קָרַם
𐤒𐤓𐤌
qâram
H7159 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cover, specifically in the sense of encasing or encrusting a surface. The verb קָרַם highlights the act of forming a covering, such as a crust or layer, over something. Its biblical usage refers most commonly to the skin or hide forming over flesh—especially in contexts of healing or recovering from injury. The nuance is not simply placing a thin covering, but rather the formation of a substantial protective layer.
Semantic Range
to cover with a layer, to become encrusted, to form a crust or membrane, to be overgrown with a protective hide or skin, to heal by the formation of skin
Root / Etymology
Root קרם (k-r-m), which conveys the idea of covering, encasing, or forming a crust/encrustation. The verb arises straightforwardly from this root; however, this root is relatively rare in Biblical Hebrew. In cognate Semitic languages, similar roots can mean to cover or to form a crust or membrane over innards or wounds.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קָרַם occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, found primarily in poetic or highly descriptive narrative contexts (e.g., Job 14:8, where it refers to a tree's roots becoming covered with a crust or skin). While Strong's gloss suggests a generic 'covering,' in actual usage the word is more vivid and specific, always referencing a particular process of encrustation—such as skin regenerating over a sore or a membrane forming over roots. Other words for 'cover,' such as כָּסָה (kasah), commonly mean 'to cover' or 'conceal' in a broader or more general sense, while קָרַם emphasizes the formation of a protective or outer layer through a gradual natural process. English translations often resort to terms like 'cover,' 'encrust,' or 'become covered with skin,' but may lose the sense of gradual, organic, and physical development present in the root. The term does not carry ritual or theological connotations and is confined to concrete, physical phenomena. Its usage does not show significant semantic shift across the biblical periods, remaining a rare and specialized term. Unlike the more everyday words for covering, קָרַם paints a picture of transformation and healing—or slow encasement in the case of roots or wounds.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to cover; cover.
Bantu Hebrew
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קרם (q-r-m) — covering, encrusting, encasing
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7159-02 |
וְ/קָרַמְתִּ֤י | veqarameti | HC/Vqq1cs |
and-I-will-cover | and I will encrust | 1 |
H7159-01 |
וַ/יִּקְרַ֧ם | vayiqeram | HC/Vqw3ms |
and covered | and he formed a crust | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7159-02 |
Ezekiel 37:6 | וְ/קָרַמְתִּ֤י | veqarameti | HC/Vqq1cs |
and-I-will-cover | and I will encrust |
H7159-01 |
Ezekiel 37:8 | וַ/יִּקְרַ֧ם | vayiqeram | HC/Vqw3ms |
and covered | and he formed a crust |