← H7120 H7122 →

קָרָא

𐤒𐤓𐤀

qârâʼ

H7121 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To call, summon, or proclaim, often with emphasis on vocalizing or naming. The verb encompasses acts of calling out to someone, summoning individuals or groups, proclaiming public announcements, giving names, reading texts aloud, and, in metaphorical use, inviting or beseeching. Its semantic range includes the formal or ritual declaration of names, reading sacred texts, and making proclamations to gatherings.

Semantic Range

to call (out), to summon, to proclaim publicly, to invite, to give a name, to read (aloud), to call by name, to announce, to declare, to pronounce, to recite, to name, to address

Root / Etymology

From the root קרא (q-r-'), which has the core idea of 'to call, utter, cry out.' The stem is used in various stems (e.g., Qal, Niphal, Hiphil) to indicate actions involving verbal address, summons, or declaration. The lexical form is identical to the root itself, which is a common tendency for primary Hebrew verbal roots.

Historical & Contextual Notes

קָרָא is a fundamental biblical Hebrew verb used widely in prose, poetry, and legal contexts. In narrative texts, it often refers to direct address (Genesis 1:5, God calling the day). In ritual or legal settings, it can signify the public proclamation or invitation (e.g., proclamation of fasts or festivals). In later periods, it refers especially to 'reading aloud' of texts (Nehemiah 8:8), which contributed to the evolving religious practice of public Torah reading. Distinct from צָעַק (tsa‘aq, to cry/shout in distress) or נָתַן שֵׁם (natan shem, to give a name), קָרָא focuses more on the act or act of vocalization, naming, or proclamation rather than the emotional or creative aspect. English translations such as 'call,' 'proclaim,' and 'read' reflect major senses, but nuances like summoning or naming may be lost in translation. The word's meaning remained remarkably consistent from the earliest narratives through exile and post-exilic compositions, though 'reading aloud' gained special importance in post-exilic and Second Temple contexts as public recitation of Scripture developed a central liturgical role.

Translation Consistency

primary "call" 695 occurrences

"Call" is the most natural, versatile English verb that covers the primary senses of qârâʼ: calling out or summoning, naming (to call someone by a name), proclaiming/announcing (to call forth publicly), and inviting. It is by far the most frequent rendering in the P2 data ("called" and "call" together dominate occurrences) and reads naturally across contexts. Narrower senses like "read" or the more formal "proclaim" are less common and can be handled as specific translations or compounds when needed.

Alternatives (44 occurrences):
"read" (23x) "proclaim" (6x) "proclaimed" (2x) "invited ones" (2x) "reading aloud" (2x) "cry out" (1x) "read aloud" (1x) "me" (1x) "read to" (1x) "reading" (1x) "cry" (1x) "calling-out" (1x) "callers" (1x) "guests" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (rather identical with קָרָא through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications); bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

קרא (q-r-ʾ) — to call, summon, proclaim, name, read aloud

Root קרא to call, to summon, to proclaim, to name, to read aloud
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4744 מִקְרָא in the summoned assembly
H6981 קוֹרֵא the one who calls
H7122 קָרָא to encounter
H7123 קְרָא I will call out
H7124 קֹרֵא the calling-one

Word Forms

100 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7121-71 וַ/יִּקְרָ֨א vayiqera HC/Vqw3ms and he called he called and he called 201
H7121-18 קָ֣רָא qara HVqp3ms he called he called out he called out 44
H7121-66 וַ/תִּקְרָ֥א vatiqera HC/Vqw3fs and she called and she called out and she called 32
H7121-93 יִּקְרָא yiqera HVqi3ms calls he calls he calls 29
H7121-76 וַ/יִּקְרְא֤וּ vayiqereu HC/Vqw3mp and they called and they called out and they called out 28
H7121-04 אֶקְרָ֑א eqera HVqi1cs I call I call out I will call 27
H7121-14 נִקְרָ֣א niqera HVqi1cp is called we call is called 26
H7121-21 קָרָ֣אתִֽי qarati HVqp1cs I called I called out I called out 25
H7121-12 לִ/קְרֹ֖א liqero HR/Vqc to call to call out to call out 20
H7121-28 קְרָ֣א qera HVqv2ms Call Call out Call out 20

Occurrences in Scripture

739 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7121-71 Genesis 1:5 וַ/יִּקְרָ֨א vayiqera HC/Vqw3ms and he called he called and he called
H7121-18 Genesis 1:5 קָ֣רָא qara HVqp3ms he called he called out he called out
H7121-71 Genesis 1:8 וַ/יִּקְרָ֧א vayiqera HC/Vqw3ms and called he called and he called
H7121-71 Genesis 1:10 וַ/יִּקְרָ֨א vayiqera HC/Vqw3ms and called he called and he called
H7121-18 Genesis 1:10 קָרָ֣א qara HVqp3ms called he called out he called out
H7121-93 Genesis 2:19 יִּקְרָא yiqera HVqi3ms he would call he calls he calls
H7121-93 Genesis 2:19 יִקְרָא yiqera-2 HVqi3ms he would call he calls he calls
H7121-71 Genesis 2:20 וַ/יִּקְרָ֨א vayiqera HC/Vqw3ms gave names he called and he called
H7121-91 Genesis 2:23 יִקָּרֵ֣א yiqare HVNi3ms shall be called he will be called she shall be called
H7121-71 Genesis 3:9 וַ/יִּקְרָ֛א vayiqera HC/Vqw3ms called he called and he called
← H7120 Hebrew Lexicon H7122 →