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קוֹל

𐤒𐤅𐤋

qôwl

H6963 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קול to call aloud, to utter, to produce sound

Definition

A vocal or audible sound produced by a living being or by an object; most commonly a voice, but also a general term for sound in various forms. Used for speech, cries, shouts, proclamations, as well as natural phenomena (e.g., thunder), animal calls, and the noise of objects or events. Lexical use depends on context, ranging from articulate human speech to inarticulate noises or resounding events.

Semantic Range

voice, sound, cry, proclamation, noise, report, thunder, musical noise, animal call, fame, rumor

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root קול. The root meaning is to call out, to utter, or to produce sound, though the verbal root is not attested in biblical Hebrew. The noun קוֹל (qôl) is the standard word for 'voice' or 'sound' and appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible.

Historical & Contextual Notes

קוֹל occurs across the entire span of biblical literature, from the earliest texts to post-exilic works. Its primary sense is 'voice' as an act of communication (human or divine), but it is also widely used for non-human sounds: thunder ('the sound/voice of the storm'), animal vocalizations (the lowing of cattle, the bleating of sheep), and various noises (musical instruments, events). In prophetic and poetic literature, קוֹל often personifies or dramatizes natural forces (e.g., the thunderous 'voice' of YHWH). It is distinguished from other terms like שֵׁם (name/fame) and זִמְרָה (song, melody), functioning as a more general category for both speech and noise. In later Hebrew and Aramaic, קוֹל continues to denote both specific and nonspecific sounds. English 'voice' is sometimes too narrow; 'sound' is often a better general rendering. In some traditions and translations, קוֹל is interpreted more narrowly as 'proclamation' (see LXX and some Second Temple texts), but this is context-dependent.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound; [phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קול (q-w-l) — calling aloud, uttering, producing sound

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6964 קוֹלָיָה Yah is Voice

Word Forms

46 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6963-22 ק֨וֹל qol HNcmsc voice sound of 165
H6963-01 בְּ/ק֥וֹל beqol HR/Ncmsa to the voice with a sound 71
H6963-40 וְ/קֹ֥ל veqol HC/Ncmsc and the sound sound of 35
H6963-14 לְ/ק֣וֹל leqol HR/Ncmsc to the voice to the sound of 25
H6963-30 קוֹלִ֔/י qoli HNcmsc/Sp1cs my voice my voice 23
H6963-31 קֹל֖/וֹ qolo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his voice his voice 23
H6963-19 מִ/קּ֣וֹל miqol HR/Ncmsc from the sound from sound 18
H6963-24 קוֹלָ֑/ם qolam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their voice their sound 17
H6963-07 בְּ/קֹלִֽ/י beqoli HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs my voice in my voice 15
H6963-08 בְּ/קֹל֔/וֹ beqolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms his voice in his voice 14

Occurrences in Scripture

506 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6963-22 Genesis 3:8 ק֨וֹל qol HNcmsc sound sound of
H6963-26 Genesis 3:10 קֹלְ/ךָ֥ qolekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your voice your voice
H6963-14 Genesis 3:17 לְ/ק֣וֹל leqol HR/Ncmsc to the voice to the sound of
H6963-22 Genesis 4:10 ק֚וֹל qol HNcmsc the voice sound of
H6963-30 Genesis 4:23 קוֹלִ֔/י qoli HNcmsc/Sp1cs my voice my voice
H6963-14 Genesis 16:2 לְ/ק֥וֹל leqol HR/Ncmsc to the voice to the sound of
H6963-02 Genesis 21:12 בְּ/קֹלָ֑/הּ beqolah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs to her voice in her voice
H6963-23 Genesis 21:16 קֹלָ֖/הּ qolah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her voice her voice
H6963-22 Genesis 21:17 ק֣וֹל qol HNcmsc the voice sound of
H6963-22 Genesis 21:17 ק֥וֹל qol-2 HNcmsc voice sound of
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