← H7171 H7173 →

קַרְקַע

𐤒𐤓𐤒𐤏

qarqaʻ

H7172 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A surface or foundation lying beneath or supporting an area, most often referring to the floor or bottom surface, whether of a structure (e.g., a house or temple), or the base of another entity such as the sea. The term can also refer to ground surface prepared as a floor. Its usage centers on the functional aspect of a supportive or underlying plane.

Semantic Range

floor (of built structure), bottom (of sea or river), underside, supporting surface; prepared ground (for a building or tent)

Root / Etymology

From the root קָרַע (qara‘) meaning 'to tear, rend, split.' The noun קַרְקַע (qarqa‘) appears to derive from the idea of something that has been laid out or exposed through tearing or splitting, coming to denote the surface or floor revealed or created by such an action. The root's basic sense of 'tearing apart' is distinct from the lexical use of קַרְקַע as a 'floor' or 'bottom.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קַרְקַע is a rare term and appears in poetic or descriptive contexts, such as in descriptions of the tabernacle's structure (Exodus 26:19, 26:25) or the bottom of the sea (Ezekiel 47:8). Its nuanced sense as a surface exposed by splitting or leveling sets it apart from more common words like אֶרֶץ (’erets, land/earth) or רִצְפָּה (ritspah, pavement). English translations commonly render it as 'floor' or 'bottom,' but these translations may overlook the term's origin in the notion of exposure or underlying support. It does not refer generically to land or ground, but more specifically to an underlying base or support—particularly affected or created surfaces. Usage spans from references to the underlying base in ritual or architectural contexts (e.g., tabernacle) to natural features (the bottom of water bodies). Post-biblical Hebrew employs a related term with broader reference to 'ground.' The association with the root 'to tear' or 'to split' is primarily etymological; in biblical usage, the term is functionally neutral and does not imply destruction.

Translation Consistency

primary "floor" 7 occurrences

’Floor’ is the most natural, idiomatic English noun that fits the primary SILEX senses (built floor, prepared ground, supporting/underlying surface). It is the most frequent P2 rendering and easily adapts to contexts like the sea/river bottom (sea floor) and the underside/supporting surface, so it provides a consistent, natural translation across all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"supporting-floor of" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from קָרַע; floor (as if a pavement of pieces or tesseroe), of abuilding or the sea; bottom, ([idiom] one side of the) floor.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

קרע (q-r-ʿ) — tear, split, rend

Root קַרַע to tear, split, rend
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7086 קְעָרָה the hollowed bowl
H7167 קָרַע I will tear her
H7168 קֶרַע torn pieces
H7173 קַרְקַע the Qarqaʿ

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7172-02 הַ/קַּרְקַ֖ע haqareqa HTd/Ncmsa the floor the supporting surface the floor 2
H7172-01 בְּ/קַרְקַ֣ע beqareqa HR/Ncmsc on the floor in the supporting-surface of in the floor of 2
H7172-05 קַרְקַ֥ע qareqa HNcmsc floor supporting surface of floor of 2
H7172-04 מִ/קַּרְקַ֤ע miqareqa HR/Ncmsc from the floor from the supporting-floor of from the supporting-floor of 1
H7172-03 מֵ/הַ/קַּרְקַ֖ע mehaqareqa HR/Td/Ncmsa from-the-floor from the supporting surface from the floor 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7172-01 Numbers 5:17 בְּ/קַרְקַ֣ע beqareqa HR/Ncmsc on the floor in the supporting-surface of in the floor of
H7172-04 1 Kings 6:15 מִ/קַּרְקַ֤ע miqareqa HR/Ncmsc from the floor from the supporting-floor of from the supporting-floor of
H7172-05 1 Kings 6:15 קַרְקַ֥ע qareqa HNcmsc floor supporting surface of floor of
H7172-02 1 Kings 6:16 הַ/קַּרְקַ֖ע haqareqa HTd/Ncmsa the floor the supporting surface the floor
H7172-05 1 Kings 6:30 קַרְקַ֥ע qareqa HNcmsc floor supporting surface of floor of
H7172-03 1 Kings 7:7 מֵ/הַ/קַּרְקַ֖ע mehaqareqa HR/Td/Ncmsa from-the-floor from the supporting surface from the floor
H7172-02 1 Kings 7:7 הַ/קַּרְקָֽע haqareqa HTd/Ncmsa the-floor the supporting surface the floor
H7172-01 Amos 9:3 בְּ/קַרְקַ֣ע beqareqa HR/Ncmsc in-floor-of in the supporting-surface of in the floor of
← H7171 Hebrew Lexicon H7173 →