### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **kâçaph**, represented by `{{H3700}}`, describes a powerful and deep-seated form of longing. Its base definition is to become pale, which by implication means to pine after, fear, or have an intense desire. It appears 6 times across 5 unique verses, conveying emotions ranging from a sore longing and greed to a sacred desire.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H3700}}` captures a spectrum of powerful emotions. It is used to describe Jacob's intense pining for his ancestral home, where he **sore longedst** after his father's house [[Genesis 31:30]]. In a spiritual sense, the psalmist's soul **longeth**, and even faints, for the courts of the LORD [[Psalms 84:2]]. The term is also applied to God's own affections, as Job expresses that God will **have a desire** to the work of His own hands [[Job 14:15]]. In a more negative context, it portrays the predatory nature of a lion that is **greedy** for its prey [[Psalms 17:12]]. It is also used in its opposite sense to describe a "nation not **desired**" [[Zephaniah 2:1]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide deeper context to the concept of longing:
* `{{H5315}}` **nephesh**: Defined as a breathing creature, soul, or desire, this is what experiences the longing in [[Psalms 84:2]]. It is the very soul that **longeth** for God.
* `{{H3615}}` **kâlâh**: This word, meaning to fail or faint, is paired with `{{H3700}}` to describe the physical effect of such intense longing, as the soul faints for God's courts [[Psalms 84:2]].
* `{{H1980}}` **hâlak**: Meaning to walk or go, this word describes the action resulting from Jacob’s longing, as he was determined to **be gone** to his father's house [[Genesis 31:30]].
* `{{H7197}}` **qâshash**: This word to gather is used in [[Zephaniah 2:1]], calling the nation "not desired" to **gather** themselves together in response to their state.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3700}}` is significant, touching on the nature of desire in relation to God.
* **Pious Desire for God:** The term is used in its most positive sense to articulate the soul's deep pining for God's presence, establishing this kind of longing as a righteous and central part of faith [[Psalms 84:2]].
* **God's Desire for Creation:** Remarkably, the word is used to describe God's own feelings. Job's belief that God will **have a desire** for His creation suggests a relational God who longs for fellowship with what He has made [[Job 14:15]].
* **Worldly and Predatory Desire:** The word also illustrates how desire can be misdirected or corrupted. It is used for the animalistic greed of a lion [[Psalms 17:12]] and is tied to Jacob's urgent, albeit understandable, longing to leave Laban [[Genesis 31:30]].
### Summary
In summary, **kâçaph** `{{H3700}}` is far more than a simple word for "want." It conveys an intense pining that affects a person to their core. From the holy longing for God's presence to the desperate desire for home and even the base greed of a predator, this term powerfully illustrates the biblical understanding of desire as a potent force that can draw one toward God or toward worldly ends.
TRV