קַ֥לּוּ

𐤒𐤋𐤅

qalu

had subsided

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.

H7043

Genesis 8:11 · Word #14

Lexicon H7043

Lemmaקָלַל
Lemma (Paleo)𐤒𐤋𐤋
Transliterationqâlal
Strong'sH7043
In-contexthad subsided

Morphology HVqp3cp All morphology codes

Part of Speech V — Verb — An action or state
Binyan q — Qal — Simple active
Conjugation p — Perfect — Completed action
Person 3 — 3rd person — Third person ("he/she/they")
Gender c — Common — Common (both genders)
Number p — Plural — Plural

SIBI-P1 H7043-03

they were light/swift

Rootקלל (q-l-l)
Core Meaningslightness, swiftness, smallness, insignificance, contempt, cursing
Semantic Rangeto be light in weight, to be swift or rapid, to be insignificant or slight, to be of little account, to treat as light or contemptible (in extended usage), to curse (in derived stems)
Conceptual SignificanceThe root קלל contrasts with heaviness (כבד), a key biblical metaphor for honor and glory. Lightness can signify speed and agility, but also triviality or dishonor, reflecting the biblical tension between what is weighty and worthy versus what is fleeting or contemptible.
Morphological NotesQal stem, perfect (suffix conjugation), 3rd person common plural from the root קלל. The Qal often carries a stative sense here: "to be light" or "to be swift."
Rendering RationaleThe Qal perfect 3rd common plural form expresses a completed state: "they were" or "they became" light. The rendering "they were light/swift" preserves the root idea of lightness, which in Hebrew extends metaphorically to swiftness, while accurately reflecting the third person common plural verbal morphology.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root קלל (lightness, swiftness, smallness, insignificance, contempt, cursing)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
bamaqelot among the staffs
H7043-01 hanaqel Is he being made light?
H7043-02 haqel Make light!
H7045-01 haqelalah the belittling-curse
H7045-02 haqelalot the belittling-curses
H7045-03 liqelalah for a lightness-curse
H4731-02 maqeli my shoot-staff
H7031-01 qal light (one)
H7045-04 qelalah a belittling-curse
H7043-04 qileqal he made light of
H7043-05 teqalel you treat as light
H4732-01 umiqelot and Miqloth ("Rods")
H7043-06 vayeqalel and he made-light-of
H7045-05 vehaqelalah and the belittling-curse
H7045-06 veliqelalah and for a curse
H7043-07 yeqalel he will make light of

Word Usage (82 occurrences of H7043)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Genesis 8:8 הֲ/קַ֣לּוּ haqalu had receded
Genesis 8:11 קַ֥לּוּ qalu had subsided
Genesis 8:21 לְ/קַלֵּ֨ל leqalel to curse