Word Study for H3554 (כָּוָה)

kâvâh /kaw-vaw'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningproperly, to prick or penetrate; hence, to blister (as smarting or eating into)

KJV usageburn.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kâvâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word kâvâh, represented by H3554, is a primitive root word meaning to burn. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. The term's core meaning is to prick or penetrate, which leads to the sense of being blistered or consumed by burning.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H3554 is used to describe the effect of fire on a person. In Proverbs, it illustrates a natural consequence, questioning if a man H376 can go H1980 on hot coals H1513 without his feet H7272 being burned Proverbs 6:28. In a contrasting context, Isaiah uses the word to convey a promise of divine protection, where God assures his people that when they walk H3212 through fire H784, they will not be burned Isaiah 43:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of burning and fire:

H784 ʼêsh (fire (literally or figuratively)): This is the agent that causes burning. It is used both as a literal fire that one might walk through Isaiah 43:2 and as a metaphor for God's powerful word Jeremiah 23:29 and His consuming presence Deuteronomy 9:3.
H1513 gechel (an ember; (burning) coal): This specifies the source of heat in Proverbs 6:28. Beyond this, coals are associated with the altar before the LORD Leviticus 16:12 and divine judgment Psalms 140:10.
H1197 bâʻar (to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating)): This verb appears alongside H3554 in Isaiah 43:2, where the flame will not kindle. It describes the action of fire starting or consuming something, as seen with the burning bush which burned with fire but was not consumed Exodus 3:2, and the kindling of God's wrath Psalms 2:12.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3554 is seen in its powerful contrast between natural law and divine intervention.

Consequence and Protection: The word highlights a fundamental truth: actions have consequences, as one who walks on hot coals H1513 will be burned Proverbs 6:28. In direct contrast, it is used to demonstrate God's supreme power to protect his people from harm, promising that even in the midst of fire H784, they will not be burned Isaiah 43:2.
Symbol of Severe Trials: The context of Isaiah 43:2 places being burned alongside passing through waters H4325 and rivers H5104. This frames the threat of being burned as a metaphor for life's most severe and dangerous trials, through which God promises His presence and preservation.
The Reality of Harm: By describing a physical burn, H3554 underscores the tangible reality of danger and pain. This makes the promise of protection in Isaiah 43:2 more profound, as it is a deliverance from a very real and destructive force, not merely a symbolic one.

Summary

In summary, H3554 is a specific and impactful term for being burned. Though rare, its usage creates a stark contrast between the unavoidable physical consequences of interacting with fire and the promise of God's supernatural protection for His people. It vividly illustrates that while the dangers of life's trials are real and destructive, God's presence provides deliverance and preservation through them.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

תִכָּוֶה
תִכָּוֶינָה

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Proverbs

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.