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קְטַר

𐤒𐤈𐤓

qᵉṭar

H7001 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קטר to bind, tie, knot; to make smoke (less primary in Aramaic usage)

Definition

A knot or joint—literally, something tied or bound up (e.g., a joint in the body, such as a vertebra); figuratively, a riddle or perplexing matter, suggesting a difficulty that is ‘tied up’ or difficult to unravel. The word carries connotations of binding or complexity, both in physical and abstract senses.

Semantic Range

knot, tied-up bundle, joint (body part), vertebra, riddle, problem, enigma, doubtful matter, perplexity

Root / Etymology

From the Semitic root קטר, meaning ‘to bind, tie, make smoke’ in Hebrew, with the Aramaic form emphasizing the binding or tying aspect. The form קְטַר is used in Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible and is likely cognate with the Hebrew root קטר, but its precise derivation is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term appears primarily in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Daniel 5:12, 16; Ezra 5:17), often referring to a ‘knot’ in a literal sense or, figuratively, to riddles or matters that are tied up and obscure—difficult to interpret, solve, or explain. In these contexts, qᵉṭar stands in contrast to terms for open or clear matters. Most traditional English translations use 'riddle,' 'problem,' 'doubt,' or 'joint' depending on context, but these can obscure the underlying image of something being knotted or bound. In anatomical usage, as in reference to a vertebra, it reflects the ‘knotted’ appearance of the backbone, while in the figurative or intellectual sense, it invokes the idea of mental or linguistic knots, akin to puzzles or enigmatic questions. In later Aramaic, the term continued to denote both literal knots and complex problems.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to קָטַר; a knot (as tied up), i.e. (figuratively) a riddle; also a vertebra (as if a knot); doubt, joint.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קטר (q-ṭ-r) — binding, tying, knotting

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4729 מִקְטָר incense-hearth of
H4730 מִקְטֶרֶת his incense-burning vessel
H6988 קְטוֹרָה smoke-offering incense
H6989 קְטוּרָה Keturah
H6999 קָטַר the smoke-makers

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7001-02 וְ/קִטְרֵ֤י veqiterey AC/Ncmpc and the joints and knots-of 1
H7001-01 קִטְרִ֗ין qiterin ANcmpa knots knots 1
H7001-03 וְ/קִטְרִ֣ין veqiterin AC/Ncmpa and knots knots 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7001-02 Daniel 5:6 וְ/קִטְרֵ֤י veqiterey AC/Ncmpc and the joints and knots-of
H7001-01 Daniel 5:12 קִטְרִ֗ין qiterin ANcmpa knots knots
H7001-03 Daniel 5:16 וְ/קִטְרִ֣ין veqiterin AC/Ncmpa and knots knots
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