כְּסִיל
𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋
Kesil
H3686 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to a distinct place name, likely in southern Judah, mentioned in the territorial lists of Joshua. The exact location and character of 'Kesil' are uncertain, but it appears as a city within the boundaries of tribal territories. Its name may also allude to associations with celestial or mythological imagery, given its root's links to the 'fool' or to the constellation Orion.
Semantic Range
proper place name in southern Judah; possibly alluding to ancient astral or mythological associations; distinct from but formally identical to: 'fool' (as in wisdom literature), the constellation Orion
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root כּסל (k-s-l), which broadly means 'to be thick, fat, foolish, confident.' The nominal form כְּסִיל is best known as 'fool' in wisdom literature, and as the name for the constellation Orion. As a place name, the etymology is uncertain, though it is formally identical to the term for Orion and overlaps with the word for 'fool' but likely represents a distinct etymological development as a toponym.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Joshua 15:30, 'Kesil' is listed among cities in the southern part of Judah's tribal allotment. The location is not securely identified archaeologically. Due to the similarity in spelling, some translations and traditions have linked 'Kesil' with 'Bethul' or 'Bethuel' by emendation or harmonization, but this is not supported by the majority of textual witnesses. The name's association with the term for Orion (a prominent star grouping in ancient Near Eastern astronomy) may reflect local cultic or mythological significance, or simply a reuse of an established term for a locale. English versions sometimes inconsistently render or substitute the place name; the designation as 'Kesil' is most accurate for the period indicated in the biblical text. The English rendering 'Chesil' in some older translations has contributed to confusion with unrelated names. See also H3685 (Kesil, Orion) and H3684 (Kesil, fool) for the range of meanings attached to the root and form.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as כְּסִיל; Kesil, a place in Palestine; Chesil.
Bantu Hebrew
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כּסל (k-s-l) — to be thick, bulky, foolish, confident
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3686-01 |
וּ/כְסִ֖יל | ukhesil | HC/Np |
Chesil | and Kesil | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3686-01 |
Joshua 15:30 | וּ/כְסִ֖יל | ukhesil | HC/Np |
Chesil | and Kesil |