קְעָרָה

𐤒𐤏𐤓𐤄

qᵉʻârâh

H7086 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קרע to tear, to cut, to rend

Definition

A shallow vessel or dish, typically a bowl fashioned from pottery or metal, used for holding, serving, or preparing food or ritual substances. In biblical contexts, קְעָרָה designates a type of bowl or basin, often employed in domestic settings or in priestly service at the sanctuary. Its semantic range includes vessels used for meals, offerings, or in the facilitation of ritual acts.

Semantic Range

bowl, basin, dish, shallow vessel, ritual offering bowl, serving dish, container for food or sacrificial elements

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root קָרַע (to tear, rend, or cut), reflecting the idea of a hollowed or scooped-out object. The noun קְעָרָה develops from the sense of 'something cut out' or formed by carving/cleaving a material, applied specifically to vessels shaped by scooping or hollowing out.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קְעָרָה refers to bowls or basins of varying material (metal, pottery), appearing in narrative and cultic contexts (e.g., as serving or libation vessels in the tabernacle—Num 7:13, or in domestic use—Judg 6:19). In priestly texts, קְעָרָה is listed among vessels used for grain offerings and libations. Unlike סֵפֶל (cup, goblet) or קֻבַּעַת (goblet or small bowl), קְעָרָה generally denotes a broader, shallow bowl rather than a deep drinking vessel. In later periods, comparable terms in Aramaic or post-biblical Hebrew (e.g. קערה) preserve the basic sense of bowl, though culinary and ritual associations become more pronounced in rabbinic sources. English 'dish' or 'bowl' often translates this term but may not capture distinctions in material or function indicated by context. Modern translations generally use 'bowl,' though 'charger' found in older versions now appears archaic. The term does not bear ethnic, religious, or geographic connotations.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from קָרַע; a bowl (as cut out hollow); charger, dish.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קרע (q-r-ʿ) — to tear, to cut, to rend

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7167 קָרַע I will tear her
H7168 קֶרַע torn pieces
H7172 קַרְקַע in the supporting-surface of
H7173 קַרְקַע the Qarqaʿ

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7086-03 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc platter cut-out bowl of 12
H7086-05 קְּעָרֹתָ֜י/ו qearotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms its dishes his hollowed bowls 2
H7086-01 הַ/קְּעָרָ֤ה haqearah HTd/Ncfsa the platter the hollowed bowl 1
H7086-02 הַ/קְּעָרֹ֤ת haqearot HTd/Ncfpa the plates the cut-out bowls 1
H7086-04 קַעֲרֹ֨ת qaarot HNcfpc platters cut-out bowls 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7086-05 Exodus 25:29 קְּעָרֹתָ֜י/ו qearotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms its dishes his hollowed bowls
H7086-05 Exodus 37:16 קְעָרֹתָ֤י/ו qearotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms its dishes his hollowed bowls
H7086-02 Numbers 4:7 הַ/קְּעָרֹ֤ת haqearot HTd/Ncfpa the plates the cut-out bowls
H7086-03 Numbers 7:13 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc platter cut-out bowl of
H7086-03 Numbers 7:19 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc plate cut-out bowl of
H7086-03 Numbers 7:25 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc platter cut-out bowl of
H7086-03 Numbers 7:31 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc platter cut-out bowl of
H7086-03 Numbers 7:37 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc platter cut-out bowl of
H7086-03 Numbers 7:43 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc a silver dish cut-out bowl of
H7086-03 Numbers 7:49 קַֽעֲרַת qaarat HNcfsc platter cut-out bowl of