כֹּבֶד

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word kôbed, represented by H3514, conveys concepts of weight, multitude, and grievousness. It appears 4 times in 4 unique verses in the Bible. Based on its usage, the term describes both literal physical weight and the metaphorical weight of severe circumstances, such as judgment or war.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H3514 is applied to both tangible and abstract concepts. It is used in a literal sense in Proverbs, stating that a stone is heavy Proverbs 27:3. The word also quantifies the devastating results of battle, describing a great number of carcases on the battlefield Nahum 3:3. Metaphorically, it depicts the intensity of human conflict as the grievousness of war Isaiah 21:15 and illustrates the overwhelming nature of divine judgment, where the burden of the Lord's anger is described as heavy Isaiah 30:27.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the scope of H3514:

• H3515 kâbêd (heavy): This closely related term also means heavy and is used for things like a heavy yoke 1 Kings 12:4, a thick cloud Exodus 19:16, or a great people 1 Kings 3:9.
• H4858 massâʼâh (burden): This word is used directly with H3514 to describe the burden of the LORD's anger, which is described as heavy Isaiah 30:27.
• H5192 nêṭel (weighty): Appearing alongside H3514 in Proverbs 27:3, this term for weighty sand is used in a direct comparison to a heavy stone.
• H4421 milchâmâh (war): The "grievousness" H3514 is specifically linked to war H4421, highlighting the severity of battle Isaiah 21:15.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H3514 is significant, grounding abstract ideas in physical reality.

• Tangible Comparisons: The word is used to create powerful analogies. In Proverbs 27:3, the literal, physical heavy quality of a stone is used as a benchmark to measure the even greater weight of a fool's wrath.
• The Cost of War: H3514 is used to illustrate the severe consequences of conflict. It describes not only the grievousness of war itself Isaiah 21:15 but also the resulting great number of the slain Nahum 3:3.
• Severity of Divine Judgment: The term is used to convey the immense power and seriousness of God's anger. The Lord's coming judgment, represented by His name H8034, is characterized by a heavy burden, signifying its inescapable and overwhelming nature Isaiah 30:27.

Summary

In summary, H3514 provides a versatile way to express magnitude and severity. It moves from the simple, physical reality of a heavy stone to the immense scale of a great number of casualties and the profound theological weight of divine judgment and the grievousness of war. Though used sparingly, kôbed effectively communicates a sense of significant weight, whether literal or metaphorical, making it a powerful descriptor in the biblical text.