כָלֵ֖ב
𐤊𐤋𐤁
Kalev
of Caleb
Kâlêb (Caleb) is a proper noun referring to an Israelite personal name. Primarily, it designates two notable figures in the Hebrew Bible: (1) Caleb son of Jephunneh, a prominent Judahite spy and leader during the wilderness period, and (2) Caleb son of Hezron, an early ancestor mentioned in genealogies. The name itself may denote 'dog' (by association with the noun כֶּלֶב kelev), although this has been traditionally interpreted to convey attributes such as boldness, loyalty, or tenacity, or may reflect use as an animal-name theophoric or clan-name. Additionally, the name is associated with the clan called 'the Calebites' (descendants of Caleb), especially linked geographically to the region surrounding Hebron.
Judges 1:13 · Word #6
Lexicon H3612
| Lemma | כָּלֵב |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤊𐤋𐤁 |
| Transliteration | Kalev |
| Strong's | H3612 |
| Definition | Kâlêb (Caleb) is a proper noun referring to an Israelite personal name. Primarily, it designates two notable figures in the Hebrew Bible: (1) Caleb son of Jephunneh, a prominent Judahite spy and leader during the wilderness period, and (2) Caleb son of Hezron, an early ancestor mentioned in genealogies. The name itself may denote 'dog' (by association with the noun כֶּלֶב kelev), although this has been traditionally interpreted to convey attributes such as boldness, loyalty, or tenacity, or may reflect use as an animal-name theophoric or clan-name. Additionally, the name is associated with the clan called 'the Calebites' (descendants of Caleb), especially linked geographically to the region surrounding Hebron. |
Morphology HNp
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | p — Proper Name — Proper name |
Common Translation
| Phrase | of Caleb |
SIBI-P1 Translation H3612-02
Dog
| Morphological Notes | Masculine singular proper noun (personal name). |
| Rendering Rationale | The form is a masculine singular proper name derived from the noun כֶּלֶב (dog). Rendering it as "Dog" preserves the root meaning while reflecting its use as a personal name. |
View full lexicon entry for H3612 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
Kalev
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Proper noun transliterated from Hebrew. P1 meaning: Dog |
AI-generated (generate_p2_names)