אַף

1. very rare in plain prose (in which גַּם is more usual): 1 Mos 40,16* (*with pronoun, as rather often) I also in my dream, 4 Mos 16,14; 5 Mos 2,11*; 5 Mos 2,20* 2 Sam 20,14 (see Dr) 2 Kong 2,14 * Est 5,12 more frequently in poetry, especially as introducing emphatically a new thought 5 Mos 33,3; 5 Mos 33,20; 5 Mos 33,28; 1 Sam 2,7; Sl 16,6; Sl 16,7; Sl 16,9; Sl 18,49; Sl 65,14 they shout for joy, yea, they sing! Sl 68,9; Sl 68,17; Sl 74,16; Sl 89,28; Sl 1,1–200; Ord 22,19* Ord 23,28* +; or in more elevated prose style, 3 Mos 26,16*; 3 Mos 26,24*; 3 Mos 26,28*; 3 Mos 26,41*; and 25 t. in the impassioned rhetoric of Isa² (Es 40,24–48,15), e.g. Es 40,24; Es 41,10; Es 41,26; Es 42,13; Es 43,7; Es 43,19; Es 46,11 yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it! Es 48,12; Es 48,15. Implying something surprising or unexpected, even, indeed Job 14,3; Job 15,4*. וְאַף and also 3 Mos 26,39; 3 Mos 26,40; 3 Mos 26,42; 3 Mos 26,44; 5 Mos 15,17; Hab 2,15; Sl 68,19; 1 Kron 8,32* = 1 Kron 9,38* 2 Kron 12,5* Neh 2,18; Neh 13,15 and even Job 19,4 וְאַףאָֿמְנָם שָׁגִיתִי and even indeed (if) I have erred . . . With הֲ, הַאַף indeed . . .? really . . .? 1 Mos 18,13; 1 Mos 18,23 wilt thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? v1 Mos 18,24; Amos 2,11; Job 34,17; Job 40,8. In contrast to a preceding thought (expressed or implied) but, nay (imo) Sl 44,10; Sl 58,3 compare Dom 5,29*.

2. (Equally in prose and poetry) with reference to a preceding sentence, yea, à fortiori, the more so (= how much more! after an affirm. clause; = how much less! after a negative one): 2 Sam 4,10f. when one told me, Saul is dead . . . I took hold of him and slew him . . . ׳אַף כִּיאֲֿנָשִׁים רְשָׁעִים הָרְגוּ וג à fortiori, how much more (should I do so when wicked men have slain a righteous person, etc.! Ezk 14,21 (Ew Hi) Ezk 15,5; Ord 21,27 (in all these passages כִּי = when) Job 4,19. So וְאַף 1 Sam 23,3; 2 Kong 5,13 . . . וְאַף כִּיאָֿמַר אֵלֶיךָ and the more (= and how much rather), when he hath said to thee, etc. More commonly in this sense strengthened by כִּי (q. v.), see below