כָּתַשׁ
𐤊𐤕𐤔
kâthash
H3806 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To crush, pound, or grind a substance by striking, especially with a pestle; in some contexts, to bruise or break down a material into smaller pieces, often in the context of preparing food, spices, or medicinal items.
Semantic Range
to crush or pound (with a pestle), to bruise, to beat materials (spices, olives), to bray substances, to process by striking
Root / Etymology
From the root כּ-ת-שׁ (כתש), which carries the idea of striking or pounding. The verb form reflects the action of reducing physical material by crushing or grinding, typically by means of repeated blows. The word is a simple (Qal) stem root with no apparent derivational complexities; cognates also appear in related Semitic languages signifying physical pounding or crushing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, כָּתַשׁ occurs infrequently and most often in the context of preparing materials for ritual or daily use, such as grinding spices, grain, or pressing olives for oil (as in Exodus 27:20, referring to beaten or crushed olive oil for the menorah). The action described is distinct from טָחַן (tachan, 'to grind, mill'), which refers more to processing grain into flour, while כָּתַשׁ emphasizes a forceful pounding or bruising action, typically with a pestle and mortar. In later post-biblical Hebrew, the meaning remains largely unchanged. The word is not used metaphorically in most occurrences in the Hebrew Bible but maintains a strictly physical, concrete sense. English translations often use 'beat,' 'crush,' or 'bray,' but these may not fully capture the context-specific method or purpose of the acción, especially in ritual or culinary preparation. The root does not carry connotations of violence or destruction beyond the sense of reduction of material; it is focused on preparation or processing. Usage is predominantly technical or practical, not symbolic.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to butt or pound; bray.
Bantu Hebrew
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כתש (k-t-sh) — to crush, to pound, to bruise, to reduce by striking
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3806-01 |
תִּכְתּֽוֹשׁ | tikhetosh | HVqi2ms |
you pound | you will crush | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3806-01 |
Proverbs 27:22 | תִּכְתּֽוֹשׁ | tikhetosh | HVqi2ms |
you pound | you will crush |