קוֹבַע
𐤒𐤅𐤁𐤏
qôwbaʻ
H6959 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of helmet or protective headgear, typically made of metal, worn in battle by warriors. The term most commonly designates a piece of military armor designed to protect the head, particularly in descriptions of armament for prominent figures such as Goliath.
Semantic Range
helmet for battle, piece of protective military headgear
Root / Etymology
The word קוֹבַע (qôwbaʻ) is likely related to the root קב"ע, though its derivation is uncertain and it is closely associated as a variant or collateral form of כּוֹבַע (kôvaʻ), which refers to a helmet. The etymology is unclear beyond the association with helmet or headgear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קוֹבַע appears rarely in Biblical Hebrew, with notable attestation in 1 Samuel 17, where it refers to a helmet of bronze worn by Goliath, the Philistine champion. The use of the word is restricted to descriptions of military attire and does not denote ceremonial or symbolic head coverings. Related forms such as כּוֹבַע (kôvaʻ) serve the same function. In later texts, other words may supplant קוֹבַע for headgear as military technology and terminology evolve. Standard English translations restrict the sense to "helmet," but in ancient Near Eastern contexts, the precise form and construction of such headgear could vary considerably, often comprising bronze or iron components with leather straps. The term is not applied to non-military head coverings nor to priestly attire, which has its own distinctive vocabulary (e.g., מִצְנֶפֶת, צָנִיף). In post-biblical Hebrew, this term does not retain currency, with different words used for protective headgear as military practices changed.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a form collateral to כּוֹבַע; a helmet; helmet.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קבע (q-b-ʿ) — to be fixed, set, firm
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6959-01 |
ק֥וֹבַע | qova | HNcmsc |
a helmet | helmet of | 1 |
H6959-02 |
וְ/קוֹבַ֔ע | veqova | HC/Ncmsa |
and-helmet | battle helmet | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6959-01 |
1 Samuel 17:38 | ק֥וֹבַע | qova | HNcmsc |
a helmet | helmet of |
H6959-02 |
Ezekiel 23:24 | וְ/קוֹבַ֔ע | veqova | HC/Ncmsa |
and-helmet | battle helmet |