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כָּבֵד

𐤊𐤁𐤃

kâbêd

H3515 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be heavy, weighty—both in a physical and abstract sense. The word can denote literal heaviness or weight, but more commonly, it expresses being heavy in importance, honor, or significance, and sometimes, in a negative sense, burdensome, oppressive, or dull. In the intensive (pi‘el) and causative (hiph‘il) stems, can mean to honor or make glorious, or to make heavy (burdensome).

Semantic Range

to be physically heavy, to be honored or distinguished, to be weighty in importance, to be oppressive or burdensome, to be slow or dull, to be grievous, to be severe, to be hardened (of heart)

Root / Etymology

Root: כָּבַד (k-v-d), whose core sense is 'to be heavy, weighty'. כָּבֵד is the qal stem adjective or verb form derived from this root, denoting the quality or condition of heaviness.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, כָּבֵד in its qal form often describes literal heaviness (e.g., Eli the priest was כָּבֵד, 'heavy,' 1 Samuel 4:18). More significantly, it developed wide abstract usage, denoting weightiness in terms of social honor or seriousness (e.g., honoring parents; cf. pi‘el 'to honor'). When negative, it connotes burdensome, oppressive, or stubborn qualities (as in Pharaoh's 'hardened' heart—his heart was 'heavy' or unyielding). English translations vary—sometimes rendering it as 'heavy,' 'burdensome,' 'grievous,' or as 'honor'/'glory' in the intensified stems. In later periods, the semantic field shifts somewhat toward the abstract, with less focus on mere physicality. It contrasts with roots denoting lightness or ease (e.g., קַל). 'Jew' or 'Jewish' terminology does not arise in texts using this root. Care is needed: the term 'hardened' in English can mislead if disconnecting from the Hebrew imagery of heaviness. The root also stands behind the important noun כָּבוֹד (kabod), 'glory' or 'honor,' though this has a distinct lexical history.

Translation Consistency

primary "heavy" 29 occurrences

Most common and neutral rendering across the SILEX senses (physical weight, weighty/important, burdensome/oppressive, severe). ‘‘Heavy’’ naturally covers literal and figurative uses and yields the most consistent, natural English for the majority of occurrences; rarer senses (e.g., to honor) will be handled by context-specific phrasing while keeping the same base word for consistency.

Alternatives (10 occurrences):
"great" (5x) "slow of" (2x) "very much" (1x) "laden" (1x) "heavier" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from כָּבַד; heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid); (so) great, grievous, hard(-ened), (too) heavy(-ier), laden, much, slow, sore, thick.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Digo kubwa big, large
Kikamba kubwa big, large
Pemba (Kingome dialect) kubwa big, large
Shambala kubwa big, large
Swahili kubwa big, great, important

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Root Family

כבד (kâbad) — to be heavy, weighty, burdensome

Root כבד to be heavy, to be honored, to be burdensome
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3513 כָּבַד I will make weighty
H3514 כֹּבֶד heaviness of
H3516 כָּבֵד in the liver
H3517 כְּבֵדֻת heaviness
H3519 כָּבוֹד in weighty honor

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3515-02 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa great heavy, weighty heavy 21
H3515-05 כָבֵ֤ד khaved HAamsa heavy weighty heavy 7
H3515-01 הַ/כָּבֵ֖ד hakaved HTd/Aamsa heavy the liver the heavy 3
H3515-08 וְ/כָבֵ֑ד vekhaved HC/Aamsa and heavy weighty and heavy 2
H3515-09 וְ/כִבְדֵ֥י vekhivedey HC/Aampc and heavy and weighty ones of and heavy ones of 2
H3515-03 כֶּ֣בֶד keved HAamsc laden heavy laden 1
H3515-04 כְּבֵדִ֔ים kevedim HAampa heavy weighty ones heavy 1
H3515-06 כְבַד khevad HAamsc slow of heavy-of slow of 1
H3515-07 וּ/כְבַ֥ד ukhevad HC/Aamsc and slow of heavy of and slow of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3515-05 Genesis 12:10 כָבֵ֥ד khaved HAamsa severe weighty heavy
H3515-05 Genesis 41:31 כָבֵ֥ד khaved HAamsa it will be severe weighty heavy
H3515-02 Genesis 43:1 כָּבֵ֥ד kaved HAamsa was severe heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-05 Genesis 47:4 כָבֵ֥ד khaved HAamsa severe weighty heavy
H3515-05 Genesis 47:13 כָבֵ֥ד khaved HAamsa was heavy weighty heavy
H3515-02 Genesis 50:9 כָּבֵ֥ד kaved HAamsa very heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-08 Genesis 50:10 וְ/כָבֵ֖ד vekhaved HC/Aamsa and very weighty and heavy
H3515-02 Genesis 50:11 כָּבֵ֥ד kaved HAamsa grievous heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-06 Exodus 4:10 כְבַד khevad HAamsc slow of heavy-of slow of
H3515-07 Exodus 4:10 וּ/כְבַ֥ד ukhevad HC/Aamsc and slow of heavy of and slow of
H3515-02 Exodus 7:14 כָּבֵ֖ד kaved HAamsa is hard heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 8:20 כָּבֵ֔ד kaved HAamsa severe heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 9:3 כָּבֵ֥ד kaved HAamsa very severe heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 9:18 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa very heavy heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 9:24 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa very heavy heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 10:14 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa very heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 12:38 כָּבֵ֥ד kaved HAamsa very much heavy, weighty very much
H3515-04 Exodus 17:12 כְּבֵדִ֔ים kevedim HAampa heavy weighty ones heavy
H3515-05 Exodus 18:18 כָבֵ֤ד khaved HAamsa too heavy weighty heavy
H3515-02 Exodus 19:16 כָּבֵד֙ kaved HAamsa heavy heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-05 Numbers 11:14 כָבֵ֖ד khaved HAamsa heavy weighty heavy
H3515-02 Numbers 20:20 כָּבֵ֖ד kaved HAamsa numerous heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-08 1 Samuel 4:18 וְ/כָבֵ֑ד vekhaved HC/Aamsa and heavy weighty and heavy
H3515-01 1 Kings 3:9 הַ/כָּבֵ֖ד hakaved HTd/Aamsa the great the liver the great
H3515-02 1 Kings 10:2 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa very heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-01 1 Kings 12:4 הַ/כָּבֵ֛ד hakaved HTd/Aamsa the-heavy the liver the heavy
H3515-02 1 Kings 12:11 כָּבֵ֔ד kaved HAamsa heavy heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-02 2 Kings 6:14 כָּבֵ֑ד kaved HAamsa great heavy, weighty great
H3515-02 2 Kings 18:17 כָּבֵ֖ד kaved HAamsa great heavy, weighty great
H3515-03 Isaiah 1:4 כֶּ֣בֶד keved HAamsc laden heavy laden
H3515-02 Isaiah 32:2 כָּבֵ֖ד kaved HAamsa great heavy, weighty great
H3515-02 Isaiah 36:2 כָּבֵ֑ד kaved HAamsa great heavy, weighty heavy
H3515-09 Ezekiel 3:5 וְ/כִבְדֵ֥י vekhivedey HC/Aampc and heavy and weighty ones of and heavy ones of
H3515-09 Ezekiel 3:6 וְ/כִבְדֵ֣י vekhivedey HC/Aampc and heavy and weighty ones of and heavy ones of
H3515-05 Psalms 38:5 כָ֝בֵ֗ד khaved HAamsa heavy weighty heavy
H3515-02 Proverbs 27:3 כָּבֵ֥ד kaved HAamsa is heavier heavy, weighty is heavier
H3515-02 2 Chronicles 9:1 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa very great heavy, weighty great
H3515-01 2 Chronicles 10:4 הַ/כָּבֵ֛ד hakaved HTd/Aamsa heavy the liver the heavy
H3515-02 2 Chronicles 10:11 כָּבֵ֔ד kaved HAamsa heavy heavy, weighty heavy
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