קַלָּסָה
𐤒𐤋𐤎𐤄
qallâçâh
H7048 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A derisive utterance or act, explicit expression of contempt, mockery, or scorn. In biblical Hebrew, the term is used for speech or actions that serve to ridicule, belittle, or insult someone, especially through public disdain or taunting.
Semantic Range
mockery, ridicule, contemptuous speech or act, public shaming, derision, taunting
Root / Etymology
From the root קָלַס (Q-L-S), which means 'to scoff, mock, deride.' קַלָּסָה is a feminine noun likely formed by intensive derivation, signifying the act or result of mockery, ridicule, or derision. The doubling of the middle root letter (form II) often intensifies or turns a verbal idea into a concrete or abstract noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קַלָּסָה appears in a small number of biblical passages and always in a context of public contempt. The word expresses a more forceful or vivid form of ridicule than other Hebrew terms for mockery. While the root קָלַס often appears in verb form (to taunt, to mock), קַלָּסָה is confined to the noun, denoting the act or manifestation of derision itself. In the historical context, particularly during the monarchic and exilic periods, ridicule (קַלָּסָה) functioned as a social mechanism to shame or marginalize individuals or groups. This term is distinct from related words such as לָעַג (laughter, mocking usually by speech), חרפָּה (reproach, shame), and גָּעַל (to loathe). English translations sometimes render קַלָּסָה simply as 'mocking' or 'scorn,' but the Hebrew carries a connotation of emphatic, public belittlement, not only passive derision but actively shaming another. The use of קַלָּסָה is limited to poetic or prophetic texts, heightening the rhetorical force of the depiction of humiliation or contempt.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
intensive from קָלַס; ridicule; mocking.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קלס (q-l-s) — to scoff, mock, deride
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7048-01 |
וְ/קַלָּסָ֖ה | veqalasah | HC/Ncfsa |
and a mocking | derisive mockery | and a mocking | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7048-01 |
Ezekiel 22:4 | וְ/קַלָּסָ֖ה | veqalasah | HC/Ncfsa |
and a mocking | derisive mockery | and a mocking |