Word Study for H6992 (קְטַל) | Strong's Concordance

qᵉṭal /ket-al'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to קָטַל

Meaningto kill

KJV usageslay.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qᵉṭal — 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 qᵉṭal, represented by H6992, is the counterpart to the Hebrew קָטַל and means to kill or slay. It is a specific and potent term that appears 7 times within 6 unique verses, exclusively in the book of Daniel. Its usage highlights themes of absolute authority and final judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H6992 consistently depicts the execution of power. It is used in the context of royal decrees, such as the order to slay all the wise men of Babylon when they could not interpret the king's dream Daniel 2:13-14. The term also defines the scope of a monarch's authority, as seen with Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it was said, "whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive" Daniel 5:19. The word marks pivotal moments of judgment, including the death of Belshazzar, who was slain on the night his kingdom fell Daniel 5:30, and the prophetic vision where a great beast is slain and its body destroyed by fire Daniel 7:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller context for the act of slaying and the authority behind it:

H2418 chăyâʼ (to live, keep alive): This word stands in direct opposition to H6992, often appearing in the same context to illustrate the complete power over life and death wielded by a king Daniel 5:19.
H7 ʼăbad (destroy, perish): This term often describes the consequence of being slain, emphasizing total annihilation. After the beast was slain, its body was destroyed Daniel 7:11.
H1156 bᵉʻâʼ (to seek or ask): This word can illustrate the intent that leads to the act of killing. For example, Daniel and his friends were sought for the purpose of being slain under the king's decree Daniel 2:13.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6992 is demonstrated through its specific applications in Daniel.

Absolute Human Authority: The word is used to portray the immense and fearsome power of earthly rulers. The authority to slay at will was a defining characteristic of a king's majesty, causing all people and nations to tremble and fear before him Daniel 5:19.
Divine Judgment on Worldly Powers: In prophetic visions, the term signifies God's ultimate judgment. The fourth beast, representing a terrifying earthly kingdom, is ultimately slain and given to the burning flame, showing that God's authority supersedes all human power Daniel 7:11.
Instrument of Consequence: Slaying is presented as a direct result of royal commands. The men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace were themselves slain by the flame due to the urgency of the king's commandment Daniel 3:22.

Summary

In summary, H6992 is a term of finality and power. Though its usage is rare, its appearance in the book of Daniel is critical for understanding themes of authority, both human and divine. It illustrates the life-and-death power wielded by ancient kings while also serving as a vehicle for demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty and judgment over the kingdoms of the world.

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 7 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Hitpaal Participle Plural Masculine Absolute 1×
Hothpaal Infinitive Construct 1×
Pael Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
Peal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
Peil Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 1×
Peil Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
Piel Infinitive Construct 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Piel: The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Peal: The Aramaic simple stem — counterpart of Hebrew Qal.
Pael: The Aramaic intensive stem — counterpart of Hebrew Piel.
Absolute: The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct: Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

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

6 verses, all in Daniel — 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, 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.