כָּבוֹד
𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃
kâbôwd
H3519 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The condition or quality of being heavy, significant, impressive, or honored; in extended (figurative) usage, the state of being held in high esteem, respected, impressive in appearance or status, or possessing splendor and dignity. In reference to persons, often denotes social distinction, respect, or status; when describing YHWH, bears the sense of manifest majesty, presence, or power. On rare occasions, refers to material wealth or substantiality.
Semantic Range
heaviness, weight; honor, dignity, respect; majesty, splendor, renown; manifest presence (especially divine); abundance, wealth (rare)
Root / Etymology
From the root כָּבֵד (k-b-d), meaning 'to be heavy, be weighty, be honored.' The noun כָּבוֹד (kâvôd) originally denotes 'heaviness, weight,' and from this, in extended figurative sense, comes to signify 'importance, honor, glory, dignity.' The verbal root can connote either physical heaviness or social/ethical significance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In early biblical Hebrew, 'kâvôd' is often associated with the visible or perceived majesty and presence of a person or deity, especially with reference to YHWH's manifest presence (e.g., 'the kâvôd of YHWH filled the tabernacle'—Exodus 40:34). The term is also used for human honor or social dignity (e.g., Proverbs 3:35), rarely for material abundance (Genesis 45:13). Over time, it came to encapsulate abstract qualities such as reputation, standing, or moral worth, and in later periods, continued to serve as the chief term for 'honor' or 'glory' in both secular and religious registers. English translations usually render 'kâvôd' as 'glory' or 'honor'; however, the Hebrew conveys an underlying metaphor of 'weight' or 'heaviness' that is not always preserved in translation. In prophetic and poetic texts, the term can acquire heightened or even numinous associations. The noun is to be distinguished from other terms for 'honor' (e.g., אַדִּיר, הוֹד), which may focus more on strength, splendor, or majesty without invoking the metaphor of weight.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
rarely כָּבֹד; from כָּבַד; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness; glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כבד (k-b-d) — heaviness, weightiness, honor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3513 | כָּבַד | I will make weighty |
| H3514 | כֹּבֶד | heaviness of |
| H3515 | כָּבֵד | the liver |
| H3516 | כָּבֵד | in the liver |
| H3517 | כְּבֵדֻת | heaviness |
Word Forms
32 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3519-07 |
כְּב֣וֹד | kevod | HNcbsc |
glory | weightiness of | 39 |
H3519-06 |
כָּב֑וֹד | kavod | HNcbsa |
glory | weighty honor | 25 |
H3519-31 |
בְ/כָב֖וֹד | vekhavod | HR/Ncbsa |
and honor | and weighty honor | 15 |
H3519-14 |
כְּבֹד֣/וֹ | kevodo | HNcbsc/Sp3ms |
his glory | his weightiness | 14 |
H3519-13 |
כְּבוֹדִ/י֙ | kevodi | HNcbsc/Sp1cs |
my glory | my weighty honor | 13 |
H3519-24 |
וּ/כְב֣וֹד | ukhevod | HC/Ncbsc |
and glory | and weightiness of | 13 |
H3519-16 |
כְבוֹד | khevod | HNcbsc |
glory | weightiness of | 12 |
H3519-15 |
כָב֗וֹד | khavod | HNcbsa |
honor | weighty honor | 11 |
H3519-10 |
כְּבֹדֶֽ/ךָ | kevodekha | HNcbsc/Sp2ms |
your glory | your weighty honor | 9 |
H3519-04 |
הַ/כָּבֹ֖ד | hakavod | HTd/Ncbsa |
of glory | the weighty honor | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
200 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3519-04 |
Genesis 31:1 | הַ/כָּבֹ֖ד | hakavod | HTd/Ncbsa |
wealth | the weighty honor |
H3519-13 |
Genesis 45:13 | כְּבוֹדִ/י֙ | kevodi | HNcbsc/Sp1cs |
my glory | my weighty honor |
H3519-13 |
Genesis 49:6 | כְּבֹדִ֑/י | kevodi | HNcbsc/Sp1cs |
my glory | my weighty honor |
H3519-07 |
Exodus 16:7 | כְּב֣וֹד | kevod | HNcbsc |
glory | weightiness of |
H3519-07 |
Exodus 16:10 | כְּב֣וֹד | kevod | HNcbsc |
glory | weightiness of |
H3519-07 |
Exodus 24:16 | כְּבוֹד | kevod | HNcbsc |
glory | weightiness of |
H3519-07 |
Exodus 24:17 | כְּב֣וֹד | kevod | HNcbsc |
of glory | weightiness of |
H3519-21 |
Exodus 28:2 | לְ/כָב֖וֹד | lekhavod | HR/Ncbsa |
for glory | for weighty honor |
H3519-21 |
Exodus 28:40 | לְ/כָב֖וֹד | lekhavod | HR/Ncbsa |
for glory | for weighty honor |
H3519-02 |
Exodus 29:43 | בִּ/כְבֹדִֽ/י | bikhevodi | HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cs |
by-my-glory | in my weightiness |