כּוֹכָב (H3556) — Hebrew Lexicon

כּוֹכָב

𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤁

kôwkâb

H3556 noun

SILEX Entry

Root כוכב to shine, to glitter, to be prominent

Definition

A luminous celestial body, a star; used of individual stars, constellations, and the broader host of 'heavenly lights.' The term encompasses both physical and symbolic usages: physically, as astronomical bodies observable in the night sky; symbolically, as figures of prominence, status, or destiny (e.g., notable individuals, princes). Occasionally invoked metaphorically for numerousness or splendor.

Semantic Range

star (celestial body), individual star, constellation, stars collectively, symbolic for numerousness, figurative for notable person or leader, astral being, object of worship

Root / Etymology

The word כּוֹכָב (kokav) is usually derived from the triliteral root כוכב (root: כוכב), though the specific root is uncertain and may be onomatopoeic or related to notions of blazing or rolling, as suggested by associations with כָּבָה ('to extinguish') or כָּבּוֹן ('roundness'). No clear Semitic cognates exist, and some scholars consider the etymology uncertain. The noun form suggests a primary reference to a celestial object appearing as a luminous point.

Historical & Contextual Notes

כּוֹכָב appears throughout the Hebrew Bible in both poetic and prose contexts to denote individual stars (e.g. Genesis 1:16, Job 38:7), astral hosts (e.g. Deuteronomy 4:19), and constellations (Amos 5:26). Stars are associated with divine creation and order (e.g., Genesis 1:16), often invoked in similes for countlessness (Genesis 15:5, Ex. 32:13) or radiance. Figuratively, 'star' can denote distinguished persons (e.g., Numbers 24:17, where a 'star from Jacob' symbolizes a coming leader). Ancient Israelite cosmology saw stars as part of the heavenly hierarchy, often contrasted with sun and moon in enumerations (Genesis 1:16), and sometimes as objects of temptation for astral worship (Deuteronomy 17:3; 2 Kings 23:5). Later translations (e.g., LXX, Vulgate, KJV) maintain 'star,' but subsequent religious traditions ascribe theological meanings not present in the Hebrew text. In Second Temple and later literature, celestial bodies gained increasing association with angels or supernatural beings, but these developments are extraneous to the primary biblical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from the same as כַּבּוֹן (in the sense of rolling) or כָּוָה (in the sense of blazing); a star (as round or as shining); figuratively, a prince; star(-gazer).

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Root Family

כוכב (k-w-k-b) — to shine, to glitter, to be prominent

Word Forms

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H3556-04`	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֣י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars	like stars of	8
`H3556-02`	הַ/כּוֹכָבִֽים	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the stars	the stars	6
`H3556-14`	וְ/כוֹכָבִ֖ים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and stars	and shining stars	6
`H3556-07`	כּֽוֹכָבִ֔ים	kokhavim	`HNcmpa`	the stars	shining stars	4
`H3556-08`	כּ֥וֹכְבֵי	kokhevey	`HNcmpc`	morning stars	stars of	3
`H3556-06`	כּוֹכָ֜ב	kokhav	`HNcmsa`	a star	shining star	2
`H3556-11`	לְ/כֽוֹכְבֵי	lekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	the stars of	to stars of	1
`H3556-01`	בַּ/כּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים	bakokhavim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	by the stars	in the stars	1
`H3556-13`	וְ/הַ/כּוֹכָבִ֑ים	vehakokhavim	`HC/Td/Ncmpa`	and the stars	and the shining stars	1
`H3556-03`	כַּ/כּוֹכָבִ֖ים	kakokhavim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	like the stars	stars	1
`H3556-05`	כוֹכְבֵ֤י	khokhevey	`HNcmpc`	stars	stars of	1
`H3556-12`	מִ/כּוֹכְבֵ֖י	mikokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	than the stars	from stars of	1
`H3556-10`	לַ/כּוֹכָבִ֑ים	lakokhavim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	of the stars	to the shining stars	1
`H3556-09`	כֹּֽכְבֵי/הֶ֑ם	kokheveyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their-stars	their stars	1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H3556-02`	Genesis 1:16	הַ/כּוֹכָבִֽים	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the stars	the stars
`H3556-02`	Genesis 15:5	הַ/כּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the stars	the stars
`H3556-04`	Genesis 22:17	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֣י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars	like stars of
`H3556-04`	Genesis 26:4	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֣י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars	like stars of
`H3556-07`	Genesis 37:9	כּֽוֹכָבִ֔ים	kokhavim	`HNcmpa`	stars	shining stars
`H3556-04`	Exodus 32:13	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֖י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars	like stars of
`H3556-06`	Numbers 24:17	כּוֹכָ֜ב	kokhav	`HNcmsa`	a star	shining star
`H3556-04`	Deuteronomy 1:10	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֥י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	like the stars	like stars of
`H3556-02`	Deuteronomy 4:19	הַ/כּֽוֹכָבִ֗ים	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the stars	the stars
`H3556-04`	Deuteronomy 10:22	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֥י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars	like stars of
`H3556-04`	Deuteronomy 28:62	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֥י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars of	like stars of
`H3556-02`	Judges 5:20	הַ/כּֽוֹכָבִים֙	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the stars	the stars
`H3556-05`	Isaiah 13:10	כוֹכְבֵ֤י	khokhevey	`HNcmpc`	stars	stars of
`H3556-11`	Isaiah 14:13	לְ/כֽוֹכְבֵי	lekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	the stars of	to stars of
`H3556-01`	Isaiah 47:13	בַּ/כּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים	bakokhavim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	by the stars	in the stars
`H3556-14`	Jeremiah 31:35	וְ/כוֹכָבִ֖ים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and-stars	and shining stars
`H3556-09`	Ezekiel 32:7	כֹּֽכְבֵי/הֶ֑ם	kokheveyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their-stars	their stars
`H3556-14`	Joel 2:10	וְ/כוֹכָבִ֖ים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and stars	and shining stars
`H3556-14`	Joel 4:15	וְ/כוֹכָבִ֖ים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and-stars	and shining stars
`H3556-06`	Amos 5:26	כּוֹכַב֙	kokhav	`HNcmsc`	star	shining star
`H3556-07`	Obadiah 1:4	כּֽוֹכָבִ֖ים	kokhavim	`HNcmpa`	the stars	shining stars
`H3556-12`	Nahum 3:16	מִ/כּוֹכְבֵ֖י	mikokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	than the stars	from stars of
`H3556-14`	Psalms 8:4	וְ֝/כוֹכָבִ֗ים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and stars	and shining stars
`H3556-14`	Psalms 136:9	וְ֭/כוֹכָבִים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and stars	and shining stars
`H3556-10`	Psalms 147:4	לַ/כּוֹכָבִ֑ים	lakokhavim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	of the stars	to the shining stars
`H3556-08`	Psalms 148:3	כּ֥וֹכְבֵי	kokhevey	`HNcmpc`	stars	stars of
`H3556-08`	Job 3:9	כּוֹכְבֵ֪י	kokhevey	`HNcmpc`	stars of	stars of
`H3556-07`	Job 9:7	כּוֹכָבִ֣ים	kokhavim	`HNcmpa`	the stars	shining stars
`H3556-07`	Job 22:12	כּוֹכָבִ֣ים	kokhavim	`HNcmpa`	of the stars	shining stars
`H3556-14`	Job 25:5	וְ֝/כוֹכָבִ֗ים	vekhokhavim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and the stars	and shining stars
`H3556-08`	Job 38:7	כּ֣וֹכְבֵי	kokhevey	`HNcmpc`	morning stars	stars of
`H3556-13`	Ecclesiastes 12:2	וְ/הַ/כּוֹכָבִ֑ים	vehakokhavim	`HC/Td/Ncmpa`	and the stars	and the shining stars
`H3556-02`	Daniel 8:10	הַ/כּוֹכָבִ֖ים	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the stars	the stars
`H3556-03`	Daniel 12:3	כַּ/כּוֹכָבִ֖ים	kakokhavim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	like the stars	stars
`H3556-02`	Nehemiah 4:15	הַ/כּוֹכָבִֽים	hakokhavim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	of the stars	the stars
`H3556-04`	Nehemiah 9:23	כְּ/כֹכְבֵ֖י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	as the stars	like stars of
`H3556-04`	1 Chronicles 27:23	כְּ/כוֹכְבֵ֥י	kekhokhevey	`HR/Ncmpc`	like the stars of	like stars of

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