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כַּעַס

𐤊𐤏𐤎

kaʻaç

H3707 verb

SILEX Entry

Root כעס to be angry, to provoke, to be vexed

Definition

kaʻaṣ primarily means to be angry or provoked to anger, encompassing the emotional state of anger, indignation, or irritation, and the act of provoking or causing anger in another. In certain contexts, it can also carry the sense of grief or sorrow, especially when the anger stems from offense or injustice. The verb emphasizes both the internal feeling of irritation and the external action of provoking or inciting anger.

Semantic Range

to be angry, to be indignant, to be grieved, to provoke to anger, to vex, to cause irritation, to cause sorrow, to incite wrath

Root / Etymology

Root is כ-ע-ס (כעס), with the core meaning 'to be vexed, provoked, or angry.' The word is directly derived from this root in the standard qal (simple) stem. The root is native to Hebrew and attested in cognate Semitic languages, generally conveying irritation, anger, or emotional disturbance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, kaʻaṣ is frequently used to describe either the emotional disturbance experienced by individuals or the provocative actions that lead to anger—especially actions that provoke the God of Israel to anger, typically through idolatry or covenantal unfaithfulness (e.g., Deuteronomy, Kings, Prophets). It can refer to human anger, but is particularly common to describe divine anger in response to Israelite disobedience. In post-exilic and later usage, the term retains this sense but may be employed with a broader or more general sense of exasperation or provocation. Related terms include אַף (aph, 'anger, nostril') and קָצַף (qatzaf, 'to be enraged, wroth'), which can emphasize intensity or the external expression of wrath. English translations usually focus on 'anger,' 'provoke,' or 'vex,' but may not always capture the nuance of emotional and relational disruption implied in Hebrew contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to trouble; by implication, to grieve, rage, be indignant; be angry, be grieved, take indignation, provoke (to anger, unto wrath), have sorrow, vex, be wroth.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כעס (k-ʿ-s) — anger, provocation, vexation

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3708 כַּעַס in his anger

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3707-13 לְ/הַכְעִיסֵ֔/נִי lehakheiseni HR/Vhc/Sp1cs to provoke me to cause me to be angry 8
H3707-14 לְ/הַכְעִיסֽ/וֹ lehakheiso HR/Vhc/Sp3ms to provoke him to provoke him to anger 6
H3707-12 לְ/הַכְעִ֗יס lehakheis HR/Vhc to provoke to provoke to anger 6
H3707-03 הַכְעִיסֵ֔/נִי hakheiseni HVhc/Sp1cs they might provoke me to provoke me to anger 5
H3707-16 מַכְעִיסִ֖ים makheisim HVhrmpa provoking anger-provoking ones 4
H3707-06 הִכְעִ֔יס hikheis HVhp3ms has provoked he provoked to anger 2
H3707-22 וַ/יִּכְעַ֖ס vayikheas HC/Vqw3ms and he was angry and he became angry 2
H3707-19 וַ/יַּכְעֵ֗ס vayakhees HC/Vhw3ms and he provoked and he provoked to anger 2
H3707-20 וַ/יַּכְעִ֖סוּ vayakheisu HC/Vhw3mp and they provoked and they provoked to anger 2
H3707-24 וְ/כָעָ֗ס vekhaas HC/Vqq3ms and be angry anger 2

Occurrences in Scripture

55 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3707-14 Deuteronomy 4:25 לְ/הַכְעִיסֽ/וֹ lehakheiso HR/Vhc/Sp3ms provoking Him to provoke him to anger
H3707-14 Deuteronomy 9:18 לְ/הַכְעִיסֽ/וֹ lehakheiso HR/Vhc/Sp3ms to provoke Him to provoke him to anger
H3707-14 Deuteronomy 31:29 לְ/הַכְעִיס֖/וֹ lehakheiso HR/Vhc/Sp3ms to provoke him to provoke him to anger
H3707-26 Deuteronomy 32:16 יַכְעִיסֻֽ/הוּ yakheisuhu HVhi3mp/Sp3ms they provoked Him to anger they provoke him to anger
H3707-11 Deuteronomy 32:21 כִּעֲס֖וּ/נִי kiasuni HVpp3cp/Sp1cs provoked-me-to-anger they angered me
H3707-01 Deuteronomy 32:21 אַכְעִיסֵֽ/ם akheisem HVhi1cs/Sp3mp will-provoke-them-to-anger I will provoke them to anger
H3707-20 Judges 2:12 וַ/יַּכְעִ֖סוּ vayakheisu HC/Vhw3mp and they provoked and they provoked to anger
H3707-25 1 Samuel 1:6 וְ/כִֽעֲסַ֤תָּ/ה vekhiasatah HC/Vpp3fs/Sp3fs and her rival used to provoke and she provoked her
H3707-17 1 Samuel 1:7 תַּכְעִסֶ֑/נָּה takheisenah HVhi3fs/Sp3fs she provoked her she will provoke her
H3707-13 1 Kings 14:9 לְ/הַכְעִיסֵ֔/נִי lehakheiseni HR/Vhc/Sp1cs to provoke me to cause me to be angry
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