כָּוָה
𐤊𐤅𐤄
kâvâh
H3554 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To burn, be scorched, or suffer burns from intense heat; to be inflamed or seared. This verb denotes the action of being harmed or painfully affected by heat, flame, or fire, often implying injury, pain, or mark left by the burning process. Contexts generally emphasize the negative consequences—such as scars, wounds, or pain—resulting from direct exposure to burning or scorching flames.
Semantic Range
to suffer burn injury, to be seared by fire, to be scorched, to be inflamed or blistered, to be branded, to be painfully marked by heat
Root / Etymology
Root כּוה (k-v-h). The primary root meaning relates to 'pricking, penetrating, or searing,' indicating a strong, painful, and injurious effect of heat. The specific form כָּוָה is a verbal stem that focuses on the act of being burned or seared. The word is distinct from other Hebrew roots meaning 'to burn' (such as שרף sh-r-p, to destroy by fire), carrying nuance of suffering or being marked by fire rather than merely consuming or incinerating by fire.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb כָּוָה is relatively rare in the Hebrew Bible—occurring notably in Isaiah 43:2 and Psalm 119:83. In Isaiah 43:2, it is used metaphorically to describe deliverance from harm ('when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned [תִּכָּוֶה, tikaveh]'). The verb emphasizes the experience of being wounded or marked by heat or fire, often with connotations of pain or physical alteration. It differs from the common root שרף (sh-r-p), which refers to burning in the sense of combustion or destruction. English translations typically use 'burn' or 'scorch,' but may not convey the Hebrew emphasis on the sufferer being marked or injured by the burning process. In later Hebrew (e.g., Rabbinic), derivatives of the root refer to branding or cauterizing (as with a hot iron). The term is not used in priestly sacrificial contexts, where other roots like קטר (q-t-r, 'to offer up [incense/fumes]') and עלה ('to ascend' in the context of whole burnt offerings) are standard. Cognate forms are attested in other Semitic languages (such as Arabic kawa, 'to cauterize'). The word underwent little semantic shift over time; later traditions emphasized physical branding or cauterization as a medical or punitive procedure. English renderings such as 'burned,' 'scorched,' or 'seared' capture portions of the semantic range but not the specificity of being painfully marked or injured by intense heat.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to prick or penetrate; hence, to blister (as smarting or eating into); burn.
Bantu Hebrew
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כוה (k-v-h) — to burn, to sear, to brand, to be injured by heat
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3554-01 |
תִכָּוֶ֔ה | tikaveh | HVNi2ms |
be burned | you will be seared | 1 |
H3554-02 |
תִכָּוֶֽינָה | tikaveynah | HVNi3fp |
be burned | they (feminine) will be seared | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3554-01 |
Isaiah 43:2 | תִכָּוֶ֔ה | tikaveh | HVNi2ms |
be burned | you will be seared |
H3554-02 |
Proverbs 6:28 | תִכָּוֶֽינָה | tikaveynah | HVNi3fp |
be burned | they (feminine) will be seared |