כֹּל
𐤊𐤋
kôl
H3606 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The entirety or whole of a thing, or the totality of a set; also denotes any, each, every, or all, depending on syntactic context. When attached to a noun or in construct with possessive pronouns, it denotes 'all of,' 'the entirety of,' or 'every part of.' In distributive contexts, may mean 'each' or 'every.' Sometimes used adverbially with the force of 'completely' or 'altogether.'
Semantic Range
all, the whole, entire, every, each, any, totality, altogether, completely
Root / Etymology
From the root כּ־ל (כל), which conveys the idea of completion or totality. The specific word כֹּל is the regular masculine nominal form constructed from this root, meaning 'whole' or 'entirety.' In Aramaic, the form and usage parallel the Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Aramaic Biblical texts (such as Ezra and Daniel), כֹּל functions analogously to its Hebrew counterpart but shows some extension in idiomatic usage, particularly in official or legal language. It denotes both an absolute totality (the whole, all) and a distributive sense (every, each), and can sometimes extend into indefinite senses ('any'). In construct or with pronominal suffixes, it expresses collective possession or entirety. Context determines whether it should be rendered 'all,' 'any,' 'every,' or 'whole.' This semantic flexibility is sometimes not fully captured in standard English translations, which may reduce its nuance. The distinction between כֹּל and related Hebrew terms such as כלה (kalâ, 'to finish, complete') or כלל (kalal, 'to perfect, to include') is that כֹּל most often refers to the collective or total state itself, not the process of finishing or the abstract concept of inclusion/totality. In post-exilic and Second Temple texts, especially those written in Imperial Aramaic, כֹּל is a dominant term in administrative and legal documents, contributing to set phrases and formulaic expressions for inclusivity ('all people,' 'every law'). The English term 'all' or 'every' frequently serves as the translation, but context sometimes requires 'entirety,' 'whole,' or even 'any' for faithful rendering. There is no evidence of a specifically religious meaning in biblical usage; its function is purely quantitative or distributive.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to כֹּל; {properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)}; all, any, + (forasmuch) as, + be-(for this) cause, every, + no (manner, -ne), + there (where) -fore, + though, what (where, who) -soever, (the) whole.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כלל (k-l-l) — to complete, encompass, include, make whole
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3557 | כּוּל | and whole-of |
| H3605 | כֹּל | in the entirety |
| H3618 | כַּלָּה | newly-completed bride |
| H3626 | כׇּל־חֹזֶה | entirety of |
| H3632 | כָּלִיל | complete |
Word Forms
14 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3606-04 |
כָּ/ל | kal | AC/C |
all | whole of | 46 |
H3606-05 |
כָל | khal | ANcmsc |
any | whole of | 12 |
H3606-13 |
וְ/כָל | vekhal | AC/Ncmsc |
and all | and the whole of | 9 |
H3606-14 |
וְ/כֹ֖ל | vekhol | AC/Ncmsc |
and all | and whole-of | 9 |
H3606-09 |
לְ/כָל | lekhal | AR/Ncmsc |
to all | to the entirety of | 7 |
H3606-01 |
בְּ/כָל | bekhal | AR/Ncmsc |
in all | in the entirety of | 5 |
H3606-07 |
כֹּ֖ל | kol | ANcmsc |
all | whole of | 3 |
H3606-10 |
לְ/כֹ֖ל | lekhol | ATo/Ncmsc |
to-all | to the whole of | 3 |
H3606-03 |
בְּ/כֹ֖ל | bekhol | AR/Ncmsc |
in all | in totality | 2 |
H3606-11 |
לְ/כֹ֖לָּ/א | lekhola | AR/Ncmsd/Td |
for-all | for the entirety | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
103 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:8 | כָּ/ל | kal | AC/C |
all | whole of |
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:10 | כָּ/ל | kal | AC/C |
all | whole of |
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:10 | כָּל | kal-2 | ANcmsc |
every | whole of |
H3606-09 |
Daniel 2:10 | לְ/כָל | lekhal | AR/Ncmsc |
of any | to the entirety of |
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:12 | כָּ/ל | kal | AC/C |
for | whole of |
H3606-10 |
Daniel 2:12 | לְ/כֹ֖ל | lekhol | ATo/Ncmsc |
all | to the whole of |
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:24 | כָּ/ל | kal | AC/C |
Therefore | whole of |
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:30 | כָּל | kal | ANcmsc |
all | whole of |
H3606-13 |
Daniel 2:35 | וְ/כָל | vekhal | AC/Ncmsc |
and all | and the whole of |
H3606-04 |
Daniel 2:35 | כָּל | kal | ANcmsc |
all | whole of |