כֵּהֶה
𐤊𐤄𐤄
kêheh
H3544 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Dull, faint, dim—especially in reference to one's eyesight, senses, or the appearance/brightness of an object. Can also refer to something that is weak, lacking in strength or sharpness, or to smoke that is faint or dissipating. In visual contexts, it often describes something that is not vivid or sharp, but muted or indistinct.
Semantic Range
dull, faint, dim (of sight, eyes, sound, color, or light), feeble (of strength or sensation), muted in appearance, dissipating (as of smoke), lacking intensity or sharpness
Root / Etymology
From the root כהה, which denotes the idea of being or becoming weak, dim, or faint. The adjective כֵּהֶה (kêheh) specifically describes a state of lacking intensity or clarity, whether of vision, light, color, or sensation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, כֵּהֶה appears in a range of contexts describing physical or metaphorical dullness. For example, it describes fading eyesight (as with Isaac or Jacob in the patriarchal narratives), muted or faint sounds or lights, and in some cases, diminished vigor or forcefulness. It can describe smoke as dissipating or faint (as opposed to thick or heavy). While English translations may render it as 'dim,' 'faint,' 'feeble,' or 'dull,' the underlying nuance is the lack of sharpness, vitality, or clarity. Usage differs from other terms for weakness (such as חָלָשׁ for physical weakness) or darkness (such as חֹשֶׁךְ for complete obscurity), with כֵּהֶה emphasizing muted or reduced quality rather than total absence of light or strength. Its meaning holds steady across pre-exilic and post-exilic periods, serving primarily as a descriptive term, rather than a technical one. Later rabbinic literature continues to use the root with the sense of dullness or dimness, especially in perception.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּהָה; feeble, obscure; somewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כהה (k-h-h) — to grow dim, become faint, lose sharpness or clarity
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3544-03 |
כֵהָ֑ה | khehah | HAafsa |
dim | dimmed | 4 |
H3544-01 |
כֵּהָ֣ה | kehah | HVpp3ms |
faded | he dimmed | 3 |
H3544-04 |
כֵה֔וֹת | khehot | HAafpa |
to grow dim | dim ones | 1 |
H3544-02 |
כֵּה֣וֹת | kehot | HAafpa |
darkish | dim ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3544-01 |
Leviticus 13:6 | כֵּהָ֣ה | kehah | HVpp3ms |
faded | he dimmed |
H3544-03 |
Leviticus 13:21 | כֵהָ֑ה | khehah | HAafsa |
faint | dimmed |
H3544-03 |
Leviticus 13:26 | כֵהָ֑ה | khehah | HAafsa |
is dim | dimmed |
H3544-03 |
Leviticus 13:28 | כֵהָ֔ה | khehah | HAafsa |
dim | dimmed |
H3544-02 |
Leviticus 13:39 | כֵּה֣וֹת | kehot | HAafpa |
darkish | dim ones |
H3544-01 |
Leviticus 13:56 | כֵּהָ֣ה | kehah | HVpp3ms |
faded | he dimmed |
H3544-04 |
1 Samuel 3:2 | כֵה֔וֹת | khehot | HAafpa |
to grow dim | dim ones |
H3544-03 |
Isaiah 42:3 | כֵהָ֖ה | khehah | HAafsa |
smoking | dimmed |
H3544-01 |
Isaiah 61:3 | כֵּהָ֑ה | kehah | HAafsa |
of fainting | he dimmed |