שׁוֹפָר
shofar · horn (shofar)
Hebrew word · Strong’s number H7782 · appears 72 times in the Bible
What is the Strong number?
Strong’s number identifies this word: use it to find the same word in other study tools.What it means
shofar (שׁוֹפָר) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “horn (shofar)”.
Shofar: a ram's horn blown like a trumpet.
How to say it
sho·far
Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.
Its senses in the Bible
- A ram's horn blown like a trumpet.
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)
Word study
Shofar: a ram's horn blown to give a signal. It sounded to call to war, to proclaim a king, at the feasts and in the year of jubilee.
- The sound of the horn at Sinai Exodus 19:16
- Proclaiming the jubilee Leviticus 25:9
- A signal of war or of gathering Judges 3:27Judges 7:16Nehemiah 4:20
- The horns before Jericho Joshua 6:4Joshua 6:5
- In praise Psalms 98:6Psalms 150:32 Samuel 6:15
Historical and cultural background
The year of jubilee was proclaimed by sounding the horn on the Day of Expiation (Leviticus 25:9). The “two trumpets of silver”, on the other hand, were ordered to be made apart (Numbers 10:2).
How we translate it
“Horn” 51 times and “horns” 19, and “trumpet” is kept for חֲצֹצְרָה, the metal trumpet, so that the reader can tell the two instruments apart (“With trumpets and the voice of the horn”, Psalm 98:6). Twice the Hebrew name is left: “they blew the shofar” (2 Kings 9:13) and “with trumpets and with shofars” (2 Chronicles 15:14).
How it is translated
The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.
- horn ×51
- horns ×19
- shofar ×1
- shofars ×1
Where it appears
- Exodus×3
- Leviticus×2
- Joshua×14
- Judges×10
- 1 Samuel×1
- 2 Samuel×6
- 1 Kings×3
- 2 Kings×1
- 1 Chronicles×1
- 2 Chronicles×1
- Nehemiah×2
- Job×2
- Psalms×4
- Isaiah×3
- Jeremiah×7
- Ezekiel×4
- Hosea×2
- Joel×2
- Amos×2
- Zephaniah×1
- Zechariah×1
- Exodus 19:16
On the third day, when morning came, there were thunders and lightnings and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a horn, very loud; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
- Exodus 19:19
As the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses would speak, and Elohim would answer him with a voice.
- Exodus 20:18
All the people were seeing the thunders and the flames and the sound of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood far off.
- Leviticus 25:9
Then you shall sound the horn of acclamation in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month; on the Day of Expiation you shall sound the horn throughout all your land.
- Joshua 6:4
And seven priests shall carry seven rams’ horns before the ark. And on the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the horns.
- Joshua 6:5
And it shall be, when they make a long blast with the horn of the ram, when you hear the sound of the horn, that all the people shall raise a great acclamation, and the wall of the city will fall in its place, and the people shall go up, each man straight ahead.”
- Joshua 6:6
So Joshua son of Nun called to the priests and said to them, “Carry the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven rams’ horns before the ark of YHWH.”
- Joshua 6:8
And it came about, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before YHWH passed on and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of YHWH was going after them.
- Joshua 6:9
And the armed men were going before the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard was going after the ark, going on and blowing the horns.
- Joshua 6:13
And the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the ark of YHWH were going, going on and blowing the horns, and the armed men were going before them, and the rear guard was going after the ark of YHWH, going on and blowing the horns.
- Joshua 6:16
And it came about, at the seventh time, when the priests blew the horns, that Joshua said to the people, “Raise the acclamation! For YHWH has given you the city.
- Joshua 6:20
So the people raised the acclamation, and they blew the horns. And it came about, when the people heard the sound of the horn, that the people raised a great acclamation, and the wall fell in its place; and the people went up into the city, each man straight ahead, and they took the city.
- Judges 3:27
When he arrived, he blew the horn in the hill country of Ephraim, and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was before them.
- Judges 6:34
The spirit of YHWH clothed Gideon, and he blew the horn, and Abiezer was summoned after him.
- Judges 7:8
They took the provisions of the people in their hand, and their horns; and all the men of Israel he sent away, each to his tents, but he retained the three hundred men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
- Judges 7:16
He divided the three hundred men into three companies and put horns in the hand of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.
- Judges 7:18
When I blow the horn, I and all who are with me, then you also shall blow the horns all around the whole camp and say, ‘For YHWH and for Gideon!’”
- Judges 7:19
Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the watch in the middle, when they had just set the guards; and they blew the horns and smashed the jars that were in their hand.
- Judges 7:20
The three companies blew the horns and broke the jars; they held in their left hand the torches, and in their right hand the horns to blow, and they called out, “A sword for YHWH and for Gideon!”
- Judges 7:22
They blew the three hundred horns, and YHWH set the sword of each against his companion, throughout all the camp; and the camp fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
- 1 Samuel 13:3
Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the horn throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”
- 2 Samuel 2:28
Joab blew the horn, and all the people stood still, and they did not pursue Israel any longer, and they did not continue to fight anymore.
- 2 Samuel 6:15
So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of YHWH with acclamation and with the sound of the horn.
- 2 Samuel 15:10
Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the horn, then say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron.’”
- 2 Samuel 18:16
Joab blew the horn, and the people turned back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.
- 2 Samuel 20:1
There happened to be a wicked man whose name was Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite; he blew the horn and said, “We have no portion in David, and no inheritance for us in the son of Jesse! Each man to his tents, Israel!”
- 2 Samuel 20:22
The woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. He blew the horn, and they scattered from the city, each to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem, to the king.
- 1 Kings 1:34
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel; and blow the horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
- 1 Kings 1:39
And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
- 1 Kings 1:41
And Adonijah heard it, and all the guests who were with him, just as they finished eating. And Joab heard the sound of the horn and said, “Why is there the sound of the city in an uproar?”
- 2 Kings 9:13
They hurried, and each man took his garment and they put it under him on the bare steps; and they blew the shofar and said, “Jehu is king!”
- 1 Chronicles 15:28
So all Israel were bringing up the ark of the covenant of YHWH with acclamation and with the sound of the horn, and with trumpets and with cymbals, making themselves heard with harps and lyres.
- 2 Chronicles 15:14
They swore to YHWH with a loud voice, and with acclamation, and with trumpets and with shofars.
- Nehemiah 4:18
And the builders, each had his sword girded at his waist, and they built; and the one who blew the horn was beside me.
- Nehemiah 4:20
In the place where you hear the sound of the horn, there gather to us. Our Elohim will fight for us.”
- Job 39:24
With shaking and agitation he gulps the ground, and he cannot stand still when the horn sounds.
- Job 39:25
At every horn he says, ‘Aha!’ and from afar he smells the war, the thunder of the commanders and the acclamation.
- Psalms 47:5
Elohim has gone up with acclamation, YHWH with the sound of the horn.
- Psalms 81:3
Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon, on the day of our feast.
- Psalms 98:6
With trumpets and the voice of the horn raise a shout before the king, YHWH.
And 32 more times.