לָכַד
𐤋𐤊𐤃
lâkad
H3920 verb
SILEX Entry
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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לכד (l-k-d) — to capture, to seize, to ensnare
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 |