כַּ֭/כְּפִיר

𐤊/𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤓

kakefir

like a lion

from כָּפַר; a village (as covered in by walls); also a young lion (perhaps as covered with a mane); (young) lion, village. Compare כָּפָר.

H3715

Proverbs 20:2 · Word #2

Lexicon H3715

Lemmaכְּפִיר
Lemma (Paleo)𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤓
Transliterationkᵉphîyr
Strong'sH3715
In-contextlike a lion

Morphology HRd/Ncmsa All morphology codes

Part of Speech N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea
Subtype c — Common — Common noun
Gender m — Masculine — Masculine
Number s — Singular — Singular
State a — Absolute — The noun stands independently

SIBI-P1 H3715-01

like a cover-maned young lion

Rootכפר (k-p-r)
Core Meaningscovering, coating, concealing, sheltering
Semantic Rangeyoung lion, lion’s whelp; by extension, a vigorous or fierce youth; possibly related to the idea of being covered (with a mane).
Conceptual SignificanceThe כְּפִיר evokes imagery of emerging strength and predatory power—youthful yet dangerous. In biblical poetry it often symbolizes boldness, aggression, or looming threat, drawing on the vivid image of a young lion in its prime.
Morphological NotesMasculine singular absolute noun (Ncmsa) with prefixed comparative preposition כַּ (“like/as”). No article; singular and grammatically masculine.
Rendering RationaleThe noun כְּפִיר is masculine singular absolute, here preceded by the prefixed preposition כַּ (“like/as”), yielding a comparative phrase. Rendering it “cover-maned young lion” preserves the likely connection to the root כפר (“to cover”), reflecting the idea of being covered (with a mane), while maintaining masculine singular form.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root כפר (covering, coating, concealing, sheltering)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H3722-01 akhaperah Let me effect atoning-covering
H3727-01 hakaporet the atonement-covering
H3725-01 hakipurim the atonement-coverings
H3715-02 kakefirim like mane-covered young-lions
H3715-03 kefir a mane-covered young lion
kefirah the Covered-Village (fem. sing.)
H3715-04 kefirim young-maned lions
H3713-01 keforey covered goblets of
H3715-05 khefirim mane-covered young lions
H3724-01 khofer covering-ransom
H3715-06 kikhefir mane-covered young lion
H3724-02 kofer covering-price
H3722-02 lekhaper to effect covering-over (to atone)
likhefor for a covering-basin
H3722-03 tekhaper you will effect covering-over
H3713-02 ukhefor and a covering-bowl
H3722-04 ulekhaper and to effect atonement-covering
H3722-05 vayekhaper and he made covering-over
H3722-06 vekhaper and you (masculine singular) make atoning-covering
H3722-07 vekhiper and he made atonement-covering
H3713-03 velikheforey and for the covering-bowls of
H3722-08 yekhaper he will make atoning-covering
H3722-09 yekhupar he shall be covered-over (in atonement)

Word Usage (32 occurrences of H3715)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Judges 14:5 כְּפִ֣יר kefir a young lion
Isaiah 5:29 כַּ/כְּפִירִ֤ים kakefirim like young lions
Isaiah 11:6 וּ/כְפִ֤יר ukhefir and young lion