-","miisho","miisho-ya","miisho-yote","na-miisho","yote-","yote-ya-"]·TR["den-uçları-","sınırlarını-","uclari-","uçları","uçları-","uçlarına-","uçlarına-kadar-","uçlarını-"]·urd["سرحدوں-","لَ-سروں","چھوروں-","کناروں","کناروں-","کناروں-تک-","کناروں-سے-","کناروں-نے","کناروں-کو","کناروں-کی","کنارے"]
2. there is none, no one — Predicative negation: 'there is none, no one remains.' Used to deny the existence or survival of persons or things, often in contexts of judgment or devastation. Deut 32:36 announces that God will act when he sees 'there is none remaining'; 2 Kgs 14:26 twice uses efes to describe Israel's utter helplessness. Spanish nadie/ningun and German keiner confirm this as a true existential negation, distinct from ordinary Hebrew ayin by its poetic register and emphatic finality. 12×
AR["انتِهَاءِ","لا-أَحَدَ","لَيْسَ","هَل-انتَهى","وَ-لَا","وَ-لَيْسَ","وَانْتَهَى","وَفَرَغَ","وَلَيْسَ-آخَرُ"]·ben["এবং-আর-কেউ-নেই","এবং-নেই","এবং-নেই-আমি-ছাড়া","এবং-নেই-কেউ","এবং-শেষ","কি-নেই","কেউ-নেই","নেই","শেষ"]·DE["Ende","[אפס]","[ואפסי]","ist-dort-nicht","und-Ende","und-dort-ist-nein","und-keiner"]·EN["None","and-none","and-there-is-no","and-there-is-no-one","and-there-is-none","and-there-is-none-besides-","end-of","is-there-not","none","there-is-none"]·FR["est-là-pas","et-aucun","et-extrémité","et-fin","et-là-est-non","extrémité"]·heb["אפס","ה-אפס","ו-אפס","ו-אפסי"]·HI["और-अफेस","और-कोई-नहीं","और-समाप्त-हो-गया","कोई-नहीं","क्या-नहीं","नहीं","नहीं-है"]·ID["Tidak-ada","dan-tidak-ada","dan-tidak-ada-lagi","dan-tidak-ada-selain-aku","tidak-ada","tidak-adakah"]·IT["e-estremita-di","e-estremità","e-fine","e-la-e-no","e-nessuno","fine","è-là-non"]·jav["Punapa-sampun-tèlas","lan-boten-wonten","lan-mboten-wonten","lan-mboten-wonten-Ingsun","lan-ngucap","mboten-wonten"]·KO["그리고-끝이-없다","그리고-나-외에-없다","그리고-다했다","그리고-아니","그리고-없느니라","끝-날-때","없느냐-","없느니라","없는","없도다"]·PT["Acaso-não-há","acabou","e-além-de-mim","e-nada-há","e-nenhum","e-não-há","e-não-há-outro","nada-há","não-haver"]·RU["и-нет","и-нет-кроме-меня","нет","нет-ли","никого","ничто"]·ES["Nadie","nadie","ningún","no-hay","y-nada-más","y-nadie","y-nadie-más","y-no-hay","y-sin","¿acaso-no-hay"]·SW["Hapana","hakuna","je-hakuna","na-hakuna","na-hakuna-mwingine"]·TR["hiç","mı-yok","ve-baska-yok","ve-kimse-degil","ve-tükendi","ve-yoktu","ve-yoktur","yok"]·urd["اور-میرے-سوا-کوئی-نہیں","اور-نہ","اور-نہیں-رہا","اور-نہیں-کوئی","اور-کوئی-نہیں","ختم","نہیں-رہی","کوئی-نہیں","کیا-کوئی-نہیں"]
3. however, but, only — Adversative-restrictive particle: 'however, but, except, only.' The noun of cessation has grammaticalized into a discourse marker introducing qualifications. In Num 13:28 the spies concede the land's goodness efes -- 'however, the people are strong'; in Judg 4:9 Deborah agrees to accompany Barak efes -- 'only, the glory will not be yours.' German jedoch/nur and Spanish sin embargo/excepto both treat this as a genuine conjunction, confirming its functional shift from substantive to particle. 7×
AR["إلّا","إِلاّ","إِلَّا","غَيْرَ-أَنَّ","غَيْرَ-أَنَّهُ","فَقَطْ","وَ-لٰكِنْ"]·ben["এবং-কিন্তু","কিন্তু","তবে","শুধুমাত্র"]·DE["[אפס]","jedoch","nur","und-aber"]·EN["and-but","except","however","only"]·FR["cependant","et-mais","extrémité","however","seulement"]·heb["אפס","ו-אפס"]·HI["और-केवल","किन्तु","केवल","फिर-भी","लेकिन","सिवाय"]·ID["Sesungguhnya","akan-tetapi","dan-hanya","hanya","tetapi"]·IT["e-ma","fine","however","solo","tuttavia"]·jav["Ananging","Nanging","amargi","lan-namung","namung","nanging"]·KO["그러나","그러나-오직","다만","오직"]·PT["Contudo","Todavia","contudo","e-somente","exceto","somente","¶ Todavia"]·RU["Однако","но","но-только","однако","только"]·ES["Sin-embargo","excepto","pero-solo","sin-embargo","solo"]·SW["Isipokuwa","Lakini","isipokuwa","lakini","lakini-tu","tu"]·TR["Ancak","ama","ancak","ve-ancak"]·urd["اور-صرف","سوائے","صرف","لیکن","مگر"]
4. without, for lack of — Privative prepositional use (often be-efes): 'without, for lack of.' Indicates deprivation or absence of something expected. Prov 14:28 warns that 'without a people, a prince is ruined' (be-efes le'om); Prov 26:20 notes 'without a gossip, strife ceases.' The be- preposition + efes construction creates a compact privative phrase. Spanish sin and German ohne both render this straightforwardly, while the French evidence sometimes struggles, confirming this is a distinctly Hebraic idiom. 6×
AR["بِ-انْعِدامِ","بِبِلا","بِـ-بِلَا-سَبَبٍ","لَيْسَ","وَ-بِعَدَمِ","وَ-بِـ-لَا"]·ben["-অভাবে","এবং-অনুপস্থিতিতে","এবং-বিনা-","বিনা","বিনা-কারণে"]·DE["Ende","[באפס]","[ובאפס]","in-Ende"]·EN["and-without","but-without","for-lack-of","without","without-cause"]·FR["dans-extrémité","dans-באפס","et-extrémité","et-ובאפס","extrémité"]·heb["אפס","ב-אפס","ו-ב-אפס"]·HI["उसपर-अत्याचार-किया","और-अभाव-में","और-बिना","बिना","बिना-"]·ID["Tanpa","dengan-tanpa-alasan","tanpa","tetapi-bukan","tetapi-dalam-ketiadaan","tetapi-tanpa"]·IT["e-in-fine","e-in-ma-without","fine","in-fine","in-per-lack-di","in-without"]·jav["ing-mboten-wonten","lan-tanpa","nanging-tanpa","sanajan","tanpa","tanpa-sabab"]·KO["가치-없이-","그러나-없음-에","그러나-없이","없는데-","없으면","에-없음"]·PT["Sem","e-na-falta-de","e-sem","nada","por-nada","sem"]·RU["а-при-отсутствии","без","без-причины","в-исчезновении","и-без","ничто"]·ES["Cuando-faltan","nadie","sin","sin-causa","y-en-falta-de","y-sin-"]·SW["bila","bila-sababu","kwa-kukosa","lakini-bila","lakini-si","na-bila-"]·TR["degil-","olmadan","olmadığında","sebepsiz-","ve-olmadan","ve-yokluğunda"]·urd["اور-کمی-میں","بغیر","بغیر-سبب","لیکن-بغیر"]
5. nothing, nothingness — Substantive nothingness: absolute zero or utter worthlessness, concentrated in Second Isaiah's polemic against idolatry and the nations. Isa 40:17 declares the nations are 'as nothing and nothingness' (ke-ayin u-khe-efes); Isa 41:29 says of the idols 'they are all efes.' Spanish menos-que-nada ('less than nothing') captures the rhetorical hyperbole. This sense is closely related to sense 2 but emphasizes qualitative worthlessness rather than mere non-existence, and is restricted to prophetic-poetic contexts. 4×
AR["عَدَمًا","عَدَمٌ","مِنَ-العَدَمِ","وَكَالعَدَمِ"]·ben["এবং-অস্তিত্বহীনের-মতো","শূন্য","শূন্য-থেকে"]·DE["Ende","und-Ende","von-Ende"]·EN["and-as-less-than-nothing","as-less-than-nothing","nothing"]·FR["de-extrémité","et-fin","extrémité"]·heb["אפס","ו-כ-אפס","מ-אפס"]·HI["और-जैसे-शून्य","कुछ-नहीं","शून्य","से-शून्य"]·ID["dan-seperti-kekosongan","dari-kekosongan","kekosongan","tidak-ada"]·IT["da-fine","e-fine","fine"]·jav["lan-kados-kosong","saking-kosong","sepi"]·KO["그리고-같이-없는-것","없느니라","없음이","에서-없음"]·PT["de-nulidade","e-como-nulidade","nada","nulidade"]·RU["и-как-ничтожество","как-пустота","ничто","пустота"]·ES["menos-que-nada","nada","y-como-inexistencia"]·SW["kutoka-si-kitu","na-kama-si-kitu","si-kitu"]·TR["bosluk","hiclik","ve-yokluk-gibi","yokluktan"]·urd["اور-عدم-کی-طرح","عدم","عدم-سے","نابود"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אֶ֫פֶס, אָ֑פֶס n.m. proposes ceasing, hence 1. 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. 2. Expressing non-existence: a. as subst. (mostly a rare poet. syn. of אַיִן): Is…