from כָּבַד; weight, multitude, vehemence; grievousness, heavy, great number.
Transliteration:kôbed
Pronunciation:ko'-bed
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun כֹּבֶד (kôbed, `{{H3514}}`) is derived from the root כָּבַד (kabad, `{{H3513}}`), which fundamentally conveys the idea of "to be heavy," "to be weighty," or "to be substantial." From this core concept, כֹּבֶד extends to denote various forms of "weight" or "heaviness." Its semantic range includes:
1. **Literal Weight:** Physical heaviness, as of an object.
2. **Burden/Grievousness:** A metaphorical weight, signifying a burden, difficulty, or severity. This can apply to an oppressive task, a difficult situation, or the severity of a plague or affliction.
3. **Multitude/Great Number:** An overwhelming quantity, implying a "heavy" or immense number, often with a sense of being burdensome or difficult to manage.
4. **Vehemence/Intensity:** The "weight" or force of something, such as a strong wind or a vehement attack.
Thus, כֹּבֶד encapsulates the physical, administrative, and even emotional weight of things, always rooted in the primary sense of "heaviness" or "substance" inherited from its verbal root.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The noun כֹּבֶד (kôbed, `{{H3514}}`) appears in several significant contexts, primarily highlighting the concept of a burden or overwhelming difficulty.
1. **Administrative Burden:** In [[Exodus 18:18]], Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, observes Moses' exhaustive efforts in judging the people and advises him, stating, "The thing is too heavy (כֹּבֶד) for you; you are not able to perform it yourself alone." Here, כֹּבֶד explicitly refers to the immense administrative and judicial burden of leading the vast Israelite population, underscoring the unsustainable "weight" of sole responsibility.
2. **Leadership Burden:** Similarly, in [[Numbers 11:11]], Moses himself cries out to the Lord, complaining, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant, and why have I not found favor in your eyes, that you lay the burden (כֹּבֶד) of all this people on me?" This poignant lament from Moses reveals the profound emotional and spiritual "weight" of leading a rebellious and demanding people, a burden he perceives as divinely imposed and overwhelming.
3. **Physical Weight as Simile:** [[Proverbs 27:3]] uses כֹּבֶד in a more literal sense, stating, "A stone is heavy (אֶבֶן כֹּבֶד), and sand a burden, but a fool's vexation is heavier than both." Here, "אֶבֶן כֹּבֶד" translates as "a stone of weight" or "a heavy stone," providing a tangible example of physical heaviness. This literal weight then serves as a powerful simile to illustrate the even greater, more oppressive "heaviness" of a fool's anger or folly.
Across these contexts, כֹּבֶד consistently conveys a sense of overwhelmingness, whether due to physical mass, administrative responsibility, or emotional distress.
### Related Words & Concepts
The meaning of כֹּבֶד (kôbed, `{{H3514}}`) is deeply intertwined with its root and other derivatives.
1. **Root Verb:** The primary root is כָּבַד (kabad, `{{H3513}}`), meaning "to be heavy," "to be weighty," "to be honored," or "to be glorious." This root forms the semantic foundation for כֹּבֶד, indicating that the "weight" can be either negative (a burden) or positive (significance, glory).
2. **Adjective:** כָּבֵד (kaved), the adjective form of the root, also means "heavy," "weighty," "difficult," or "dull." Examples include Moses' "heavy hands" in [[Exodus 17:12]] or the "heavy heart" of Pharaoh. This adjective often describes the state of being weighty.
3. **Noun: Glory/Honor:** כָּבוֹד (kavod, `{{H3519}}`) is another highly significant derivative from the same root. While כֹּבֶד emphasizes the burdensome aspect of "weight," כָּבוֹד focuses on the positive "weight" of importance, honor, and divine glory. The "weight" of God's presence ([[Exodus 40:34]]) is not a burden but an awe-inspiring manifestation of His substantiality and majesty.
4. **Concepts:** Other related concepts include:
* **Burden (מַשָּׂא, massa, `{{H4853}}`):** Often used interchangeably with or in conjunction with kôbed to describe a load or responsibility.
* **Difficulty/Hardship:** The challenges inherent in a task or situation.
* **Oppression/Severity:** The overwhelming nature of a trial or affliction.
The family of words stemming from כָּבַד highlights a rich semantic field where "weight" can signify anything from a physical mass to divine majesty, and from human burden to profound honor.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of כֹּבֶד (kôbed, `{{H3514}}`) primarily revolves around themes of human limitation, divine provision, and the nature of responsibility.
1. **Human Incapacity and Divine Provision:** The most prominent uses of כֹּבֶד in [[Exodus 18:18]] and [[Numbers 11:11]] underscore the overwhelming nature of divinely appointed leadership for human beings. Moses, despite being God's chosen leader, finds the "burden" (כֹּבֶד) of leading the Israelites unbearable. This highlights humanity's inherent weakness and inability to bear such immense responsibilities alone. It implicitly points to the necessity of God's wisdom (as conveyed through Jethro's advice) and His direct intervention (as seen in God's provision of seventy elders in Numbers 11) to alleviate such "heavy" burdens. The word thus emphasizes reliance on God's strength rather than self-sufficiency.
2. **The Weight of Sin and Folly:** [[Proverbs 27:3]] extends the concept of כֹּבֶד beyond physical or administrative burdens to the moral and spiritual realm. The comparison of a fool's vexation to a "heavy stone" or "burden of sand" suggests that the consequences of human sin, folly, and rebellion carry an oppressive weight, impacting individuals and relationships more profoundly than physical loads. This points to the grievousness of moral failing in God's eyes and its tangible, burdensome effects.
3. **Contrast with Divine Glory (כָּבוֹד):** While כֹּבֶד often denotes a negative, oppressive weight, its connection to כָּבוֹד (kavod, `{{H3519}}`), meaning "glory" or "honor," is theologically profound. What is a burdensome weight for humanity (e.g., the demands of leadership, the weight of sin) is often a reflection of God's own weighty, substantial, and glorious character. The "weight" of God's commandments or His expectations for His people, though burdensome to human weakness, emanate from His perfect and glorious nature. This tension invites reflection on the disparity between human capacity and divine standard, urging humility and dependence.
### Summary
כֹּבֶד (kôbed, `{{H3514}}`) is a Hebrew noun derived from the root כָּבַד (kabad, `{{H3513}}`), conveying the core meaning of "weight" or "heaviness." Its semantic range extends to include physical weight, grievousness, multitude, and vehemence. In biblical contexts, it primarily signifies a "burden" or "overwhelming difficulty," notably seen in the administrative and leadership challenges faced by Moses in [[Exodus 18:18]] and [[Numbers 11:11]]. It also appears in [[Proverbs 27:3]] to describe the oppressive "weight" of a fool's vexation. Theologically, כֹּבֶד highlights human limitations and the necessity of divine assistance in bearing great responsibilities. It underscores the grievousness of human folly and, by contrast with כָּבוֹד (kavod, `{{H3519}}`), subtly points to the difference between the burdensome "weight" of human experience and the glorious "weight" of God's presence and character. It is a word that powerfully articulates the challenges and demands of life, particularly when aligned with divine purpose, and the ultimate need for God's sustaining grace.
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