קַב
𐤒𐤁
qab
H6894 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A small vessel or container, particularly one used as a dry measure of capacity in ancient Israelite society. The qab represented a specific measurement, approximately equivalent to 1.2 liters, but the precise value may have varied over time and context. In biblical passages, it consistently refers to a standardized quantity, especially for grain or similar dry goods, rather than a generic container.
Semantic Range
small vessel, dry measure, unit of capacity (c. 1.2 liters); a hollow object used for measurement
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root קָבַב (q-b-b), meaning 'to hollow out' or 'to excavate,' relating to the concept of hollowing or forming a cavity. The noun form קַב (qab) denotes a vessel with a cavity, specifically adapted as a standard unit of measurement.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The qab occurs only rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in 2 Kings 6:25, where it serves as a unit of measure in a context of severe famine, indicating the small amount and high value of food. Its use as a standardized measurement likely reflects administrative or market practices in the monarchic period. The precise volume of a qab is difficult to determine, but historical estimates, supported by rabbinic and later sources, place it at about 1.2 liters. In the passage's context, it must be understood as a concrete, small, recognized quantity. Unlike general terms for vessel (such as כְּלִי), qab is specialized in meaning as a measure. English translations sometimes use 'cab,' a direct transliteration, but this term is otherwise not used in modern measurement systems; thus, contemporary readers may miss its implication as a small, officially recognized unit. The term does not occur in post-exilic literature, and its use seems limited to the royal and economic registers of the First Temple period. While later Jewish tradition retained the term 'kab' as a measure, the precise equivalence may have shifted over time.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from קָבַב; a hollow, i.e. vessel used as a (dry) measure; cab.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קבב (q-b-b) — to hollow out, excavate, make a cavity
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6895 | קָבַב | to utter a curse |
| H6896 | קֵבָה | and the paunch |
| H6897 | קֹבָה | her belly-cavity |
| H6898 | קֻבָּה | the domed tent |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6894-01 |
הַ/קַּ֥ב | haqav | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the cab | the hollow measure-vessel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6894-01 |
2 Kings 6:25 | הַ/קַּ֥ב | haqav | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the cab | the hollow measure-vessel |