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.
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.
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.
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.
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