כִּכֵּר
𐤊𐤊𐤓
kikkêr
H3604 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A principal unit of weight in ancient West Semitic culture, varying according to historical period and region, typically designating a large mass (often of precious metals, such as gold or silver); also, by metonymy, a round-shaped loaf of bread or cake. The term is also occasionally used to indicate a round or circular area, such as the 'circle of the Jordan' (Gen 13:10), a region defined by its topography.
Semantic Range
weight (talent), round loaf or cake, round region or district, circular object; unit of weight (silver, gold), disk-shaped object, region defined by circular shape
Root / Etymology
From the root כ-כ-ר (ככר), meaning 'to be round, circular, or a disk.' The word is a noun formation from this root, primarily referring to roundness in either shape or quantity. Its nominal use as a weight derives from the standard round-shaped ingots or measured amounts, while the geographical and culinary senses reflect the basic meaning of roundness.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the earliest Hebrew usage (patriarchal and pre-monarchic periods), כִּכֵּר denoted a physical object with roundness—often applied to loaves of bread. Over time, it became the technical designation for a unit of large weight, generally about 30–40 kg, especially in the context of precious metals during the monarchic and later periods (see 1 Kings 10:16–17). This technical sense is widely attested in economic, cultic, and administrative contexts. In the geographical sense, such as the 'circle (כִּכַּר) of the Jordan,' the term describes a broad, round plain region—particularly the well-watered area south of the Sea of Kinneret, site of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 13:10-13). Modern translations sometimes obscure the culinary or geographic senses by using 'talent' exclusively; context is determinative, and ancient audiences would have heard persistent connotations of roundness. The Aramaic and Ugaritic cognates reflect similar semantic development. The term does not refer to 'talent' in the sense of ability or skill, a usage found in later Greek or English.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to כִּכָּר; a talent; talent.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ככר (k-k-r) — to be round, to make round, to form a disc or circle
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3604-01 |
כַּכְּרִ֣ין | kakerin | ANcfpa |
talents | round weight-masses | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3604-01 |
Ezra 7:22 | כַּכְּרִ֣ין | kakerin | ANcfpa |
talents | round weight-masses |