כֶּסֶף
𐤊𐤎𐤐
keçeph
H3701 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Silver, a precious metal characterized by its pale or shiny appearance, used in the ancient Near East as a means of exchange, a commodity of value, and material for ornamental and cultic objects. By extension, 'keçeph' frequently denotes money or payment, given that silver was the standard medium for transactions in the biblical period.
Semantic Range
silver (metal), money, means of payment, price, silver object, wealth, pale color, desire (rare/derived sense)
Root / Etymology
From the root כָּסַף (k-s-p), meaning 'to pale, to be white, to desire, to long for.' The noun כֶּסֶף originally denotes 'silver,' referencing its pale color, but through its high value as a precious metal, it came to signify money more generally. The meaning 'money' is a later semantic development arising from its economic function.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the patriarchal and monarchic periods, silver was the primary material for trade and payment, with כֶּסֶף regularly used in commercial contexts (Genesis 23:15-16, 37:28; 2 Kings 12:10). It often appears alongside gold, although silver was more commonly used in everyday transactions. The term also denotes silver as an offering (Exodus 30:15), temple treasury, or as material for idols (Isaiah 2:20). In cultic and legal contexts, כֶּסֶף refers to weights of silver in compensation or bride-price (Exodus 21:32; Deuteronomy 22:29); standard coinage did not arise until the Persian period, so 'silver' was typically reckoned by weight rather than minted form. In poetic and wisdom literature, כֶּסֶף serves metaphorically for wealth or intrinsic value (Proverbs 10:20; Job 28:1). 'Money' as a translation can obscure the original context, as the biblical world operated primarily on precious metal by weight rather than minted currency. In post-exilic and later periods, the word retains both concrete (metal) and abstract (wealth, value, currency) senses, with narrowing toward 'money' in some contexts. Later translations sometimes render כֶּסֶף as 'money' generically, but this may not always capture the economic realities or symbolic associations of the term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּסַף; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money; money, price, silver(-ling).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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כסף (k-s-p) — to pale, to be white, to desire, to long for
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3700 | כָּסַף | was deeply longed for |
| H3702 | כְּסַף | with the silver |
| H3703 | כָּסִפְיָא | in Silver-place |
Word Forms
38 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3701-15 |
כֶּ֨סֶף֙ | kesef | HNcmsa |
silver | silver | 131 |
H3701-05 |
הַ/כֶּ֕סֶף | hakesef | HTd/Ncmsa |
the silver | the silver | 67 |
H3701-06 |
כָּ֑סֶף | kasef | HNcmsa |
silver | silver | 38 |
H3701-20 |
כֶ֨סֶף | khesef | HNcmsa |
silver | silver | 31 |
H3701-37 |
וְ/כֶ֣סֶף | vekhesef | HC/Ncmsa |
and silver | silver | 20 |
H3701-03 |
בְּ/כֶ֨סֶף | bekhesef | HR/Ncmsa |
with silver | with silver | 12 |
H3701-33 |
וָ/כֶ֖סֶף | vakhesef | HC/Ncmsa |
and silver | and silver | 11 |
H3701-02 |
בַּ/כֶּ֖סֶף | bakesef | HRd/Ncmsa |
for silver | with the silver | 9 |
H3701-34 |
וְ/הַ/כֶּ֥סֶף | vehakesef | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and the silver | and the silver | 9 |
H3701-17 |
כָֽסֶף | khasef | HNcmsa |
of silver | silver | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
403 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3701-02 |
Genesis 13:2 | בַּ/כֶּ֖סֶף | bakesef | HRd/Ncmsa |
in silver | with the silver |
H3701-15 |
Genesis 17:12 | כֶּ֨סֶף֙ | kesef | HNcmsa |
with money | silver |
H3701-08 |
Genesis 17:13 | כַּסְפֶּ֑/ךָ | kasepekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
of your money | your silver |
H3701-14 |
Genesis 17:23 | כַּסְפּ֔/וֹ | kasepo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
with his money | his silver |
H3701-15 |
Genesis 17:27 | כֶּ֖סֶף | kesef | HNcmsa |
with money | silver |
H3701-15 |
Genesis 20:16 | כֶּ֨סֶף֙ | kesef | HNcmsa |
pieces of silver | silver |
H3701-03 |
Genesis 23:9 | בְּ/כֶ֨סֶף | bekhesef | HR/Ncmsa |
for silver | with silver |
H3701-15 |
Genesis 23:13 | כֶּ֤סֶף | kesef | HNcmsc |
money | silver |
H3701-15 |
Genesis 23:15 | כֶּ֛סֶף | kesef | HNcmsa |
of silver | silver |
H3701-05 |
Genesis 23:16 | הַ/כֶּ֕סֶף | hakesef | HTd/Ncmsa |
the silver | the silver |