Word Study for H3792 (כְּתָב)

kᵉthâb /keth-awb'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to כָּתָב

Meaning(something written, i.e. a writing, record or book)

KJV usageprescribing, writing(-ten).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kᵉthâb — 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 Aramaic word kᵉthâb, represented by H3792, refers to something written, i.e. a writing, record or book. It can also mean prescribing or something written. It appears 12 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible, primarily in the books of Daniel and Ezra.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H3792 is used to denote official and consequential written documents. A prominent example is the supernatural writing that appeared on the wall during Belshazzar's feast. The king challenged his wise men to read this writing and show its interpretation, but they could not Daniel 5:7-8. This writing was a divine message of judgment, ultimately read by Daniel Daniel 5:17. The term is also used for a royal decree signed by King Darius, an unchangeable writing that Daniel knowingly defied to remain faithful to his God Daniel 6:8-10. In Ezra, it references the established procedures written in the book of Moses Ezra 6:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify the function and context of a kᵉthâb:

H7560 rᵉsham (to record; sign, write): This verb is frequently paired with kᵉthâb, indicating the official act of creating or finalizing a written document. A decree is made official when a king signed the writing Daniel 6:9, and the message on the wall is described as the writing that was written Daniel 5:25.
H7123 qᵉrâʼ (to call out to... read): This word describes the primary action associated with a written text. The wise men of Babylon were commanded to read the writing on the wall Daniel 5:7, and Daniel declared his ability to do so Daniel 5:17.
H633 ʼĕçâr (an interdict; decree): This term often appears with kᵉthâb to specify the legal nature of the writing. King Darius signed the writing and the decree, making it a binding interdict Daniel 6:9.
H5609 çᵉphar (a book; book, roll): This word for a larger collection of writings provides context for kᵉthâb. The ordinances for the priests and Levites were followed as it is written in the book of Moses Ezra 6:18.

Theological Significance

The significance of H3792 is rooted in the power and permanence of the written word.

Binding Authority: A writing, once signed by a monarch, becomes an unchangeable law, as seen with the decree of the Medes and Persians Daniel 6:8. It represents an authority that even a king cannot easily alter.
Divine Communication: The term is used for a direct, written message from God, serving as a vehicle for judgment that transcends human wisdom and power Daniel 5:24.
Foundation of Order: It refers to the sacred text that governs religious life and practice, highlighting written scripture as the basis for worship and community structure as ordained by God Ezra 6:18.

Summary

In summary, H3792 is a crucial term that defines a written text's role as a formal record, a binding legal decree, or a divine revelation. From royal edicts with life-or-death consequences to supernatural messages of judgment and foundational scriptural instructions, kᵉthâb consistently illustrates the immense weight and authority carried by the written word.

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 12 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.

כְּתָבָ
כְתָב
כְתָב

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 12 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Daniel (10 verses); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.