### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qarqaʻ**, represented by `{{H7172}}`, primarily means **floor** or **bottom**. It appears 8 times across 6 unique verses. Derived from a root meaning to tear or lay bare, it refers to the floor of a building, such as the tabernacle, or the bottom of the sea.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H7172}}` most often appears in an architectural context, specifically in the detailed descriptions of Solomon's Temple. It denotes the foundational surface of the house, which was overlaid with gold [[1 Kings 6:30]] and covered with fir planks [[1 Kings 6:15]]. In the porch of judgment, the cedar covering extended from one side of the **floor** to the other [[1 Kings 7:7]]. Beyond buildings, the word takes on a more conceptual meaning of a hidden, extreme depth, as when God declares he will find those hiding in the **bottom** of the sea [[Amos 9:3]]. It is also used in a ceremonial context, where dust from the **floor** of the tabernacle is used in a holy ritual [[Numbers 5:17]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the architectural spaces where **qarqaʻ** is found:
* `{{H7023}}` **qîyr** (a wall): This term is often used in conjunction with **qarqaʻ** to describe the complete interior of a structure, defining the vertical and horizontal boundaries of a room [[1 Kings 6:16]].
* `{{H6763}}` **tsêlâʻ** (plank, board, side): This word describes the materials used to construct or cover a floor. It is used to specify that the **floor** of the house was covered with **planks** of fir [[1 Kings 6:15]].
* `{{H5604}}` **çippun** (cieling): As the direct architectural opposite of the floor, this word is used in contrast with **qarqaʻ** to describe the upper boundary of the temple's interior space [[1 Kings 6:15]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H7172}}` extends from the literal to the figurative.
* **Foundation of Sacred Space:** The term establishes the literal ground of holy places like the tabernacle and the temple. The dust from the tabernacle **floor** itself becomes an element in a sacred procedure [[Numbers 5:17]].
* **Boundary of Existence:** It is used to describe the lowest possible point, whether the ornate **floor** of a king's house [[1 Kings 6:30]] or the inaccessible **bottom** of the sea, emphasizing that no place is beyond God's reach [[Amos 9:3]].
* **Surface of Divine Detail:** The extensive descriptions of the temple's **floor**, including its materials and gold overlay, highlight its importance as a surface prepared with great care for a holy purpose.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7172}}` is a precise term that defines a foundational surface. While often a literal **floor** in the Bible's architectural passages, it also serves as a powerful word to denote the ultimate depth or lowest boundary, whether in a meticulously constructed temple or the vast, untamable sea. It establishes the ground upon which sacred events unfold and the conceptual limit of physical space.
TRV