← H7051 H7053 →

קְלֹקֵל

𐤒𐤋𐤒𐤋

qᵉlôqêl

H7052 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root קלל to be light (in weight), to be of little worth, to be slight

Definition

A thing that is light in weight or lacking substance; often denoting something considered insubstantial, trivial, or of little value, especially in opposition to what is heavy or substantial. Refers to something physically light or metaphorically insubstantial or insignificant.

Semantic Range

physically light, unsubstantial, trivial, insignificant, of little nutritional value or satisfaction

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root קָלַל (qll), meaning 'to be light, slight, of little weight or value.' The form קְלֹקֵל (qᵉlôqêl) is a reduplicated or intensive form signifying something that is notably light or lacking substance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Primarily attested in Numbers 21:5, where it is used to describe 'light bread' (קְלֹקֵל לֶחֶם), indicating food that is considered unsubstantial or inadequate by those speaking. The nuance is of something not satisfying, lacking in perceived substance or worth. The term is rare and contextually specific to the episode of the Israelites complaining in the wilderness about the manna provided to them. Later biblical Hebrew tends to use other roots for 'light/insubstantial,' such as דק or קל alone. English translations often render the phrase as 'light bread' or 'worthless food,' though the latter is more interpretive than literal; the primary sense remains related to physical lightness that shades into metaphorical unsubstantiality.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from קָלַל; insubstantial; light.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

קלל (q-l-l) — to be light, to be slight, to be of little worth

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7031 קַל the light one
H7032 קָל light
H7040 קַלַּי Kallai
H7043 קָלַל his despising him
H7044 קָלָל burnished bright

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7052-01 הַ/קְּלֹקֵֽל haqeloqel HTd/Aamsa worthless the insubstantial thing 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7052-01 Numbers 21:5 הַ/קְּלֹקֵֽל haqeloqel HTd/Aamsa worthless the insubstantial thing
← H7051 Hebrew Lexicon H7053 →