Word Study for H6991 (קָטַל) | Strong's Concordance

qâṭal /kaw-tal'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningproperly, to cut off, i.e. (figuratively) put to death

KJV usagekill, slay.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qâṭal — 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 qâṭal, represented by H6991, is a primitive root meaning to kill or slay. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. Its core definition is to "cut off," which is used figuratively to mean putting someone to death.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H6991 is used to describe the act of taking a life in different contexts. In the book of Job, it is used twice. Job expresses unwavering faith, stating that even if God were to slay him, he would still trust Him Job 13:15. It is also used to describe the wicked actions of a murderer who rises at dawn to kill the poor and needy Job 24:14. In Psalms, the word is used in a prayer asking God to slay the wicked and remove "bloody men" Psalms 139:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the context of slaying and wickedness:

H7523 râtsach (kill, murder): This term often specifies unlawful killing or murder. It is used in parallel with H6991 to describe the actions of a murderer Job 24:14 and is the word used in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" Exodus 20:13.
H7563 râshâʻ (wicked): This describes the morally wrong individuals who are the targets of divine judgment. The psalmist asks God to slay the wicked Psalms 139:19, and elsewhere, the wicked are those who will perish for their iniquity Ezekiel 3:18.
H1818 dâm (blood): This word is directly linked to the consequence of being slain. The psalmist wants God to act against "bloody men" Psalms 139:19. Blood represents both the life that is taken Leviticus 17:11 and the guilt associated with bloodshed Ezekiel 3:18.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6991 is focused on themes of justice, wickedness, and faith.

Divine Judgment: The word is used in a plea for God to act as the ultimate judge and slay the wicked Psalms 139:19. This highlights a biblical understanding of God's role in punishing evil.
Human Depravity: The act of killing is presented as a pinnacle of human evil, particularly when the murderer H7523 targets the helpless, such as the poor and needy Job 24:14.
Sovereignty and Faith: In a profound statement of trust, Job uses qâṭal to affirm his faith even if God were to slay him Job 13:15. This places the act of being slain within the context of God's absolute sovereignty and as a test of unwavering devotion.

Summary

In summary, H6991 is a specific and impactful term for the act of slaying. Though used only three times, it covers a significant range of meaning, from a wicked man's act of murder Job 24:14 to a prayer for divine judgment Psalms 139:19 and a profound expression of faith in the face of death Job 13:15. It functions as a powerful word that, within its few appearances, addresses core biblical themes of justice, evil, and trust in God's sovereignty.

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 verb across 3 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.

יִקְטְלֵ
תִּקְטֹל

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 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

Job

Psalms

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.