כּוֹס
𐤊𐤅𐤎
kôwç
H3563 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A cup, goblet, or chalice used as a container for drinking liquids, usually wine; by extension, a figurative term for a person's fate, portion, or experience in life, particularly that which is assigned or meted out (often of divine origin, and frequently negative, such as suffering or wrath). Rarely, the term appears in texts as the name of an unclean bird, likely an owl, possibly referencing the hollow, cup-like aspect of the bird's facial features or eye sockets.
Semantic Range
cup, goblet, drinking vessel; portion, fate, destiny, assigned lot (esp. of suffering or judgment); unclean bird (probably owl, rarely used in this sense)
Root / Etymology
Root: כוס (k-w-s). The root meaning is likely 'to contain, gather, enclose,' but this root is not otherwise attested in Biblical Hebrew as a verb. The noun כּוֹס derives from this root and functions primarily as a common noun for a vessel. The bird sense (unclean bird) is possibly onomatopoeic or refers to the cup-like shape of the owl's face or eyes. Related words: כִּיס (kis, 'purse, bag') shares similar form, possibly indicating a commonality in the sense of enclosing or containing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, כּוֹס predominantly refers to a vessel for liquid—most frequently wine—used in daily life, hospitality, and ritual practices (e.g., Genesis 40:11, Psalm 23:5). Its extended, figurative use as 'fate' or 'portion,' especially one of suffering or divine wrath, develops prominently in the prophets and Psalms (e.g., Isaiah 51:17, Psalm 75:9), where 'drinking the cup' symbolizes enduring hardship or judgment. This metaphorical usage did not imply predestination as in later theology but an appointed experience or ordeal. The rare appearance of the word indicating a bird (Leviticus 11:17, Deuteronomy 14:16) reflects later or possibly dialectal usage, probably designating a nocturnal bird such as an owl, whose distinctive facial features were likened to a cup. The Septuagint and other ancient translations sometimes rendered this bird ambiguously due to uncertainty over the creature meant. In post-biblical Hebrew, the core meaning of 'cup' persists, with increasingly specialized liturgical and legal senses emerging. The word should not be confused with כִּיס (kis), which refers specifically to a pouch or purse rather than a drinking vessel.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to hold together; a cup (as a container), often figuratively, a lot (as if a potion); also some unclean bird, probably an owl (perhaps from the cup-like cavity of its eye); cup, (small) owl. Compare כִּיס.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כוס (k-w-s) — to contain, to enclose, to gather
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3599 | כִּיס | in your purse |
Word Forms
12 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3563-06 |
כּ֣וֹס | kos | HNcfsc |
cup | cup of | 16 |
H3563-02 |
הַ/כּ֖וֹס | hakos | HTd/Ncfsa |
the cup | the cup | 7 |
H3563-04 |
כוֹס | khos | HNcfsc |
a cup | cup of | 2 |
H3563-09 |
וּ/מִ/כֹּס֤/וֹ | umikoso | HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
and-from-his-cup | and from his cup | 1 |
H3563-10 |
וְ/כ֥וֹס | vekhos | HC/Ncfsc |
And Pharaoh's cup | and cup of | 1 |
H3563-07 |
כּוֹסָֽ/ם | kosam | HNcfsc/Sp3mp |
of their cup | their cup | 1 |
H3563-11 |
וְ/כוֹסִ֑/י | vekhosi | HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs |
and my cup | and my cup | 1 |
H3563-12 |
וְ/כֹס֑וֹת | vekhosot | HC/Ncfpa |
and cups | and cups | 1 |
H3563-01 |
בַּ/כּ֣וֹס | bakos | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the cup | in the cup | 1 |
H3563-08 |
כּוֹסִ֥/י | kosi | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my cup | my cup | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
34 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3563-10 |
Genesis 40:11 | וְ/כ֥וֹס | vekhos | HC/Ncfsc |
And Pharaoh's cup | and cup of |
H3563-06 |
Genesis 40:11 | כּ֣וֹס | kos | HNcfsc |
Pharaoh's cup | cup of |
H3563-02 |
Genesis 40:11 | הַ/כּ֖וֹס | hakos | HTd/Ncfsa |
cup | the cup |
H3563-04 |
Genesis 40:13 | כוֹס | khos | HNcfsc |
cup | cup of |
H3563-02 |
Genesis 40:21 | הַ/כּ֖וֹס | hakos | HTd/Ncfsa |
the cup | the cup |
H3563-02 |
Leviticus 11:17 | הַ/כּ֥וֹס | hakos | HTd/Ncmsa |
little owl | the cup |
H3563-02 |
Deuteronomy 14:16 | הַ/כּ֥וֹס | hakos | HTd/Ncmsa |
the falcon | the cup |
H3563-09 |
2 Samuel 12:3 | וּ/מִ/כֹּס֤/וֹ | umikoso | HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
and-from-his-cup | and from his cup |
H3563-06 |
1 Kings 7:26 | כּ֖וֹס | kos | HNcfsa |
a cup | cup of |
H3563-06 |
Isaiah 51:17 | כּ֣וֹס | kos | HNcfsc |
the cup | cup of |