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כְּסִיל

𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋

kᵉçîyl

H3684 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root כָּסַל to be thick, to be fat, to be confident

Definition

A person who is lacking in wisdom or good sense, often demonstrating obstinacy or moral dullness; in some contexts, used for someone who acts contrary to prudent or ethical behavior or is impervious to counsel. The term ranges from a general lack of insight or ignorance to willful rejection of wisdom, and may imply moral failing or rebelliousness in certain wisdom texts. In astronomical contexts, the word is also applied to the constellation Orion.

Semantic Range

fool, stupid person, obstinate person, morally insensitive person, one lacking wisdom, someone impervious to counsel; (poetic/astronomical) Orion (the constellation)

Root / Etymology

Root: כסל (k-s-l). The root כסל commonly connotes the notions of 'being fat,' 'firmness,' or 'confidence.' The noun כְּסִיל appears to be derived from this root by extension from the idea of physical thickness or density (i.e., 'fat' or 'thick') to intellectual or moral dullness, such as insensibility or stupidity. In an unrelated but homonymous usage, כְּסִיל also designates the constellation Orion, probably as a loan from a Canaanite astral term, though this origin is debated.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical Hebrew, כְּסִיל frequently appears in wisdom literature (especially Proverbs) as one of several words for a 'fool,' often contrasted with 'wise' (חָכָם) or 'discerning' (נָבוֹן). Its usage suggests not simply intellectual deficiency, but resistance to instruction, correction, or ethical norms, and thus a moral as well as cognitive deficiency. The כְּסִיל is distinct from the אֱוִיל ('simpleton,' naive) and the לֵץ ('scoffer'), though all can connote lack of wisdom. In a small number of passages, particularly in poetic or cosmological contexts (Job 9:9; Amos 5:8; Isa 13:10), כְּסִיל refers to the celestial body or constellation Orion, with no negative anthropological connotation; this use is separate and likely derived from ancient Near Eastern star nomenclature. While English 'fool' is a common translation, it may not fully capture the strong moral and volitional undertones of the Hebrew term. The semantic overlap between כְּסִיל as 'fool' and as 'Orion' is coincidental and not etymologically interrelated in the biblical corpus.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from כָּסַל; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly; fool(-ish).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כסל (k-s-l) — thickness, fatness, firmness, misplaced confidence

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3685 כְּסִיל thick-headed one
H3687 כְּסִילוּת foolishness
H3688 כָּסַל and they become dull-minded
H3689 כֶּסֶל the loins
H3690 כִּסְלָה your confidence

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3684-04 כְּסִ֣יל kesil HAamsa a fool thick-minded one 17
H3684-05 כְּסִילִ֣ים kesilim HAampa of fools thick-minded ones 12
H3684-06 כְסִֽיל khesil HAamsa is a fool thick-headed fool 9
H3684-09 וּ֝/כְסִ֗יל ukhesil HC/Aamsa but a fool and a thick-headed fool 6
H3684-08 לִ֭/כְסִיל likhesil HR/Aamsa for a fool thick-headed one 6
H3684-02 הַ/כְּסִיל֙ hakesil HTd/Aamsa the thick-minded one 6
H3684-07 כְסִילִ֣ים khesilim HAampa of fools thick-headed ones 5
H3684-10 וּ֝/כְסִילִ֗ים ukhesilim HC/Aampa and fools and thick-minded ones 4
H3684-03 הַ/כְּסִילִ֖ים hakesilim HTd/Aampa of-fools the thick-minded ones 2
H3684-01 בַּ/כְּסִילִ֑ים bakesilim HRd/Aampa among fools in the thick-minded ones 2

Occurrences in Scripture

70 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3684-04 Psalms 49:11 כְּסִ֣יל kesil HAamsa fool thick-minded one
H3684-09 Psalms 92:7 וּ֝/כְסִ֗יל ukhesil HC/Aamsa nor fool and a thick-headed fool
H3684-10 Psalms 94:8 וּ֝/כְסִילִ֗ים ukhesilim HC/Aampa and fools and thick-minded ones
H3684-10 Proverbs 1:22 וּ֝/כְסִילִ֗ים ukhesilim HC/Aampa and fools and thick-minded ones
H3684-05 Proverbs 1:32 כְּסִילִ֣ים kesilim HAampa of fools thick-minded ones
H3684-10 Proverbs 3:35 וּ֝/כְסִילִ֗ים ukhesilim HC/Ncmpa but fools and thick-minded ones
H3684-10 Proverbs 8:5 וּ֝/כְסִילִ֗ים ukhesilim HC/Aampa and fools and thick-minded ones
H3684-04 Proverbs 10:1 כְּ֝סִ֗יל kesil HAamsa foolish thick-minded one
H3684-06 Proverbs 10:18 כְסִֽיל khesil HAamsa is a fool thick-headed fool
H3684-08 Proverbs 10:23 לִ֭/כְסִיל likhesil HR/Aamsa to a fool thick-headed one
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