כָּפַל
𐤊𐤐𐤋
kâphal
H3717 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To fold or bend over upon itself, to double; by extension, to duplicate, do again, or repeat; in some contexts, to do in twofold or multiple amount. The term is used both concretely (as in folding cloth or doubling physical objects) and more abstractly (as in repeating actions or doubling amounts).
Semantic Range
to fold together, to double (an object), to repeat an action, to duplicate, to redouble, to pay or give double
Root / Etymology
Root כּפל (K-P-L), meaning 'to double' or 'to fold'. The verb derives directly from this root, and its basic sense is the physical act of folding or doubling, from which figurative extensions arise.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Biblical Hebrew, כָּפַל refers to both a literal and metaphorical doubling or folding. In concrete contexts, it appears with reference to physical objects, such as cloth or amounts. Its figurative use extends to the idea of repeating or redoubling an action. The word is not commonly found across the entire Hebrew Bible, and later Hebrew (post-biblical and modern) retains both physical and more abstract senses. There is some overlap with שָׁנָה (shânâh ‘to repeat, do again’), but כָּפַל emphasizes the aspect of doubling or folding rather than general repetition. English translations such as "double" or "repeat" may capture the function in some contexts but can obscure the underlying imagery of folding or multiplication inherent in the original. Over time, the term’s nuance remained stable, but its occurrences are relatively rare, and its use is often contextually determined, with doubling/payment and repetition as key senses.
Translation Consistency
“Double” naturally covers the full SILEX range — to make twofold (physically fold over or duplicate), to repeat or redouble an action, and to give/pay twice. It reads naturally in English for both concrete and abstract uses and is the most typical, versatile rendering of כָּפַל.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to fold together; figuratively, to repeat; double.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כפל (k-p-l) — to double, to fold, to repeat
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3717-01 |
כָּפ֑וּל | kaful | HVqsmsa |
double | doubled | doubled | 3 |
H3717-02 |
וְ/כָפַלְתָּ֙ | vekhafaleta | HC/Vqq2ms |
you shall double over | and you doubled | and you shall fold | 1 |
H3717-03 |
וְ/תִכָּפֵ֞ל | vetikafel | HC/VNj3fs |
and let it be doubled | and let her be doubled | and let it be doubled | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3717-02 |
Exodus 26:9 | וְ/כָפַלְתָּ֙ | vekhafaleta | HC/Vqq2ms |
you shall double over | and you doubled | and you shall fold |
H3717-01 |
Exodus 28:16 | כָּפ֑וּל | kaful | HVqsmsa |
folded double | doubled | doubled |
H3717-01 |
Exodus 39:9 | כָּפ֖וּל | kaful | HVqsmsa |
double | doubled | doubled |
H3717-01 |
Exodus 39:9 | כָּפֽוּל | kaful-2 | HVqsmsa |
doubled | doubled | doubled |
H3717-03 |
Ezekiel 21:19 | וְ/תִכָּפֵ֞ל | vetikafel | HC/VNj3fs |
and let it be doubled | and let her be doubled | and let it be doubled |