כַּשִּׁיל
𐤊𐤔𐤉𐤋
kashshîyl
H3781 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A tool for chopping or felling, specifically an axe or hatchet, typically made of iron and used for cutting trees or shaping wood. The noun form refers to the implement itself, particularly in contexts concerning construction, forestry, or ritual use (such as preparing wood for offerings). In extended contexts, may denote any handheld tool for chopping, but mainly signifies a cutting instrument with a broad metal blade affixed to a handle.
Semantic Range
axe, hatchet, cutting tool; possibly axe-head; tool used for felling or chopping in construction, forestry, or ritual contexts
Root / Etymology
כַּשִּׁיל (kashshîyl) appears to be derived from כָּשַׁל (kashal, 'to stumble, totter, falter'), although the derivational path is uncertain. There is possible semantic development from the idea of 'causing to fall' (i.e., felling trees), but the noun's form and meaning are not fully explained by the root, making the etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
כַּשִּׁיל is a rare term, occurring only in Deuteronomy 19:5 and possibly related contexts, describing the axe head in laws about accidental manslaughter. Its use is specific and mostly legal in nature, referring to the practical tool that becomes the cause of an accidental death. The word stands alongside other terms for 'axe' (such as גַּרְזֶן garzen), though כַּשִּׁיל appears less frequently and is thought to refer to a specific type or part of an axe, perhaps the head or blade. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term does not seem to continue in usage, supplanted by other words. English translations routinely render it as 'axe,' but the exact distinction from related words (like גַּרְזֶן) may not be captured. The term does not carry later technological or symbolic associations found in subsequent periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּשַׁל; properly, a feller, i.e. an axe; ax.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כשל (k-š-l) — to stumble, to falter, to cause to fall
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3782 | כָּשַׁל | the one who has stumbled |
| H3783 | כִּשָּׁלוֹן | stumbling-collapse |
| H4384 | מַכְשֵׁלָה | the stumbling-cause |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3781-01 |
בְּ/כַשִּׁ֥יל | bekhashil | HR/Ncmsa |
with hatchet | with a felling-axe | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3781-01 |
Psalms 74:6 | בְּ/כַשִּׁ֥יל | bekhashil | HR/Ncmsa |
with hatchet | with a felling-axe |