כֶּשֶׂב
𐤊𐤔𐤁
keseb
H3775 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A young male sheep, typically a ram in its first year. In biblical usage, often denotes a young sheep suitable for sacrifice or offering, sometimes generically a lamb, but primarily refers to a young ram as distinct from a female lamb or older sheep. The term is used in various legal, ritual, and narrative contexts to specify particular requirements for sacrifices or livestock.
Semantic Range
young male sheep, young ram, sacrificial lamb, lamb suitable for offering
Root / Etymology
Root: כשׂב. Likely derived from an original root meaning 'to be woolly' or 'to cover,' but the exact etymology is uncertain. It has been suggested that the word כֶּשֶׂב (keseb) is a variant or by transposition of כֶּבֶשׂ (keves), which carries a very similar meaning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
כֶּשֶׂב appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is more common in later texts and some traditions. It is primarily found in contexts involving sacrificial regulations (e.g., Exodus 29:39, Numbers 7:15), where the word specifies the required age or type of sheep. In contrast to the more common כֶּבֶשׂ (keves), which broadly denotes a young sheep of either sex, כֶּשֶׂב may carry a subtle emphasis on a male young sheep or ram, though usage is often overlapping and distinctions are rarely strictly marked in the biblical text. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term loses prominence to other terms. English translations usually render כֶּשֶׂב as 'lamb' or 'young ram,' but this may obscure nuances relating to sex and sacrificial suitability. The relatively late and limited biblical use of כֶּשֶׂב suggests it may reflect dialectal variation or a scribal alternative to the more common כֶּבֶשׂ. In all periods, the word does not carry the religious or symbolic associations that later develop in non-biblical traditions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently by transposition for כֶּבֶשׂ; a young sheep; lamb.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כשׂב (k-ś-b) — woolliness, covering (uncertain)
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3775-01 |
בַּ/כְּשָׂבִ֔ים | bakesavim | HRd/Ncmpa |
among the lambs | among the young rams | 4 |
H3775-04 |
כֶּ֥שֶׂב | kesev | HNcmsa |
lamb | young ram | 2 |
H3775-06 |
כֶ֛שֶׂב | khesev | HNcmsa |
lamb | young ram | 2 |
H3775-05 |
כְשָׂבִ֖ים | khesavim | HNcmpa |
lambs | young rams | 1 |
H3775-07 |
וְ/הַ/כְּשָׂבִים֮ | vehakesavim | HC/Td/Ncmpa |
the lambs | and the young rams | 1 |
H3775-02 |
הַ/כְּשָׂבִ֛ים | hakesavim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the sheep | the young rams | 1 |
H3775-08 |
וְ/כֶ֛שֶׂב | vekhesev | HC/Ncmsa |
or sheep | young ram | 1 |
H3775-03 |
הַ/כֶּשֶׂב֮ | hakesev | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the lamb | the young ram | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
13 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3775-01 |
Genesis 30:32 | בַּ/כְּשָׂבִ֔ים | bakesavim | HRd/Ncmpa |
among the lambs | among the young rams |
H3775-01 |
Genesis 30:33 | בַּ/כְּשָׂבִ֔ים | bakesavim | HRd/Ncmpa |
among the sheep | among the young rams |
H3775-01 |
Genesis 30:35 | בַּ/כְּשָׂבִ֑ים | bakesavim | HRd/Ncmpa |
among the lambs | among the young rams |
H3775-07 |
Genesis 30:40 | וְ/הַ/כְּשָׂבִים֮ | vehakesavim | HC/Td/Ncmpa |
the lambs | and the young rams |
H3775-02 |
Leviticus 1:10 | הַ/כְּשָׂבִ֛ים | hakesavim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the sheep | the young rams |
H3775-04 |
Leviticus 3:7 | כֶּ֥שֶׂב | kesev | HNcmsa |
lamb | young ram |
H3775-03 |
Leviticus 4:35 | הַ/כֶּשֶׂב֮ | hakesev | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the lamb | the young ram |
H3775-08 |
Leviticus 7:23 | וְ/כֶ֛שֶׂב | vekhesev | HC/Ncmsa |
or sheep | young ram |
H3775-06 |
Leviticus 17:3 | כֶ֛שֶׂב | khesev | HNcmsa |
lamb | young ram |
H3775-01 |
Leviticus 22:19 | בַּ/כְּשָׂבִ֖ים | bakesavim | HRd/Ncmpa |
from the sheep | among the young rams |