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קָלַל

𐤒𐤋𐤋

qâlal

H7043 verb

SILEX Entry

Root קלל to be light, to treat lightly, to despise, to diminish (in value or worth)

Definition

To be light, insignificant, or of little weight, both literally and metaphorically; to be or make small in mass or value, to treat or regard lightly, to despise or hold in contempt. The verb also carries senses of being quick or swift, and by extension, to curse or pronounce a curse upon, in the sense of diminishing someone's worth or status. In causative stems, it can mean to lighten or ease, to make something less burdensome.

Semantic Range

to be light (in weight or value), to be swift, to treat lightly or with disregard, to despise, to curse (declare contemptible), to ease, to be or make less burdensome, to move quickly

Root / Etymology

The root ק-ל-ל (q-l-l) primarily conveys the sense of 'lightness' as opposed to heaviness. The verb qâlal arises from this root, with an original sense of being light in weight, and further developing more abstract meanings such as 'insignificant,' 'contemptible,' or 'swift.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

קָלַל appears throughout the Hebrew Bible in both literal and figurative senses. In early texts, it commonly describes literal lightness (Genesis 8:11, swift movement) but often shifts to mean to despise or treat with contempt (e.g., 2 Samuel 6:22, where David is criticized for making himself 'light' or contemptible). In the legal and covenantal context, קָלַל is significant in the idiom 'to curse' (as in Deuteronomy 27:16), where the act of cursing involves lowering someone's status or repute, not casting a magical spell, but pronouncing one to be of little worth—opposed to the idea of honor or blessing (qâvad, 'to be heavy/honored'). Over time, the use of קָלַל to mean 'curse' became more formalized, especially in exilic and post-exilic literature, reflected in contrasts with Hebrew terms for blessing (בָּרַךְ). Standard English translations often flatten the distinction between 'to treat lightly,' 'to despise,' and 'to curse,' but the Hebrew maintains nuanced differences across legal, narrative, and poetic contexts. The later English term 'curse' does not fully capture the dynamic and relational dimension implied by קָלַל in its original settings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.); abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make, re-) vile, whet.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קלל (q-l-l) — lightness, insignificance, treating lightly, diminishing in worth

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7031 קַל the light one
H7032 קָל light
H7040 קַלַּי Kallai
H7044 קָלָל burnished bright
H7045 קְלָלָה the despising-curse

Word Forms

53 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7043-06 הָקֵל֩ haqel HVhv2ms lighten Lighten! 6
H7043-48 יְקַלֵּ֧ל yeqalel HVpi3ms curses he treats as contemptible 5
H7043-25 קַ֥לּוּ qalu HVqp3cp are swifter they were light 5
H7043-39 וַ/יְקַלֵּ֔ל vayeqalel HC/Vpw3ms and cursed and he belittled 4
H7043-30 תְקַלֵּ֑ל teqalel HVpi2ms curse you treat as light 4
H7043-27 קִלֵּ֖ל qilel HVpp3ms he cursed he declared contemptible 2
H7043-20 נָקֵ֣ל naqel HVNp3ms easy he was made light 2
H7043-11 לְ/הָקֵ֖ל lehaqel HR/Vhc to bring low to make light 2
H7043-02 הַֽ/מְקַלֵּ֗ל hameqalel HTd/Vprmsa one who has cursed the one declaring contempt 2
H7043-50 יְקַלְלוּ yeqalelu HVpi3mp let them curse they will declare contemptible 2

Occurrences in Scripture

82 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7043-05 Genesis 8:8 הֲ/קַ֣לּוּ haqalu HTi/Vqp3cp had receded they became light
H7043-25 Genesis 8:11 קַ֥לּוּ qalu HVqp3cp had subsided they were light
H7043-12 Genesis 8:21 לְ/קַלֵּ֨ל leqalel HR/Vpc to curse to declare contemptible
H7043-33 Genesis 12:3 וּ/מְקַלֶּלְ/ךָ֖ umeqalelekha HC/Vprmsc/Sp2ms and the one who curses you and the one belittling you
H7043-38 Genesis 16:4 וַ/תֵּקַ֥ל vateqal HC/Vqw3fs she despised she treated lightly
H7043-37 Genesis 16:5 וָ/אֵקַ֖ל vaeqal HC/Vqw1cs I was despised and I became light
H7043-42 Exodus 18:22 וְ/הָקֵל֙ vehaqel HC/Vhv2ms and make it lighter and lighten
H7043-32 Exodus 21:17 וּ/מְקַלֵּ֥ל umeqalel HC/Vprmsa and-curses and the one who treats lightly
H7043-30 Exodus 22:27 תְקַלֵּ֑ל teqalel HVpi2ms you shall curse you treat as light
H7043-30 Leviticus 19:14 תְקַלֵּ֣ל teqalel HVpi2ms curse you treat as light
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