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קָמַץ

𐤒𐤌𐤑

qâmats

H7061 verb

SILEX Entry

Root קמץ to compress, to grasp, to gather by handful

Definition

To grasp or close the hand, to take or gather a handful—especially used of squeezing, compacting, or curling the fingers together. In ritual contexts, refers to gathering or taking a measured 'handful' (with a cupped hand), specifically as an action performed by priests with sacrificial grain offerings. The broader sense includes the act of closing the hand, seizing, taking, or holding something in the palm.

Semantic Range

to close the hand, to grasp, to collect a handful, to scoop up with the hand, to take hold (with the palm), to curl the fingers, to take a measured amount with the hand (esp. in ritual context)

Root / Etymology

Root קמץ (q-m-ts), connected with the notion of gathering, compressing, or drawing together. The root commonly conveys the core action of closing the hand upon something. The verb קָמַץ derives directly from this root, expressing the idea of gripping or taking a compact handful.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קָמַץ is found primarily in sacrificial and priestly contexts, most notably in Leviticus (e.g., Lev 2:2, 2:9), where it refers to the priest's ritual act of taking a precise 'handful' of finely ground grain or incense for sacrifice. This measured action was an important part of the grain ('minḥah') offering ritual, symbolically associating the priest's action with the presentation of the whole. The gesture involved using the whole hand, with the fingers curled to grasp as much as the palm could hold. The noun komets (קֹמֶץ) refers specifically to 'a handful' or 'a closed fist,' and is closely related semantically. This root is distinct from other terms for grasping (e.g., אָחַז, to seize forcibly; טָפַשׂ, to gather), emphasizing the shape and measuring aspect rather than mere grabbing. In later Hebrew and rabbinic usage, forms of קָמַץ continue to refer to the closed hand or a specific quantity equivalent to what can be held in a cupped palm. English translations such as 'to take a handful' capture a central sense but can obscure the precise ritualized or measured aspects, and the image of a tightly closed or curled hand may also be overlooked.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to grasp with the hand; take an handful.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קמץ (q-m-ts) — to compress, to grasp, to gather by handful

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7062 קֹמֶץ in his handful

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7061-01 וְ/קָמַ֨ץ veqamats HC/Vqq3ms and he shall take and he grasped a handful and he grasped a handful 3

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7061-01 Leviticus 2:2 וְ/קָמַ֨ץ veqamats HC/Vqq3ms and he shall take and he grasped a handful and he shall take a handful
H7061-01 Leviticus 5:12 וְ/קָמַ֣ץ veqamats HC/Vqq3ms and shall take and he grasped a handful and the officiating priest shall grasp a handful
H7061-01 Numbers 5:26 וְ/קָמַ֨ץ veqamats HC/Vqq3ms and shall take a handful and he grasped a handful and he grasped a handful
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