קָפַד
𐤒𐤐𐤃
qâphad
H7088 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To shrink, draw together, contract, or close; by extension, to disappear, perish, or be removed, often used in reference to ceasing, being cut off, or coming to an end. The semantic range includes physical contraction or drawing together (such as curling up or closing), as well as the sense of being cut off or ceasing to exist, particularly in poetic and prophetic contexts describing the fate of individuals or groups.
Semantic Range
to shrink, contract, roll together, draw together, disappear, cease, perish, be cut off, close up
Root / Etymology
From the root קפד, whose core meaning concerns drawing or gathering together, contracting or shrinking. The derived verb form conveys the action of being closed up, contracted, or cut off, which leads to the extended usages of ceasing or perishing. Etymological links are drawn from Northwest Semitic languages with similar meanings related to contracting or shrinking.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, קָפַד appears primarily in poetic and prophetic passages, especially to denote the ultimate fate of individuals or groups who come to an end, are destroyed, or made to disappear. The primary semantic nuance is one of contraction or being rolled together, which metaphorically extends to being cut off or destroyed (see Isa 38:12, Mic 7:2). This word is rare, appearing only a handful of times, often in a metaphorical sense to describe something transient or evanescent. It is distinct from other common terms rendered 'cut off' (such as כרת or גזר), which may imply physical severance or covenantal disconnection; קָפַד emphasizes disappearance or cessation through contraction, fitting the context of cosmic or personal fate. Later translations, including some occurrences in the Septuagint and English Bibles, often render this as 'cut off,' but this may not fully convey the nuance of shrinking away or being closed up, which may include the idea of being gathered away or disappearing, not necessarily by violent or sudden means. The word does not carry overt theological weight, nor does it refer to any particular group or identity, but rather to the universal experience of finitude and cessation, whether applied to individuals, communities, or temporal phenomena.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to contract, i.e. roll together; cut off.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קפד (q-p-d) — to contract, to shrink, to draw together, to close
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7088-01 |
קִפַּ֨דְתִּי | qipadeti | HVpp1cs |
I have rolled up | I drew together | I have rolled up | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7088-01 |
Isaiah 38:12 | קִפַּ֨דְתִּי | qipadeti | HVpp1cs |
I have rolled up | I drew together | I have rolled up |