English · KJV
H7087

קָפָא

qâphâʼ /kaw-faw'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto shrink, i.e. thicken (as unracked wine, curdled milk, clouded sky, frozen water)
KJV usagecongeal, curdle, dark, settle.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qâphâʼ — 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 qâphâʼ, represented by H7087, is a primitive root used to describe the process of shrinking or thickening. It is defined as to congeal, curdle, dark, settle, and is applied to substances like unracked wine, curdled milk, and frozen water. It appears 5 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible, carrying both literal and figurative weight.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical applications, H7087 describes powerful transformations. It is used to illustrate God's miraculous power over nature, where at the blast of His nostrils, the depths of the sea were congealed Exodus 15:8. In a creative context, Job uses it to describe his own formation, asking God, "Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?" Job 10:10. The word also carries a sense of spiritual stagnation, as God promises to punish the men in Jerusalem who are settled on their lees Zephaniah 1:12. Lastly, it is used prophetically to describe a unique day when the light will be neither clear nor dark Zechariah 14:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H7087 in its various contexts:

  • H8105 shemer (dregs, (wines on the) lees): This word is used alongside H7087 in Zephaniah 1:12 to create the image of men who have become complacent and stagnant, like wine left to sit on its sediment.
  • H2461 châlâb (milk): This word is central to the metaphor in Job 10:10, where the process of being curdled H7087 is likened to the transformation of milk into cheese.
  • H8415 tᵉhôwm (deep, depth): This refers to the massive body of water that was congealed H7087 in Exodus 15:8, highlighting the scale of God's power.
  • H4325 mayim (water): As the substance that was congealed during the parting of the sea, the concept of water is intrinsically linked to the demonstration of God's miraculous intervention Exodus 15:8.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H7087 is seen in its powerful imagery:

  • Divine Sovereignty: The word demonstrates God's absolute control over the natural world. By congealing the waters of the sea, He shows His ability to alter the very state of creation to accomplish His will Exodus 15:8.
  • Warning Against Apathy: In its figurative use, to be settled H7087 is a grave spiritual condition. It describes those who have grown complacent in their sin, believing that the LORD H3068 will not intervene for good or evil, a state that provokes divine judgment Zephaniah 1:12.
  • Metaphor for Creation: The imagery of being curdled like cheese provides a striking picture of human formation, suggesting a deliberate and shaping hand in bringing life from a formless state into a solid one Job 10:10.

Summary

In summary, H7087 is a dynamic word that moves from the physical to the spiritual. It captures the essence of transformation, whether it is the depths of the sea becoming solid, milk turning to cheese, or the human heart becoming stagnant and complacent. It serves as both a testament to God's awesome power over creation and a solemn warning against the spiritual condition of being settled and indifferent to His authority.

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 3 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.

  • תַּקְפִּיאֵ
  • קֹּפְאִים
  • קָפְאוּ

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.

H8105 שֶׁמֶר from שָׁמַר; something preserved, i.e. the settlings (plural only) of wine; dregs, (wines on the) lees. H2461 חָלָב from the same as חֶלֶב; milk (as the richness of kine); [phrase] cheese, milk, sucking. H8415 תְּהוֹם or תְּהֹם; (usually feminine) from הוּם; an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the H4325 מַיִם dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase H3068 יְהֹוָה from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹו

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 4 verses across 4 of the 39 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 35.

1
Exodus
1
Job
1
Zephaniah
1
Zechariah

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.