כְּלוּלָה
𐤊𐤋𐤅𐤋𐤄
kᵉlûwlâh
H3623 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State of being a bride, espousal or the period/status of betrothal and marriage (primarily of a woman as a bride). Used to denote the condition or collective identity of those who are brides, with focus on the role or state associated with entering conjugal union. Not only refers to the individual 'bride' but also the collective or conceptual state of betrothal or nuptial union.
Semantic Range
state of being a bride, bridehood, espousal, period of nuptial status, condition of betrothal, nuptial union, collective identity of brides
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root כּלה (k-l-h), which means 'to complete, finish, bring to an end, consummate.' The noun כַּלָּה (kallah) means 'bride,' and כְּלוּלָה is a feminine passive participle form, indicating the state of being betrothed or wedded. The denominative formation takes the idea of 'completion' or 'consummation' and applies it to the status of having entered into marriage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Biblical Hebrew, כְּלוּלָה occurs rarely and primarily in the plural, designating the ceremonial, legal, or social state of bridehood—often as part of ritual or poetic language (e.g., Isaiah 62:5). The word merges aspects of the marriage process, focused on the moment or period when a woman transitions to bride status. In later Hebrew and Aramaic, cognate forms retained their association with nuptial preparations (sometimes expanded to include the concept of the wedding canopy or celebration, but this is rare in the Tanakh itself). English translations such as 'espousal' or 'bridehood' partially capture the term, but lack the full resonance of the Hebrew, which encompasses both the legal and celebratory aspects of betrothal and marriage. Other Hebrew words (like אִשָּׁה, 'wife') are broader and not limited to the ceremonial state. כְּלוּלָה is not synonymous with 'wedding' or 'marriage' per se, but specifically denotes the condition of being (or becoming) a bride. The context in Isaiah 62 distinguishes the term from generic marital terms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
denominative passive participle from כַּלָּהlemma כַּלָה missing dagesh, corrected to כַּלָּה; bridehood (only in the plural); espousal.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כלה (k-l-h) — to complete, finish, bring to an end, consummate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3615 | כָּלָה | I will bring to completion |
| H3616 | כָּלֶה | and wasting-away ones |
| H3617 | כָּלָה | completion |
| H3618 | כַּלָּה | completed woman |
| H3622 | כְּלוּהַי | Yah Completes |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3623-01 |
כְּלוּלֹתָ֑יִ/ךְ | kelulotayikhe | HNcfpc/Sp2fs |
of-your-betrothals | your bridehood-completions | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3623-01 |
Jeremiah 2:2 | כְּלוּלֹתָ֑יִ/ךְ | kelulotayikhe | HNcfpc/Sp2fs |
of-your-betrothals | your bridehood-completions |