קוֹרָה
𐤒𐤅𐤓𐤄
qôwrâh
H6982 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Structural timber, especially a beam or rafter used in the construction of a roof; by extension, the roof structure or framework itself. The term denotes a component part of a building, specifically the horizontal timbers which support a roof or other overhead construction.
Semantic Range
beam, rafter, structural timber, roof support, (by extension) roof structure
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root קוּר (qwr), meaning 'to dig', 'to bore', or 'to excavate'. The noun form קוֹרָה (qôwrâh) likely refers to a beam (especially a roof beam/rafter), possibly based on the way trenches or hollows were bored to place the beams in ancient construction. The relationship between the root sense and architectural usage is somewhat figurative: the beam rests in or creates a 'slot' or 'trench.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, קוֹרָה generally appears in the context of building construction—specifically in reference to the upper supports of a house or other structure (cf. 1 Kings 6:9). The term is distinct from other architectural words such as עָמּוּד ('pillar') or קֵרוּב ('cherub', unrelated but sometimes confused in discussion). In the First Temple period, beams were crucial in roof construction as Israelite houses typically used wooden timbers to support flat earthen roofs. The meaning remained stable throughout biblical Hebrew. In later Hebrew, related words might expand metaphorically, but the biblical usage focuses on literal wooden beams supporting a structure. English translations as 'beam', 'rafter', or (by synecdoche) 'roof' may not always convey the technical nature of the term; it does not refer to the entire roof or ceiling, but specifically to the supporting timber elements. No significant semantic shift is attested between pre-exilic and post-exilic periods for this term.
Translation Consistency
Most natural and common single-word equivalent for קוֹרָה: denotes a structural timber or rafter supporting a roof. "Beam" covers the typical sense and is flexible enough to render compounds like "roof-beams" while remaining simple and consistent.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or קֹרָה; from קוּר; a rafter (forming trenches as it were); by implication, a roof; beam, roof.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
קור (Qareqor) — to dig, to bore, to excavate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4726 | מָקוֹר | wellspring |
| H7023 | קִיר | in the boundary-wall |
| H7174 | קַרְקֹר | in Qarqor |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6982-01 |
הַ/קּוֹרָ֔ה | haqorah | HTd/Ncfsa |
a beam | the roof-beam | the beam | 1 |
H6982-02 |
הַ/קֹּר֧וֹת | haqorot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the beams | the roof-beams | the roof-beams | 1 |
H6982-03 |
קוֹרָ֣ה | qorah | HNcfsa |
a beam | roof beam | a beam | 1 |
H6982-04 |
קֹרָתִֽ/י | qorati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
of my roof | my roof-beam | of my roof | 1 |
H6982-05 |
קֹר֤וֹת | qorot | HNcfpc |
beams | roof-beams of | roof-beams of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6982-04 |
Genesis 19:8 | קֹרָתִֽ/י | qorati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
of my roof | my roof-beam | of my roof |
H6982-03 |
2 Kings 6:2 | קוֹרָ֣ה | qorah | HNcfsa |
a beam | roof beam | a beam |
H6982-01 |
2 Kings 6:5 | הַ/קּוֹרָ֔ה | haqorah | HTd/Ncfsa |
a beam | the roof-beam | the beam |
H6982-05 |
Song of Songs 1:17 | קֹר֤וֹת | qorot | HNcfpc |
beams | roof-beams of | roof-beams of |
H6982-02 |
2 Chronicles 3:7 | הַ/קֹּר֧וֹת | haqorot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the beams | the roof-beams | the roof-beams |