Word Study for H3760 (כַּרְמֶל)

Karmel /kar-mel'/ Ask about this word

MeaningKarmel, the name of a hill and of a town in Palestine

KJV usageCarmel, fruitful (plentiful) field, (place).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Karmel — 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 Karmel, represented by H3760, refers to a fruitful or plentiful field, as well as the name of a hill and a town in Palestine. It appears 26 times across 25 unique verses in the Bible, signifying its importance as both a geographical location and a symbol of abundance.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H3760 is used in several key contexts. It is famously the site of the confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on mount Carmel 1 Kings 18:20. It is also identified as a town in the territory of Judah Joshua 15:55 and the location where Nabal, a very great man, sheared his sheep 1 Samuel 25:2. As a symbol of fertility, prophets speak of Israel feeding on Carmel as a sign of restoration Jeremiah 50:19. Conversely, its withering is used to depict divine judgment Amos 1:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the significance of Carmel, often appearing alongside it in scripture:

H1316 Bashan: A region east of the Jordan, it is often mentioned with Carmel to represent fertile pastureland and divine provision (Jeremiah 50:19, Nahum 1:4).
H3844 Lebanon: A mountain range whose glory and excellency are frequently compared to that of Carmel, symbolizing natural majesty and fruitfulness (Isaiah 35:2, Isaiah 33:9).
H8289 Sharon: A plain in Palestine, its beauty and fertility are often associated with Carmel in prophetic imagery (Isaiah 35:2, Isaiah 33:9).
H2022 har: Meaning a mountain or range of hills, this word is frequently used to designate mount Carmel as a specific, elevated place of significance (1 Kings 18:19, 2 Kings 4:25).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3760 is demonstrated in its symbolic use.

Symbol of Blessing and Abundance: The fruitfulness of Carmel represents God's blessing. Its excellency is given by the LORD Isaiah 35:2, and its pastures satisfy the soul of a restored Israel Jeremiah 50:19. King Uzziah had husbandmen and vine dressers in Carmel because he loved husbandry 2 Chronicles 26:10.
Place of Divine Confrontation: Mount Carmel serves as a stage for demonstrating the power of the LORD over false deities, most notably when Elijah gathered all Israel and the prophets of Baal there 1 Kings 18:19.
Indicator of Judgment: The vitality of Carmel is used as a barometer for the state of the land. In times of judgment, the top of Carmel withers Amos 1:2, and its fruits are shaken off Isaiah 33:9.
Metaphor for Beauty and Majesty: The name is used to describe majestic beauty, as seen when the head of the beloved is compared to Carmel Song of Solomon 7:5 and when its stature is compared to the imposing arrival of a king Jeremiah 46:18.

Summary

In summary, H3760 is a multifaceted term in scripture. It is a literal hill and town, central to key events like Elijah's contest with Baal's prophets. Theologically, it functions as a powerful symbol, representing the height of divine blessing and natural beauty, while its decline signifies judgment and desolation.

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 noun across 26 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

כַּרְמֶל
כַּרְמֶל
כַּרְמִלּ

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 25 verses across 11 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Samuel (5 verses); never once in the other 28.

Joshua

1 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

2 Chronicles

Song of Solomon

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Amos

Micah

Nahum

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.