### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qâphad**, represented by `{{H7088}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to contract, i.e. roll together; cut off**. It is a very rare term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Its meaning is defined by its singular, powerful context related to the finality of life.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H7088}}` is in the lament of Hezekiah found in [[Isaiah 38:12]]. In this passage, Hezekiah mourns his impending death, declaring, "I have **cut off** like a weaver my life." The word is used to convey a sudden and decisive end, where his life is severed from its course, much like a weaver cuts a finished piece of cloth from the loom. The surrounding imagery of a temporary "shepherd's tent" further emphasizes the fragility and brevity of his existence.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words found within the same verse or sharing similar themes help clarify the meaning of `{{H7088}}`:
* `{{H707}}` **ʼârag** (weaver): This word, meaning **to plait or weave**, provides the central metaphor in [[Isaiah 38:12]]. Its appearance alongside `{{H7088}}` establishes the image of life as a woven fabric being cut. It is also used for making priestly garments [[Exodus 39:27]] and, metaphorically, for weaving a spider's web [[Isaiah 59:5]].
* `{{H1214}}` **bâtsaʻ** (cut off): Appearing immediately after `{{H7088}}` in [[Isaiah 38:12]], this term reinforces the idea of being severed: "he will **cut me off** with pining sickness." Its definition includes **to break off... cut (off), finish, fulfill, gain (greedily)**. While it expresses finality here, it can also mean to "fulfill" God's word [[Lamentations 2:17]] or, negatively, to be "greedy of gain" [[Proverbs 1:19]].
* `{{H7999}}` **shâlam** (make an end): This word concludes the thought in [[Isaiah 38:12]], as Hezekiah cries, "from day even to night wilt thou **make an end** of me." Defined as **to be... completed... make an end, finish... recompense, restore, reward**, it signifies absolute completion. It is also used for paying vows [[Jonah 2:9]] and for God making enemies be at peace [[Proverbs 16:7]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7088}}` is concentrated in its single, poignant usage:
* **The Brevity of Life:** The word is used to express the sudden and irreversible end of a human life. Hezekiah’s lament, "I have cut off like a weaver my life" [[Isaiah 38:12]], paints a vivid picture of human existence as something that can be swiftly and completely severed.
* **God's Sovereignty:** In the context of [[Isaiah 38:12]], the action of being "cut off" is ultimately attributed to God. The phrases that follow, "he will cut me off" `{{H1214}}` and "wilt thou make an end of me" `{{H7999}}`, frame God as the ultimate arbiter over the length of a person's life.
* **Image of Finality:** The metaphor of a weaver `{{H707}}` cutting thread from the loom is powerful. The use of `{{H7088}}` signifies an action that is decisive and complete. Once the cloth is cut, the work is finished, symbolizing the finality of death.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7088}}` **qâphad** is a highly specific term for being **cut off**. Its lone appearance in Scripture gives it a unique and powerful role in describing the finality of death. Through the metaphor of a weaver cutting cloth from a loom, as seen in [[Isaiah 38:12]], the word powerfully illustrates the concepts of human mortality and God's sovereign control over the end of life.
TRV