לָכַד

𐤋𐤊𐤃

lâkad

H3920 verb

SILEX Entry

Root לכד to capture, to seize, to ensnare

Definition

To capture, seize, or take possession of a person, animal, territory, city, or object—typically through force, stratagem, or ensnarement. The verb denotes various processes of apprehension, whether in literal contexts (such as capturing cities or individuals, trapping animals or birds) or metaphorical uses (as in the heart or mind being captured by an idea, or 'taken' by deception or emotion). At times, it signifies the process of selecting or designating (as by lot).

Semantic Range

to capture, to seize, to trap, to apprehend, to take by force, to take by strategy or trickery, to be captured, to be held, to be immobilized, to be chosen (by lot), to be ensnared; figurative senses include to captivate, to entrap emotionally or mentally

Root / Etymology

Root: לכד (ל־כ־ד). The root conveys the action of grasping or ensnaring, most often in the context of seizing, taking possession, or capturing. While the core root meaning is 'to seize or capture,' derived nouns (such as מַלְכֹּדֶת 'snare, trap') reinforce the sense of entrapping. The form לָכַד is the Qal verb stem of this root, denoting simple active action of taking or capturing.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, לָכַד is applied to a variety of subjects: military contexts (the capture of cities or peoples, often in conquest narratives), the trapping of animals (using a net or snare), or selected by lot (e.g., 1 Samuel 14:41-42). Sometimes the term is used figuratively for the entrapment or capture of the mind, heart, or attention. In exilic and post-exilic writings, the term retains its core sense, though the frequency shifts more toward figurative or procedural usage (e.g., 'taken by lot'). Rare idiomatic uses (such as 'be frozen' or 'be held fast') reflect a passive state of being caught or immobilized, but these are secondary. English translations often use 'take,' 'capture,' 'seize,' or 'trap,' but these do not always capture nuances such as selection by casting lots. Notably, in military contexts, the term is broader than just 'occupying,' emphasizing the hostile or strategic act of acquisition or control, which is distinct from other verbs for 'taking' (e.g., לָקַח, 'to take, receive').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere; [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לכד (l-k-d) — to capture, to seize, to ensnare

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3921 לֶכֶד seizing-snare
H4434 מַלְכֹּדֶת and his trapping-device

Word Forms

47 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3920-28 וַ/יִּלְכֹּ֖ד vayilekod HC/Vqw3ms and captured and he captured 17
H3920-03 לָכַ֤ד lakhad HVqp3ms captured he captured 11
H3920-25 וַֽ/יִּלְכְּד֖וּ vayilekedu HC/Vqw3mp and they captured and they captured 10
H3920-13 נִלְכְּדָ֣ה nilekedah HVNp3fs has been captured she was captured 10
H3920-24 וַֽ/יִּלְכְּדָ/הּ֙ vayilekedah HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3fs and captured it and he captured her 9
H3920-21 וַ/יִּלָּכֵ֖ד vayilakhed HC/VNw3ms and was taken and he was captured 7
H3920-26 וַֽ/יִּלְכְּדֻ֑/הָ vayilekeduha HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3fs and they captured it and they captured her 5
H3920-17 וּ/לְכָדָ֑/הּ ulekhadah HC/Vqq3ms/Sp3fs and captures it and he captured her 5
H3920-37 יִלָּכֵ֖ד yilakhed HVNi3ms will be caught he will be captured 3
H3920-38 יִלָּכֵ֔דוּ yilakhedu HVNi3mp are trapped they will be captured 2

Occurrences in Scripture

121 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3920-25 Numbers 21:32 וַֽ/יִּלְכְּד֖וּ vayilekedu HC/Vqw3mp and they captured and they captured
H3920-26 Numbers 32:39 וַֽ/יִּלְכְּדֻ֑/הָ vayilekeduha HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3fs and they captured it and they captured her
H3920-28 Numbers 32:41 וַ/יִּלְכֹּ֖ד vayilekod HC/Vqw3ms and captured and he captured
H3920-28 Numbers 32:42 וַ/יִּלְכֹּ֥ד vayilekod HC/Vqw3ms and captured and he captured
H3920-19 Deuteronomy 2:34 וַ/נִּלְכֹּ֤ד vanilekod HC/Vqw1cp and we captured and we captured
H3920-04 Deuteronomy 2:35 לָכָֽדְנוּ lakhadenu HVqp1cp we had captured we captured
H3920-19 Deuteronomy 3:4 וַ/נִּלְכֹּ֤ד vanilekod HC/Vqw1cp and we captured and we captured
H3920-25 Joshua 6:20 וַֽ/יִּלְכְּד֖וּ vayilekedu HC/Vqw3mp and they captured and they captured
H3920-41 Joshua 7:14 יִלְכְּדֶ֨/נּוּ yilekedenu HVqi3ms/Sp3ms he-will-take-it he will capture him
H3920-40 Joshua 7:14 יִלְכְּדֶ֤/נָּה yilekedenah HVqi3ms/Sp3fs he-will-take-it he will capture her