אֶפֶס

1. end, extremity, only in the poetic phrase אַפְסֵי אֶרֶץ (Sl 59,14 הארץ ׳א) ends, extreme limits, of the earth, used especially hyperbolically: 5 Mos 33,17; 1 Sam 2,10; Mik 5,3; Jer 16,19; Sl 2,8; Sl 59,14; Sl 72,8 (= Zak 9,10); + כָּלֿ Es 45,22; Es 52,10b (= Sl 98,3b) Sl 22,28; Sl 67,8; Ord 30,4.

2. Expressing non-existence:
\ \ a. as substantive. (mostly a rare poetic synonym of אַיִן): Es 34,12 and all his princes יִהְיוּ אָ֑פֶס shall become nought, (Es 41,29; Es 41,12 יִהְיוּ כְאַיִן וּכְאֶפֶס; Es 40,17 מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ (|| כְּאַיִן) as made of nought and worthlessness are they accounted by him, Es 41,24 (readפָּעָלְכָם מֵאָ֑פֶס, || מֵאַיִן see אֶפַע); Es 52,4 and Asshur oppressed him בְּאֶפֶס for nought.
\ \ b. as particle of negation, prop. cessation of. . ! (compare אֵין ֗֗֗ nought of...), very rare in prose (2 Sam 9,3), chiefly a poetic synonym of ׃אֵין Es 5,8 עַד אֶפֶס מָקוֺם till there is an end of place = till there is no place (compare עַָד אֵין Sl 40,13), Amos 6,10 (compare אָֽיִן Dom 4,20), 5 Mos 32,36 (hence, in prose, 2 Kong 14,26), Es 45,6 (compare אָין Es 43,11) vEs 43,14; Es 46,9; Es 54,15 אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֺד Sef 2,15; Es 47,8; Es 47,10 is probably to be rendered, 'I am, and there is none besides' (so Ges Ew Di etc.), the י being 'paragogic' as in זוּלָתי etc. (Ges^{«GKC:90»§ 90}, 3 a Ew^{§ 211 b}), compare וְאֵין עוֺד Es 45,5; Es 45,6; Es 45,18; Es 45,21 but according to De the י is suffix of 1 singular 'I am, and I am nought besides' (i.e. and I am nought besides my all-sufficient self). — בְּאֶפֶס (like בְּאֵין, q. v.) without: Ord 14,28; Ord 26,20; Job 7,6; Dan 8,25.
\ \ c. as adverb of limitation:
\ \ \ (a) only: 4 Mos 22,35 (compare אַח v4 Mos 22,20) 4 Mos 23,13.
\ \ \ (b) אֶפֶס כִּי save that, howbeit (qualifying a preceding statement): 4 Mos 13,28; 5 Mos 1,5; Dom 4,9; Amos 9,8 (+ 1 Sam 1,5 ᵐ5 We Sta Dr). So אֶפֶס alone 2 Sam 12,14 (the following כִּי signifying because).