קָמַל
𐤒𐤌𐤋
qâmal
H7060 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To wither, dry out, languish—refers to the process by which vegetation loses vitality, dries up, shrivels, or withers due to adverse conditions such as lack of water or extreme heat. Can be used figuratively for persons or communities languishing or declining.
Semantic Range
to wither (of plants), to fade, to languish, to shrivel, to dry up, to decline (figuratively, as of a person or group)
Root / Etymology
Root קמל (q-m-l), meaning 'to wither' or 'to shrivel'. Cognate with Aramaic and Arabic roots with similar meanings referring to vegetation withering or shriveling. The Hebrew verb קָמַל is directly derived from this root, forming a verbal stem expressing the action of withering.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb קָמַל appears primarily in poetic or prophetic literature (e.g. Isaiah 24:7, Joel 1:10, Nahum 1:4) describing the state of plants, crops, or the land when deprived of necessary life-giving conditions. Its use is often literal (describing actual agricultural devastation), but occasionally with a metaphorical sense (describing human despondency, languishing, or the decay of a city or people). Unlike similar roots such as יבש (y-b-sh, 'to dry up, become dry'), קמל emphasizes the process of loss of vitality (shriveling, fading), rather than the end-state of dryness. Later usage occasionally extends the metaphorical aspect to human or communal collapse, but such uses remain secondary. English translations typically render as 'wither' or 'fade', though neither term fully captures the sense of progressive shriveling and loss of vitality implied by the Hebrew. The verb does not occur frequently, and is confined to certain genres and contexts that emphasize natural or societal decline.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to wither; hew down, wither.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קמל (q-m-l) — to wither, shrivel, lose vitality
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7060-01 |
קָמַ֑ל | qamal | HVqp3ms |
withered | he withered | withered | 1 |
H7060-02 |
קָמֵֽלוּ | qamelu | HVqp3cp |
will wither | they withered | they withered | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7060-02 |
Isaiah 19:6 | קָמֵֽלוּ | qamelu | HVqp3cp |
will wither | they withered | they withered |
H7060-01 |
Isaiah 33:9 | קָמַ֑ל | qamal | HVqp3ms |
withered | he withered | withered |