קִלְּשׁוֹן
𐤒𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍
qillᵉshôwn
H7053 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A two- or three-pronged implement used for handling offerings or portions of meat, especially in ritual or sacrificial contexts. Refers specifically to the pronged fork used by priests to extract portions from sacrificial pots in the tabernacle or temple service. The term describes a specialized ritual utensil, not a common agricultural tool.
Semantic Range
pronged implement, ritual fork, sacrificial fork, priestly utensil; post-biblical: pitchfork, fork (general)
Root / Etymology
From root קָלַשׁ (unattested/uncertain; Strong suggests an unused root meaning 'to prick' or 'to prod'), likely denominative from a sense of piercing or impaling due to pronged shape; the actual root is uncertain as there is no secure attestation of such a verb in Biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קִלְּשׁוֹן appears only in 1 Samuel 2:13–14, describing the priestly practice at the sanctuary in Shiloh. The term identifies the unique fork wielded by the priests' attendants to retrieve cooked meat. The narrative context critiques this irregular use, contrasting legitimate priestly portions with the sons of Eli’s abuses. Unlike the common pitchfork or agricultural fork, the קִלְּשׁוֹן bears exclusively cultic connotations in biblical usage. Later Hebrew attests to the word as a 'fork' or 'pitchfork' in post-biblical contexts, but in the biblical record its use is narrowly restricted. English translations may obscure this ritual-specific function by rendering it simply as 'fork.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to prick; a prong, i.e. hay-fork; fork.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קלשן (q-l-sh-n) — to prick, to pierce, to stick
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7053-01 |
קִלְּשׁ֖וֹן | qileshon | HNcmsa |
a shekel | priestly pronged fork | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7053-01 |
1 Samuel 13:21 | קִלְּשׁ֖וֹן | qileshon | HNcmsa |
a shekel | priestly pronged fork |