כֶּסֶא
𐤊𐤎𐤀
keçeʼ
H3677 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The term כֶּסֶא (keṣeʼ) denotes the 'full moon,' with primary reference to the phase of the lunar cycle when the moon is fully visible, typically associated with festival observances in the Israelite calendar. By extension, it can refer to the time marked by the full moon, most notably the occasion of certain religious festivals governed by lunar chronology.
Semantic Range
full moon, time of the full moon, appointed festival date (by extension)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root כָּסָה (k-s-h), meaning 'to cover' or 'conceal.' The nominal form כֶּסֶא appears to indicate the 'hidden' or 'covered' time, a reference to the transition within the lunar cycle when the moon is either fully concealed (new moon) or fully revealed (full moon). In biblical usage, כֶּסֶא is most plausibly linked to the full moon, particularly as the reference point for calendrical reckoning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Occurrences of כֶּסֶא are rare in the Hebrew Bible, with the primary attestation in Psalm 81:4 (English 81:3), in the context of blowing the shofar 'at the new moon, at the full moon (כֶּסֶא), on our feast day.' The term is particularly associated with festivals regulated by the lunar calendar, such as Passover and Sukkot, which both coincide with the full moon (the 14th–15th day of the month). Its precise nuance has been debated; earlier interpreters sometimes rendered it as 'appointed time,' but the predominant scholarly consensus now reads it as 'full moon.' The meaning should be distinguished from יוֹם חֹדֶשׁ ('new moon'), which refers to the start of the month. English Bible translations vary, with some older versions favoring 'appointed time' due to interpretative tradition, but the notion of the full moon suits the ancient Israelite calendrical and ritual context more accurately. There is no evidence that the term denoted the moon as a deity, nor does it carry the broader sense of 'festival' itself; rather, it specifies the time marker for the festival.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or כֶּסֶה; apparently from כָּסָה; properly, fulness or the full moon, i.e. its festival; (time) appointed.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כסה (k-s-h) — to cover, to conceal
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3678 | כִּסֵּא | the throne |
| H3680 | כָּסָה | I will fully cover |
| H3681 | כָּסוּי | covering-of |
| H3682 | כְּסוּת | covering-of |
| H3704 | כֶּסֶת | covering-cushions |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3677-01 |
בַּ֝/כֵּ֗סֶה | bakeseh | HRd/Ncmsa |
at the full moon | full moon | 1 |
H3677-02 |
הַ֝/כֵּ֗סֶא | hakese | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the full moon | the full moon | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3677-01 |
Psalms 81:4 | בַּ֝/כֵּ֗סֶה | bakeseh | HRd/Ncmsa |
at the full moon | full moon |
H3677-02 |
Proverbs 7:20 | הַ֝/כֵּ֗סֶא | hakese | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the full moon | the full moon |