קָבַץ
𐤒𐤁𐤑
qâbats
H6908 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To gather together, collect, or assemble entities (such as people, objects, or substances) into one place or group, often implying purposeful or coordinated action. The verb appears in both literal contexts—as in physically gathering people or things—and figurative contexts, expressing acts of uniting, assembling, or accumulating, with particular emphasis on purposeful collection or regrouping.
Semantic Range
to gather (people, objects), to collect, to assemble, to draw together from dispersion, to accumulate, to heap up, to regroup, to bring together (physically or metaphorically)
Root / Etymology
The term derives from the root קבץ, whose core meaning is 'to gather, collect.' The verb form קָבַץ is a primary, simple stem (qal) verb representing the process of bringing individuals or objects into proximity or combination. Related nouns and derivatives in Hebrew consistently reflect the idea of gathering or being gathered.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, קָבַץ is most often used to refer to collecting or assembling people—such as tribes, military forces, or exiles—sometimes for specific events (festivals, warfare, assemblies) and other times as part of a prophetic vision (regathering the dispersed Israelite people after exile). While sometimes overlapping with אָסַף ('to gather, bring in, take away'), קָבַץ tends to emphasize the process of grouping together entities from dispersion or separation. Use of קָבַץ occurs in both literal narratives (e.g., assembling an army, gathering an offering) and metaphorically in prophetic and poetic texts (e.g., God gathering exiles). In the post-exilic period, it acquired theological resonance concerning the reunification of the Israelite people, but its core lexical meaning remained non-theological ('to gather'). English translations may render it as 'gather,' 'assemble,' or 'collect,' but not all nuances (especially the emphasis on collective movement from dispersion) are always adequately conveyed. The word does not refer exclusively to Israelite or Judahite contexts and can involve gathering other peoples or things.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to grasp, i.e. collect; assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, [idiom] surely, take up.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קבץ (q-b-ts) — to gather, collect, assemble
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3343 | יְקַבְצְאֵל | and in God-gathers |
| H6899 | קִבּוּץ | your gatherings |
| H6910 | קְבֻצָה | gathered company of |
| H6911 | קִבְצַיִם | Double Gathering-Place |
Word Forms
63 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6908-44 |
וַ/יִּקְבֹּ֞ץ | vayiqebots | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he gathered | and he gathered together | 14 |
H6908-50 |
וְ/קִבַּצְתִּ֣י | veqibatseti | HC/Vpq1cs |
and-I-will-gather | and I will gather together | 9 |
H6908-41 |
וַ/יִּקָּבְצ֣וּ | vayiqavetsu | HC/VNw3mp |
and they gathered | and they were gathered | 9 |
H6908-19 |
נִקְבְּצ֣וּ | niqebetsu | HVNp3cp |
are gathered | they were gathered | 6 |
H6908-01 |
אֲקַבֵּ֥ץ | aqabets | HVpi1cs |
I will gather | I will gather together | 5 |
H6908-16 |
מְקַבֵּ֑ץ | meqabets | HVprmsa |
gatherer | the one who assembles | 5 |
H6908-10 |
הִקָּבְצ֥וּ | hiqavetsu | HVNv2mp |
Assemble yourselves | be gathered together | 4 |
H6908-45 |
וַ/יִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ | vayiteqabetsu | HC/Vtw3mp |
and gathered together | they gathered themselves | 4 |
H6908-05 |
אֲקַבְּצֵ֑/ם | aqabetsem | HVpi1cs/Sp3mp |
I will gather them | I will gather them together | 3 |
H6908-43 |
וַ/יִּקְבְּצ֨וּ | vayiqebetsu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and gathered | and they gathered together | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
127 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6908-56 |
Genesis 41:35 | וְ/יִקְבְּצ֗וּ | veyiqebetsu | HC/Vqi3mp |
and let them gather | and they will gather |
H6908-44 |
Genesis 41:48 | וַ/יִּקְבֹּ֞ץ | vayiqebots | HC/Vqw3ms |
gathered | and he gathered together |
H6908-10 |
Genesis 49:2 | הִקָּבְצ֥וּ | hiqavetsu | HVNv2mp |
Gather together | be gathered together |
H6908-34 |
Deuteronomy 13:17 | תִּקְבֹּץ֮ | tiqebots | HVqi2ms |
you-shall-gather | you will gather |
H6908-52 |
Deuteronomy 30:3 | וְ/קִבֶּצְ/ךָ֙ | veqibetsekha | HC/Vpq3ms/Sp2ms |
and gather you | and he gathered you together |
H6908-58 |
Deuteronomy 30:4 | יְקַבֶּצְ/ךָ֙ | yeqabetsekha | HVpi3ms/Sp2ms |
will gather you | he will gather you together |
H6908-45 |
Joshua 9:2 | וַ/יִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ | vayiteqabetsu | HC/Vtw3mp |
and they gathered themselves | they gathered themselves |
H6908-19 |
Joshua 10:6 | נִקְבְּצ֣וּ | niqebetsu | HVNp3cp |
have gathered | they were gathered |
H6908-11 |
Judges 9:47 | הִֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ | hiteqabetsu | HVtp3cp |
had gathered | they gathered themselves |
H6908-44 |
Judges 12:4 | וַ/יִּקְבֹּ֤ץ | vayiqebots | HC/Vqw3ms |
and gathered | and he gathered together |