### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qab**, represented by `{{H6894}}`, is a specific term for a **hollow vessel used as a dry measure**. It appears just **1 time** across **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, making its single appearance incredibly significant. The definition as a "cab" identifies its function as a unit for measuring goods.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole use of `{{H6894}}` is found in [[2 Kings 6:25]], a passage that vividly details the horrific conditions of a **great** `{{H1419}}` **famine** `{{H7458}}` in **Samaria** `{{H8111}}`. As the city was **besieged** `{{H6696}}`, the scarcity drove prices to unimaginable levels. The verse notes that an **ass's** `{{H2543}}` **head** `{{H7218}}` sold for **fourscore** `{{H8084}}` pieces of **silver** `{{H3701}}`. In this context of extreme desperation, a **fourth part** `{{H7255}}` of a **cab** of **dove's dung** `{{H1686}}` was sold for **five** `{{H2568}}` pieces of **silver** `{{H3701}}`.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context help illuminate the meaning of **qab**:
* `{{H7458}}` **râʻâb** (famine): Defined as "hunger... dearth, famine," this word establishes the critical situation. The severe **famine** in Samaria is the reason that a small measure like a **qab** of anything, even something worthless, could command a high price [[2 Kings 6:25]].
* `{{H6696}}` **tsûwr** (besiege): Meaning to "cramp, i.e. confine... beset, besiege," this term explains the military action that caused the famine. The siege cut off all supplies, creating the desperate economic conditions where the **qab** becomes a notable unit of measure for survival [[2 Kings 6:25]].
* `{{H7255}}` **rôbaʻ** (fourth part): This term, meaning "a quarter," directly modifies **qab**. It emphasizes the extremity of the scarcity, as citizens were not even trading a full **cab** but a mere fraction of it for a significant sum of silver [[2 Kings 6:25]].
* `{{H1686}}` **dibyôwn** (dove's dung): This word describes the substance being measured. Defined as "probably some cheap vegetable... or... dove's dung," its nature highlights the city's dire straits. That such a substance was being measured and sold by the **qab** powerfully illustrates the famine's severity [[2 Kings 6:25]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H6894}}` is derived entirely from its harrowing context.
* **A Measure of Judgment:** The use of **qab** serves as a tangible metric for divine judgment. The famine in Samaria was a consequence of sin [[Micah 1:5]], and the image of people paying silver for a small **cab** of a foul substance shows the severe, physical reality of being under God's wrath.
* **The Inversion of Value:** In a state of judgment and desperation, God allows the normal order to be completely overturned. The **qab** is used to measure a commodity that has no value, yet it is sold for precious **silver** `{{H3701}}`. This illustrates how far a society can fall when cut off from divine provision.
* **The Specificity of Suffering:** Scripture includes the detail of the **qab** to ground the historical account in a concrete reality. It is not a generalized statement of suffering but a specific, quantifiable transaction that underscores the depth of the people's desperation.
### Summary
In summary, though **qab** `{{H6894}}` is one of the rarest words in the biblical text, its single appearance is unforgettable. It functions as more than just a unit of dry measure; it is a marker of catastrophic famine, a symbol of inverted value, and a metric of divine judgment upon Samaria. The word powerfully demonstrates how Scripture uses specific, tangible details to convey profound spiritual truths about the consequences of sin and the depths of human suffering.
TRV