קַעֲקַע
𐤒𐤏𐤒𐤏
qaʻăqaʻ
H7085 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A cut, incision, or gash made in the skin, especially one produced as a mark on the body. In biblical usage, this refers specifically to a deliberate incision or marking on the flesh, generally associated with ritual, mourning, or religious practices, often as a forbidden practice among Israelites.
Semantic Range
incision, cut, gash, bodily mark (esp. as a sign or memorial, often in ritual context), tattoo (by extension)
Root / Etymology
From the root קעע or from the root קוע, which carry the sense of 'to cut, to hollow, to mark with an indentation.' The word itself is a reduplicated form, possibly reflecting the repeated or emphatic nature of the act. The precise etymology is debated, but it is generally connected to actions involving incision or cutting.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קַעֲקַע occurs once in the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 19:28), in a prohibition directed at the Israelites not to make incisions or markings on their flesh. This likely reflects a distinction between Israelite practices and neighboring cultures, where such markings may have had religious, protective, mourning, or identity-signifying functions. The term encompasses practices that may resemble tattooing, scarification, or other body marking techniques. English translations often render the term as 'tattoo' or 'mark,' but this can obscure the diverse cultural functions of the act in antiquity. The clear intent in the biblical context is the prohibition of ritual or devotional bodily incisions, not marking for adornment alone. Later periods employed related terminology to describe tattooing, but in the biblical context, קַעֲקַע is best understood within the frame of ritual prohibitions and distinctions from non-Israelite mourning or cultic customs.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as קוֹעַ; an incision or gash; [phrase] mark.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קעע (q-ʿ-ʿ) — to cut, to hollow, to mark by incision
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7085-01 |
קַֽעֲקַ֔ע | qaaqa | HNcmsa |
tattoo | incision mark | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7085-01 |
Leviticus 19:28 | קַֽעֲקַ֔ע | qaaqa | HNcmsa |
tattoo | incision mark |