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כְּרִית

𐤊𐤓𐤉𐤕

Kerit

H3747 noun

SILEX Entry

Root כרת to cut off, to cut, to sever, to make a covenant (by cutting)

Definition

Proper noun designating the 'Wadi Kerith', a specific seasonal stream (wadi) or brook mentioned as the refuge of the prophet Elijah. The term derives from a root meaning 'to cut,' reflecting the topographical feature—a ravine or gorge shaped by water erosion. In context, typically denotes a geographically distinct watercourse rather than a generic stream.

Semantic Range

Kerith (proper name of a stream/wadi), place characterized as a 'cut' or ravine; not a generic term for brook but specific geographical feature

Root / Etymology

From the root כָּרַת (k-r-t), 'to cut or hew.' כְּרִית (Kerith) is likely a toponym with an etymological sense of 'the cut' or 'the cut-off place,' referring to a natural landform (a gorge or wadi).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In 1 Kings 17:3, כְּרִית designates the wadi where Elijah hides during a drought. The precise location is debated, though it is likely east of the Jordan River. Unlike general terms for brooks (נַחַל naḥal), כְּרִית is not a generic word for stream but a place name reflecting its landscape—a 'cut' or ravine. English tradition often renders the location as 'brook Cherith,' but the use of 'brook' can obscure the original sense of a rugged wadi. The toponym does not indicate ethnic identity or carry religious connotations beyond the narrative context. The name appears only in the context of Elijah's story and was not associated with later historical identities or locations beyond the biblical account.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from כָּרַת; a cut; Kerith, a brook of Palestine; Cherith.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כרת (k-r-t) — to cut, to cut off, to sever, to hew

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3735 כָּרָא she pierced herself in grief
H3748 כְּרִיתוּת marital cutting-off
H3772 כָּרַת I will cause to cut off
H3773 כָּרֻתָה hewn timbers
H3774 כְּרֵתִי the Kerethite guardsman

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3747-01 כְּרִ֔ית kerit HNp Cherith Kerith, the Cut-Ravine 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3747-01 1 Kings 17:3 כְּרִ֔ית kerit HNp Cherith Kerith, the Cut-Ravine
H3747-01 1 Kings 17:5 כְּרִ֔ית kerit HNp Cherith Kerith, the Cut-Ravine
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