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כָּתֵף

𐤊𐤕𐤐

kâthêph

H3802 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Shoulder, the upper part of the arm where it joins the body; by extension, the side of a person or object, a flank or lateral part, often marking the outer section or extremity. Used both of human and animal anatomy and of structural features such as mountainsides, parts of clothing (especially the support for garments, or ornamental pieces like epaulets), or the border/side of an object. Figuratively, a position of bearing (e.g., responsibility, burden) or support.

Semantic Range

shoulder (body part), side or flank of person or animal, support or place of bearing, side/border of geographic or constructed feature, shoulder-piece or ornamental attachment, metaphorical site of bearing responsibility or burden

Root / Etymology

From root כ-ת-פ, whose basic sense is 'to place upon, to bear.' The lexical item כָּתֵף likely derives from the idea of that part of the body which carries or bears (e.g., a load, a yoke, a garment). Actual root (unused in biblical Hebrew) is not attested, but the connection with bearing weight or burdens is evident in related Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, כָּתֵף refers concretely to the shoulder as a body part (Genesis 21:14, carrying loads), the site of bearing burdens (e.g., yoke, supplies), or the location where garments are draped. It is extended metaphorically to describe parts of structures or topographical features, such as the side of a mountain (Numbers 34:11) or city (Ezekiel 40:18). The word can also denote ornamental or functional pieces attached at the shoulder (Exodus 28:7, priestly ephod). The sense of 'side' or 'flank' sometimes broadens to any lateral or adjoining area. In later Hebrew (post-biblical), כָּתֵף remains in use for anatomical and architectural references. English translations often render it as 'shoulder,' but this can obscure its use for non-anatomical contexts (e.g., 'side' of a mountain). Related terms include שֵׁכֶם (shoulder, back), which also metaphorically refers to bearing responsibility, but כָּתֵף more commonly names the lateral body part or extension.

Translation Consistency

primary "shoulder" 44 occurrences

Most natural and frequent rendering in the P2 data (33/67). It covers the primary anatomical sense (upper arm/attachment), the lateral/side meaning (flank, border of a feature), and the common metaphor of bearing/support (to shoulder a burden). ‘Shoulder’ is idiomatic and will read naturally across literal and figurative contexts.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):
"side" (5x) "supports" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to clothe; the shoulder (proper, i.e. upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the garments hang); figuratively, side-piece or lateral projection of anything; arm, corner, shoulder(-piece), side, undersetter.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

כּ-ת-פ (kâthêph) — to bear, to carry, to lift on the shoulder

Root כּ-ת-פ to bear, to carry, to lift on the shoulder

Word Forms

23 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3802-06 כֶּ֥תֶף ketef HNcfsc side shoulder of shoulder of 20
H3802-05 כָּתֵ֤ף katef HNcfsa shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder 7
H3802-16 כִּתְפֹ֣ת kitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of 5
H3802-19 מִ/כֶּ֨תֶף miketef HR/Ncfsc from shoulder from shoulder-of from shoulder of 5
H3802-03 הַ/כָּתֵ֑ף hakatef HTd/Ncfsa the side the shoulder the side 4
H3802-10 כְּתֵפֹ֣ת ketefot HNcfpa shoulder pieces shoulders shoulders 3
H3802-01 בַּ/כָּתֵ֑ף bakatef HRd/Ncfsa on the shoulder on the shoulder on the shoulder 2
H3802-07 כְּתֵפָֽי/ו ketefayv HNcfdc/Sp3ms his shoulders his two shoulders his two shoulders 2
H3802-12 כָתֵף֙ khatef HNcfsa a shoulder shoulder a shoulder 2
H3802-15 כִתְפ֨וֹת khitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of 2

Occurrences in Scripture

67 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3802-17 Exodus 27:14 לַ/כָּתֵ֑ף lakatef HRd/Ncfsa of the side to the shoulder of the side
H3802-23 Exodus 27:15 וְ/לַ/כָּתֵף֙ velakatef HC/Rd/Ncfsa and for the side and to the shoulder and for the side
H3802-14 Exodus 28:7 כְתֵפֹ֣ת khetefot HNcfpa shoulder pieces shoulders shoulder pieces
H3802-16 Exodus 28:12 כִּתְפֹ֣ת kitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of
H3802-13 Exodus 28:12 כְתֵפָ֖י/ו khetefayv HNcfdc/Sp3ms his shoulders his shoulders his shoulders
H3802-16 Exodus 28:25 כִּתְפ֥וֹת kitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of
H3802-15 Exodus 28:27 כִתְפ֨וֹת khitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of
H3802-03 Exodus 38:14 הַ/כָּתֵ֑ף hakatef HTd/Ncfsa the side the shoulder the side
H3802-23 Exodus 38:15 וְ/לַ/כָּתֵ֣ף velakatef HC/Rd/Ncfsa and for the side and to the shoulder and for the side
H3802-10 Exodus 39:4 כְּתֵפֹ֥ת ketefot HNcfpa shoulder pieces shoulders shoulders
H3802-16 Exodus 39:7 כִּתְפֹ֣ת kitefot HNcfpc shoulders shoulders of shoulders of
H3802-16 Exodus 39:18 כִּתְפֹ֥ת kitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of
H3802-15 Exodus 39:20 כִתְפֹ֨ת khitefot HNcfpc shoulder pieces shoulders of shoulders of
H3802-01 Numbers 7:9 בַּ/כָּתֵ֖ף bakatef HRd/Ncfsa on the shoulder on the shoulder on the shoulder
H3802-06 Numbers 34:11 כֶּ֥תֶף ketef HNcfsc the shoulder shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-11 Deuteronomy 33:12 כְּתֵיפָ֖י/ו keteyfayv HNcfdc/Sp3ms his shoulders his shoulders his shoulders
H3802-06 Joshua 15:8 כֶּ֤תֶף ketef HNcfsc slope shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 15:10 כֶּ֧תֶף ketef HNcfsc the-shoulder shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 15:11 כֶּ֣תֶף ketef HNcfsc slope shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 18:12 כֶּ֨תֶף ketef HNcfsc the shoulder shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 18:13 כֶּ֤תֶף ketef HNcfsc the side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 18:16 כֶּ֤תֶף ketef HNcfsc the shoulder of shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 18:18 כֶּ֥תֶף ketef HNcfsc the-side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 Joshua 18:19 כֶּ֣תֶף ketef HNcfsc the side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-07 Judges 16:3 כְּתֵפָ֑י/ו ketefayv HNcfdc/Sp3ms his shoulders his two shoulders his two shoulders
H3802-07 1 Samuel 17:6 כְּתֵפָֽי/ו ketefayv HNcfdc/Sp3ms his shoulders his two shoulders his two shoulders
H3802-06 1 Kings 6:8 כֶּ֥תֶף ketef HNcfsc side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-10 1 Kings 7:30 כְּתֵפֹ֣ת ketefot HNcfpa supports shoulders shoulders
H3802-04 1 Kings 7:30 הַ/כְּתֵפֹ֣ת haketefot HTd/Ncfpa the-supports the shoulders the supports
H3802-10 1 Kings 7:34 כְּתֵפ֔וֹת ketefot HNcfpa shoulders shoulders shoulders
H3802-08 1 Kings 7:34 כְּתֵפֶֽי/הָ ketefeyha HNcfdc/Sp3fs its shoulders her two shoulders its shoulders
H3802-06 1 Kings 7:39 כֶּ֤תֶף ketef HNcfsc side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-06 1 Kings 7:39 כֶּ֥תֶף ketef-2 HNcfsc side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-19 1 Kings 7:39 מִ/כֶּ֨תֶף miketef HR/Ncfsc on the side from shoulder-of from shoulder of
H3802-19 2 Kings 11:11 מִ/כֶּ֨תֶף miketef HR/Ncfsc from shoulder from shoulder-of from shoulder of
H3802-06 2 Kings 11:11 כֶּ֤תֶף ketef HNcfsc shoulder shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-21 Isaiah 11:14 בְ/כָתֵ֤ף vekhatef HR/Ncfsa on the shoulder shoulder on the shoulder
H3802-06 Isaiah 30:6 כֶּ֨תֶף ketef HNcfsc shoulder shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-05 Isaiah 46:7 כָּתֵ֨ף katef HNcfsa the shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-05 Isaiah 49:22 כָּתֵ֥ף katef HNcfsa shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-05 Ezekiel 12:6 כָּתֵ֤ף katef HNcfsa shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-05 Ezekiel 12:7 כָּתֵ֥ף katef HNcfsa shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-05 Ezekiel 12:12 כָּתֵ֤ף katef HNcfsa shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-21 Ezekiel 24:4 וְ/כָתֵ֑ף vekhatef HC/Ncfsa and shoulder shoulder and shoulder
H3802-06 Ezekiel 25:9 כֶּ֤תֶף ketef HNcfsc flank shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-05 Ezekiel 29:7 כָּתֵ֑ף katef HNcfsa shoulders bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-05 Ezekiel 29:18 כָּתֵ֖ף katef HNcfsa shoulder bearing-shoulder shoulder
H3802-20 Ezekiel 34:21 וּ/בְ/כָתֵף֙ uvekhatef HC/R/Ncfsa and with shoulder and on a shoulder and with a shoulder
H3802-06 Ezekiel 40:18 כֶּ֣תֶף ketef HNcfsc side shoulder of shoulder of
H3802-03 Ezekiel 40:40 הַ/כָּתֵ֣ף hakatef HTd/Ncfsa the side the shoulder the side
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