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כָּבַד

𐤊𐤁𐤃

kâbad

H3513 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be heavy (in weight, importance, or severity); by extension, to be honored, esteemed, or greatly regarded; also, to be burdensome, hard, or severe. כָּבַד functions both in physical and metaphorical contexts, carrying nuances of weightiness, significance, wealth, honor, and sometimes oppression or hardening. In the causative stem (Hiphil), it often means to honor, make honorable, bestow significance upon, or to make heavy/burdensome.

Semantic Range

to be heavy (physically), to be weighty (in importance), to be honored, to be respected, to be burdensome, to be severe, to afflict, to honor (causative), to make grievous, to glorify, to make significant, to become rich, to prevail

Root / Etymology

From the triliteral root כבד, meaning 'to be heavy' or 'to make heavy.' Lexically, כָּבַד is the root verb carrying this core sense, with a semantic development encompassing both literal physical heaviness and figurative meanings like respect, honor, and oppression.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the earliest biblical texts (e.g. Torah, Former Prophets), כָּבַד is primarily used for literal heaviness of objects (Genesis 18:20). It quickly acquires figurative senses—such as describing someone 'weighty' as respected, honored, or having high social standing (Exodus 20:12 'honor your father and your mother'). When used negatively, it refers to oppressive burdens, as in Exodus' frequent references to Pharaoh imposing grievous labor on the Israelites, or the hardening (making heavy) of Pharaoh's heart (Exodus 7:14). The causative (Hiphil) extends this range: to honor or treat as significant (1 Samuel 2:30), or to make grievous or burdensome (Isaiah 24:15). The concept of kavod ('glory, honor') is derived from this root, highlighting the importance of 'weight' as a metaphor for social value, abundance, or divine splendor. In later biblical Hebrew, the word is intertwined with notions of wealth and social standing, but does not directly imply later theological meanings of 'glory' apart from its Israelite social and religious context. Standard English renderings such as 'honor' or 'glorify' can obscure the original metaphor of heaviness or significance. The cognate noun כָּבוֹד (kabod) similarly carries meanings of honor, respect, or splendor in biblical literature.

Translation Consistency

primary "honor" 60 occurrences

Most frequent and natural rendering across the SILEX occurrences and especially captures the common causative/Hiphil meaning (to honor, glorify, make honorable). Although כָּבַד can mean physically ‘be heavy’ or ‘be burdensome,’ the predominant biblical sense and typical translations center on honor/esteem, so using “honor” provides a consistent, natural English base verb for all forms.

Alternatives (56 occurrences):
"heavy" (10x) "made heavy" (9x) "hardened" (3x) "glorified" (3x) "glorify" (3x) "weighty" (2x) "became heavy" (2x) "honorers" (2x) "make heavy" (2x) "make yourself weighty" (2x) "severe" (1x) "when i am glorified" (1x) "honorable ones" (1x) "grew strong" (1x) "harden" (1x) "battle grew heavy" (1x) "made weighty" (1x) "honorable" (1x) "dull" (1x) "heavily laden" (1x) "making heavy" (1x) "too heavy" (1x) "glorious things" (1x) "than a self-honoring one" (1x) "heavier" (1x) "made burdensome" (1x) "battle became severe" (1x) "boast" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or כָּבֵד; a primitive root; to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable; causatively, to make weighty (in the same two senses); abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, [idiom] be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, [idiom] more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Digo kubwa big, large
Kikamba kubwa big, large
Pemba (Kingome dialect) kubwa big, large
Shambala kubwa big, large
Swahili kubwa big, great, important

Root Family

כבד (k-b-d) — heaviness, weightiness, honor, burden

Root כבד to be heavy, to make heavy, to honor, to be burdensome
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3514 כֹּבֶד heaviness of
H3515 כָּבֵד the liver
H3516 כָּבֵד in the liver
H3517 כְּבֵדֻת heaviness
H3519 כָּבוֹד in weighty honor

Word Forms

77 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3513-38 נִכְבָּ֔ד nikhebad HVNrmsa he was honored weighty one being honored 9
H3513-14 הִכְבִּ֣יד hikhebid HVhp3ms made heavy he made heavy made heavy 5
H3513-19 כַּבֵּ֥ד kabed HVpa Honor to greatly honor to greatly honor 4
H3513-53 וַ/תִּכְבַּד֙ vatikhebad HC/Vqw3fs and grew strong and she became heavy and it grew strong 4
H3513-71 יְכַבֵּ֥ד yekhabed HVpi3ms he will honor he will make weighty he will honor 4
H3513-29 כָבְדָ֖ה khavedah HVqp3fs heavy she was heavy dull 3
H3513-76 יִכְבַּ֣ד yikhebad HVqi3ms be heavy he will be heavy it would be heavy 3
H3513-40 נִכְבַּדֵּי nikhebadey HVNrmpc honored weighty ones of honored ones of 3
H3513-25 כָּבֵ֑דָה kavedah HVqp3fs is heavier she was heavy is heavier 3
H3513-15 הִכְבִּ֥ידוּ hikhebidu HVhp3cp had-laden they made heavy made burdensome 2

Occurrences in Scripture

116 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3513-24 Genesis 13:2 כָּבֵ֣ד kaved HAamsa was very rich weighty weighty
H3513-29 Genesis 18:20 כָבְדָ֖ה khavedah HVqp3fs is very grievous she was heavy is severe
H3513-38 Genesis 34:19 נִכְבָּ֔ד nikhebad HVNrmsa was honored / was more honorable weighty one was honored
H3513-26 Genesis 48:10 כָּבְד֣וּ kavedu HVqp3cp had become heavy/dim they were heavy were heavy
H3513-46 Exodus 5:9 תִּכְבַּ֧ד tikhebad HVqi3fs Let heavier she will be heavy let it be heavy
H3513-59 Exodus 8:11 וְ/הַכְבֵּד֙ vehakhebed HC/Vha he hardened and making heavy and he made heavy
H3513-55 Exodus 8:28 וַ/יַּכְבֵּ֤ד vayakhebed HC/Vhw3ms But hardened and he made heavy and he made heavy
H3513-56 Exodus 9:7 וַ/יִּכְבַּד֙ vayikhebad HC/Vqw3ms But was hardened and he became heavy and it became heavy
H3513-55 Exodus 9:34 וַ/יַּכְבֵּ֥ד vayakhebed HC/Vhw3ms and he hardened and he made heavy and he hardened
H3513-13 Exodus 10:1 הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי hikhebadeti HVhp1cs have hardened I made heavy I have hardened
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