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קָפַץ

𐤒𐤐𐤑

qâphats

H7092 verb

SILEX Entry

Root קפץ to contract, draw together, compress

Definition

To draw together, contract, or close (especially the hand or limbs); by extension, to gather, shut, or restrict in a physical or metaphorical sense; in some contexts, to leap, spring, or skip (as a physical contracting of the body before movement); rarely, to die (idiomatically, by gathering up one's feet). The term can refer to clutching, constricting, or withholding, as well as to a sudden physical action.

Semantic Range

to contract or close (the hand, mouth, etc.), to shut or withhold, to leap or spring, to skip, to withdraw or take away, to die (idiomatically, as in gathering feet together)

Root / Etymology

Root קפץ, with the core meaning of 'to contract, to draw together.' The verb derives directly from the root and primarily conveys the action of bringing together or compressing something (especially the hand or limbs). The sense of leaping arises from the physical act of contracting limbs before a jump. Other uses such as 'shutting' or 'withdrawing' are metaphorical extensions, representing restriction or removal.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קָפַץ appears in diverse contexts: physical actions (as in contracting the hand, shutting the mouth, or skipping/leaping), and metaphorically (withholding compassion, sealing resources, or closing opportunities). The idiomatic use to describe dying (e.g., 'to gather up the feet') likely reflects the cultural observation of physical contraction at death rather than a standardized euphemism. Qafatz is distinct from חָבַק (ḥavaq, 'to embrace') which focuses on enveloping, not contracting. In later Hebrew and Rabbinic usage, the primary emphases remain on contraction and closing, and the root is rarely confused with verbs like פָּסַח (pasach, 'to leap; to pass over'). Standard English translations often render קָפַץ as 'shut,' 'withhold,' or 'leap,' but these may fail to convey the root idea of physical contraction or restrictive closing.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to draw together, i.e. close; by implication, to leap (by contracting the limbs); specifically, to die (from gathering up the feet); shut (up), skip, stop, take out of the way.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קפץ (q-p-ts) — to contract, draw together, compress

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7092-03 קָ֣פְצָה qafetsah HVqp3fs shuts she contracted 2
H7092-02 קָפַ֥ץ qafats HVqp3ms shut up he drew together 1
H7092-05 יִקָּפְצ֑וּ/ן yiqafetsun HVNi3mp/Sn they-are-gathered they will draw themselves together 1
H7092-04 תִקְפֹּץ֙ tiqepots HVqi2ms shut you will contract 1
H7092-06 יִקְפְּצ֥וּ yiqepetsu HVqi3mp they-will-shut they will draw together 1
H7092-01 מְקַפֵּ֖ץ meqapets HVprmsa skipping the one who tightly constricts 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7092-04 Deuteronomy 15:7 תִקְפֹּץ֙ tiqepots HVqi2ms shut you will contract
H7092-06 Isaiah 52:15 יִקְפְּצ֥וּ yiqepetsu HVqi3mp they-will-shut they will draw together
H7092-02 Psalms 77:10 קָפַ֥ץ qafats HVqp3ms shut up he drew together
H7092-03 Psalms 107:42 קָ֣פְצָה qafetsah HVqp3fs shuts she contracted
H7092-03 Job 5:16 קָ֣פְצָה qafetsah HVqp3fs shuts she contracted
H7092-05 Job 24:24 יִקָּפְצ֑וּ/ן yiqafetsun HVNi3mp/Sn they-are-gathered they will draw themselves together
H7092-01 Song of Songs 2:8 מְקַפֵּ֖ץ meqapets HVprmsa skipping the one who tightly constricts
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