Word Study for H6994 (קָטֹן) | Strong's Concordance

qâṭôn /kaw-tone'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root (rather denominative from קָטָן)

Meaningto diminish, i.e. be (causatively, make) diminutive or (figuratively) of no account

KJV usagebe a (make) small (thing), be not worthy.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qâṭôn — 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 qâṭôn, represented by H6994, is a primitive root used to describe the act of diminishing or being made small. Its base definition includes being diminutive, of no account, or unworthy. It appears only 4 times across 4 unique verses, yet its usage spans both literal and figurative meanings.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H6994 is used to express concepts of measure and worth. In a commercial context, it describes the fraudulent act of "making the ephah small" to cheat buyers Amos 8:5. Figuratively, it conveys a sense of personal unworthiness, as when Jacob declares, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies" from God Genesis 32:10. It is also used to contrast human perspective with divine power, where God's great promises are described by David as a "small thing" in God's sight (2 Samuel 7:19, 1 Chronicles 17:17).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller context for the meaning of H6994, particularly in its commercial usage:

H1431 gâdal (to be... make... great): This word serves as a direct antonym to H6994. In Amos 8:5, the merchants make the ephah small while making the shekel great, highlighting the contrasting actions in their deception.
H374 ʼêyphâh (an ephah or measure for grain): This word represents a standard unit of measure. Its connection to H6994 is direct, as it is the object being made "small" in the condemnation of unjust practices Amos 8:5.
H8255 sheqel (a weight; used as a commercial standard): As a standard weight, this term is used alongside H374 and H6994 to illustrate the corruption of commercial standards Amos 8:5.

Theological Significance

The theological and ethical weight of H6994 is demonstrated in its few appearances.

Humility before God: The word is central to expressing humility. Jacob's use of the term shows an awareness of his own insignificance in the face of God's immense truth and mercy Genesis 32:10.
Condemnation of Injustice: Its use in Amos frames commercial fraud as a moral and spiritual failure. To "make small" a measure is an act of deceit that violates divine standards for justice Amos 8:5.
Divine Sovereignty: The word highlights the vast difference between God's perspective and man's. A promise that establishes a dynastic house for a "great while to come" is still considered a "small thing" for God to accomplish, emphasizing His omnipotence 2 Samuel 7:19.

Summary

In summary, H6994 is a multifaceted word that, while rare, carries significant meaning. It shifts from a literal description of diminishing a physical measure to a profound expression of personal unworthiness and the infinite scale of God's power. Its usage provides a powerful commentary on ethics, humility, and the nature of God's relationship with humanity.

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 4 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.

תִּקְטַן
הַקְטִין
קָטֹנְתִּי

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.

Genesis

2 Samuel

1 Chronicles

Amos

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.