English · KJV
H6993

קֶטֶל

qeṭel /keh'-tel/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom קָטַל
Meaninga violent death
KJV usageslaughter.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qeṭel — 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 qeṭel, represented by H6993, is a term for a violent death or slaughter. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. Its singular usage points to a very specific application of the concept of violent destruction.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its sole biblical appearance, H6993 is used in a prophecy of divine judgment against the descendants of Esau. The word describes the ultimate fate awaiting the people of the mount of Esau, who will be "cut off by slaughter" Obadiah 1:9. This context links the term directly to a complete and violent destruction as a consequence of divine wrath.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words in its only context highlight the totality of this judgment:

  • H1368 gibbôwr (powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant): This term describes the "mighty men" who will be unable to prevent the coming destruction. Their status as powerful warriors is rendered useless in the face of the prophesied slaughter Obadiah 1:9.
  • H2865 châthath (to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear): This verb describes the reaction of Teman's mighty men to the impending judgment. They will be "dismayed," a state of fear and confusion that precedes their being cut off by slaughter Obadiah 1:9.
  • H3772 kârath (to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume): This word signifies the action that leads to the slaughter. It is used to describe how everyone from the mount of Esau will be "cut off," indicating a complete and final separation or destruction Obadiah 1:9.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6993 is concentrated in its singular, powerful use.

  • Divine Judgment: The use of H6993 is a direct expression of divine retribution. It is the instrument by which judgment is executed upon the mount of Esau Obadiah 1:9.
  • Finality of Destruction: Paired with the verb "cut off" H3772, the term signifies an irreversible and total annihilation, leaving no survivors from the targeted group.
  • Futility of Human Strength: The context explicitly states that even "mighty men" H1368 will be dismayed, underscoring the theological point that no amount of human power or valor can withstand God's decreed judgment when it culminates in slaughter.

Summary

In summary, H6993 qeṭel is a highly specific term for a violent slaughter. Its singular appearance in scripture gives it significant weight, where it serves as the ultimate consequence in a prophecy of divine judgment in Obadiah 1:9. The word illustrates the finality of God's wrath, a destruction so complete that it dismays even the mightiest of warriors and cuts off an entire people.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • קָּטֶל

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1368 גִּבּוֹר or גִּבֹּר; (shortened) intensive from the same as גֶּבֶר; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant; champion, chief, [ H2865 חָתַת a primitive root; properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by con H3772 כָּרַת a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e.

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

1 verse, all in Obadiah — 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.