Word Study for H6978 (קַו־קַו)

qav-qav /kav-kav'/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom קַו (in the sense of a fastening)

Meaninglemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to class="strongs-hebrew-text">קַו־קַו; stalwart

Idioms & phrasesidiom meted out.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qav-qav — 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 qav-qav, represented by H6978, is an idiom meaning meted out. It is derived from a root word signifying a fastening. This is a rare term in scripture, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word's usage is highly specific, found exclusively in the book of Isaiah. In both occurrences, it is part of a longer, descriptive phrase identifying a particular group of people. The prophet describes "a nation meted out and trodden down" Isaiah 18:2 and "a nation meted out and trodden under foot" Isaiah 18:7. In this context, it characterizes a nation that has been measured and judged, subject to hardship and subjugation.

Related Words & Concepts

H6978 appears alongside several other descriptive terms that clarify its meaning:

H4900 mâshak: This word, used for "scattered" in the same verses, has a primary meaning "to draw." It paints a picture of a people who have been drawn out or scattered (Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7).
H4178 môwrâṭ: Defined as "peeled," this term is used to describe the same nation, adding to the imagery of a people who have been stripped or made smooth (Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7).
H4001 mᵉbûwçâh: Meaning "a trampling," this word is consistently paired with H6978 to describe the nation as "trodden down" or "trodden under foot," emphasizing their oppressed state (Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7).
H958 bâzâʼ: Meaning to "spoil," this word is used to describe the land of this nation, stating it is a place "whose land the rivers have spoiled" (Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7).

Theological Significance

The significance of H6978 is found entirely within its prophetic context in Isaiah 18.

Describing a Subjected People: The term meted out is used to characterize a powerful and "terrible" nation that is nevertheless measured, judged, and subjugated Isaiah 18:2.
Paired with Hardship: It is never used alone, but always in conjunction with terms like "scattered," "peeled," and "trodden down," creating a cumulative picture of a people who have endured significant affliction Isaiah 18:7.
A Future Role in Worship: Despite their condition, this very nation—described as "meted out and trodden under foot"—is prophesied to bring "the present unto the LORD of hosts" to "the mount Zion" Isaiah 18:7.

Summary

In summary, H6978 qav-qav is a highly specialized term used twice in scripture to mean meted out. Its sole application in Isaiah 18 describes a nation that is simultaneously formidable and subjugated. Paired with other words of hardship, it paints a picture of a people who have been judged and oppressed, yet are still destined to have a future role in bringing honor to the LORD at Mount Zion.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

קָו
קַו

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

2 verses, all in Isaiah — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.