כָּבוֹד

𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃

kâbôwd

H3519 noun

SILEX Entry

Root כבד to be heavy, to be weighty, to be honored

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

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Root 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