← H3687 H3689 →

כָּסַל

𐤊𐤎𐤋

kâçal

H3688 verb

SILEX Entry

Root כסל to be thick, heavy, fat

Definition

To be thick, heavy, or dull—primarily of physical heaviness, but also in the sense of being mentally or morally insensitive or foolish. The word denotes a condition of being slow, lacking discernment, or demonstrating folly, particularly a stubborn or obtuse disregard for wisdom. In some contexts, it refers to insolence or moral blindness arising from such dullness.

Semantic Range

to be physically heavy or thick; to be dull-minded, lack discernment; to act foolishly or obtusely; to be insolent or morally blind

Root / Etymology

Root: כסל. The core meaning of the root is 'to be thick, fat, or heavy.' The verb כָּסַל likely develops from the physical sense of heaviness or thickness into a figurative sense of mental or moral insensibility, dullness, or folly. The semantic development—from bodily fatness to intellectual or moral obtuseness—is paralleled in other roots in Hebrew and related Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, כָּסַל is rare and mostly occurs in poetic or sapiential (wisdom) contexts. It is closely related to other terms for folly or lack of discernment (cf. אֱוִיל, כְּסִיל), but כָּסַל often carries an undertone of willful or stubborn foolishness rather than simple naivety. It can also suggest an insolence or brazen disregard for wise counsel. The progression from the literal to the figurative meaning is not unique to this root; similar semantic shifts are seen in ancient Near Eastern usage, where the language of physical heaviness frequently becomes a metaphor for stubbornness, insensitivity, or lack of understanding. English translations often use 'to be foolish' or 'to act rudely,' but these glosses do not convey the full sense of moral thickness or unwillingness to be guided that is implied. Rarely attested in narrative, its use is predominantly in poetic texts, suggesting elevated or metaphorical language.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to be fat, i.e. (figuratively) silly; be foolish.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

כסל (k-s-l) — thickness, heaviness, dullness

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3684 כְּסִיל in the thick-minded ones
H3685 כְּסִיל thick-headed one
H3687 כְּסִילוּת foolishness
H3689 כֶּסֶל the loins
H3690 כִּסְלָה your confidence

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3688-01 וְ/יִכְסָ֑לוּ veyikhesalu HC/Vqi3mp and they are foolish and they become dull-minded 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3688-01 Jeremiah 10:8 וְ/יִכְסָ֑לוּ veyikhesalu HC/Vqi3mp and they are foolish and they become dull-minded
← H3687 Hebrew Lexicon H3689 →