כָּרֻתָה
𐤊𐤓𐤕𐤄
kâruthâh
H3773 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A beam or timber that has been cut or hewn (particularly from a tree), typically referring to a finished structural element intended for use in construction. The term always refers to the product of deliberate cutting, emphasizing its status as a crafted component rather than merely raw wood.
Semantic Range
beam, hewn timber, cut timber, crafted/finished wood for building
Root / Etymology
From the root כרת (to cut, cut off, sever), which generally indicates the act of cutting or making a separation. כָּרֻתָה is the feminine passive participle form of the verb, literally meaning 'that which is cut/hewn (feminine)'. In this context, it refers to a beam or timber as something that has been purposely fashioned by cutting.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used in biblical contexts to denote a structural timber or beam, especially those that have been worked or fashioned for construction purposes. The term appears infrequently in Biblical Hebrew, and always with the nuance of something that has been cut or manufactured. It is distinct from more generalized terms for wood (e.g., עֵץ, 'tree; wood'), which may refer to trees, generic wood, or logs, not necessarily finished beams. English translation as 'beam' or 'hewn timber' generally captures its meaning, but may obscure the word’s emphasis on the act of cutting and preparation. No significant semantic development is attested across biblical periods, and the term is not used in metaphorical or ritual contexts. Later Jewish tradition and translation sometimes obscure this nuance by generalizing the object as mere wood, but the original sense is of a specifically fashioned construction element.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
passive participle feminine of כָּרַת; something cut, i.e. a hewn timber; beam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כרת (k-r-t) — to cut, cut off, sever
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3735 | כָּרָא | she pierced herself in grief |
| H3747 | כְּרִית | Kerith, the Cut-Ravine |
| H3748 | כְּרִיתוּת | marital cutting-off |
| H3772 | כָּרַת | I will cause to cut off |
| H3774 | כְּרֵתִי | the Kerethite guardsman |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3773-01 |
כְּרֻתֹ֥ת | kerutot | HNcfpc |
cedar beams | hewn timbers | 2 |
H3773-02 |
וּ/כְרֻת֥וֹת | ukherutot | HC/Ncfpc |
and beams | hewn timbers of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3773-01 |
1 Kings 6:36 | כְּרֻתֹ֥ת | kerutot | HNcfpc |
cedar beams | hewn timbers |
H3773-02 |
1 Kings 7:2 | וּ/כְרֻת֥וֹת | ukherutot | HC/Ncfpc |
and beams | hewn timbers of |
H3773-01 |
1 Kings 7:12 | כְּרֻתֹ֣ת | kerutot | HNcfpc |
of-cedar-beams | hewn timbers |