3789. kathab
Lexical Summary
kathab: to write
Original Word: כָּתַב
Transliteration: kathab
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-thab')
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to write
Meaning: to grave, to write
Strong's Concordance
describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, writing,

A primitive root; to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe) -- describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H3789. kathab

כָּתַב223 verb write (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician כתב‎; Aramaic כְּתַב‎, Nabataean כתב‎, see especially Nö in EutNab. p. 43; thence Arabic Ethiopic book, DiLex. 852 (as loan-words, Frä249 DHMVOJ i (1887), 29); MV Buhl compare Arabic draw or sew together, conjoin (letters), etc., compare FlZMG 1873, 427) —

Qal Perfect ׳כJoshua 8:32 +, כָּתַבְתָּJeremiah 36:6 +, suffix וּכְתַבְתָּם‎ consecutive Deuteronomy 6:9; 11:20, etc. (Perfect 27 t.); Imperfect יִכְתֹּבIsaiah 44:5, וַיִּכְתֹּבExodus 24:4 +, etc. (Imperfect 39 t.); Imperative כְּתֹבIsaiah 8:1 5t., כְּתָבֿExodus 34:27 2t.; suffix כָּתְבָהּIsaiah 30:8, כָּתְבֵםProverbs 3:3; 7:3; plural כִּתְבוּDeuteronomy 31:9 3t .; Infinitive absolute כָּתוֺכJeremiah 32:44; cstr כְּתוֺב‎ Psalm 87:8, לִכְתֹּבDeuteronomy 31:24; Joshua 18:8; suffix כָּתְבוֺJeremiah 45:1; Participle active כֹּתֵב36:18, plural כֹּתְבִים32:12; Nehemiah 10:1; passive (113 t.), כָּתוּבJoshua 1:8 +, feminine כְּתוּבָה2 Samuel 1:18 +, plural כְּתוּבִים1 Kings 15:7 +, כְּתֻבִים11:41 +; feminine plural כְּתוּבוֺת2 Chronicles 34:24; —

1 write:

a. with accusative, words Exodus 34:27, commandments 24:12, etc.; accusative of congnate meaning with verb מכתב39:30, compare כַּמִּכְתָּבDeuteronomy 10:4; with כְּ‎, giving purport of writing, also Esther 8:8; but object also a book, סֵפֶרExodus 32:32; Deuteronomy 24:1; מְגִלָּהJeremiah 38:6, compare participle pass, וְאָחוֺר מָּנִים כְּתוּבָה וְהִיאEzekiel 2:10 ( of מגלה‎; i.e. written on both sides); a letter, סֵפָר2 Samuel 11:14; 2 Kings 10:1 4t., אִגֶּרֶת2 Chronicles 30:1; a divorce-certificate כְּרִיתֻת סֵפֶרDeuteronomy 24:1, etc.; even כְּתֻבִים לֻחֹתtablets inscribed by the finger of God Exodus 31:18 compare Deuteronomy 9:10; ׳ל ׳כ עֶבְרֵיהֶם מִשְּׁנֵיExodus 32:15 tables inscribed on both sides (compare Ezekiel 2:10 above) Here belongs (probably) לי יָדוֺ יִכְתֹּב ׳וְזֶהIsaiah 44:5 and this one shall inscribe his hand, 'Yahweh's', so ᵐ5‎ Hi Kn Che Br Du Di, Ges Ew De, shall sign (with) his hand unto ׳י‎.

b. more often write something on, or in (עַלֿ‎85t., בְ‎44t., אֶלֿ‎3t.) a tablet, roll, book, etc. (object various, as above): — (I) ׳כ עַלֿ‎ followed by סֵפֶר‎ = book Deuteronomy 17:18 55t., especially in phrase וגו דברי עלסֿפר ׳כתובים1 Kings 11:41 + often Kings Chronicles; ׳כ עַלמְֿגִּלָּהJeremiah 36:2; 36:28; 36:32; Jeremiah 38:29; ׳כ עַללֿוּח(ותׅExodus 34:1 7t., עַלאֶֿבֶןDeuteronomy 27:3 2t., עַלגּֿלָּיוֺןIsaiah 8:1; בַּיִת עַלמְֿזֻזוֺתDeuteronomy 6:9; 11:20; עַלמַֿטֶּהon a rod Numbers 17:17; Numbers 17:18; עַלעֵֿץEzekiel 37:16 (twice in verse), עַלצִֿיץ‎ (high priest's plate) Exodus 39:30; even (only Chronicles) עַלֿ‎ followed by name of book or its contents: — ׳כ נָתָן עַלדִּֿבְרֵי2 Chronicles 9:29; compare 33:19; וגו ׳עַלמִֿדְרַשׁ24:27; עַלהַֿקִּינוֺת35:25; figurative, ׳כ עַללִֿבָּם‎ Jeremiah 31:83 I will write them upon their heart; compare ׳כ לִבֶּ֑ךָ עַללֿוּחַProverbs 3:3. (2) ׳כ אֶלֿ‎ appears for ׳כ עַלֿ‎ only Jeremiah 36:2 compare Ezekiel 2:10; Jeremiah 51:60. (3) ׳כ בְּ‎ followed by ספר‎ = book Joshua 24:26 (E) + 35 t.; = letter, bill, deed, 1 Kings 21:9 5t.; עָלָ֑י כָּתוּב סֵפֶר בִּמְגִלַּתPsalm 40:8 it is prescribed to me, על‎ as 2 Kings 22:13 (N.B. ׳כ עלֿ‎ not used with סֵפֶר‎ = letter, and ׳כ בְּ‎ not used with אבן לוּחַ,‎ or עֵץ‎).

c. other uses of perp. with ׳כ‎ are: — בְּ‎ instrumental, ׳כ אֱנוֺשׁ בְּחֶרֶטIsaiah 8:1, ׳כ בַּרְזֶל בְּעֵטJeremiah 17:1; אֱלֹהִים בְּאֶצְבַּע כְּתֻבִיםDeuteronomy 9:10; Exodus 31:18; ׳כ אֶלֿunto, of person to whom letter, etc., is addressed 2 Samuel 11:14; 2 Kings 10:6; Esther 9:13; עַלֿ‎ substantive for אֶלֿ‎ (late) 2 Chronicles 30:1; Ezra 4:7; Esther 8:8; the fuller construction is ׳כ (אֶלֿׅ וישׁלח ספר2 Kings 10:1; Esther 8:10; 9:20 +; ׳כ אֶלֿwrite down for the benefit or use of some one, Judges 8:14; לְto or for, Deuteronomy 17:18; 24:1 +; note especially תּוֺרָתִי רֻבֵּו֯ אֶכְתָּו֯בלֿוֺHosea 8:12, i.e. either, I write (keep writing) for them ever so many (We, רֹב‎, compare Ew and most רִבּוֺ(אׅ‎ a myriad) of my directions, or 'Though I write,' 'Were I to write,' etc.; ׳כ‎ followed by ל‎ with infinitive of purpose 2 Chronicles 32:17; Esther 8:5; with מִן‎ in phrase ׳כ פ ׳מִמִּיwrite from the mouth of any one i.e. from dictation, Jeremiah 36:2, 32; 38:6, 17, 27; 45:1.

2 = write down describe in writing, ׳כ אֶתהָֿאָרֶץJudges 18:4, 6, 8 (3 t. in verse); 18:9.

3 = register enroll Isaiah 10:19 (= record the number), 1 Chronicles 24:6; especially passive הַכְּתוּבִיםNumbers 11:26 those enrolled compare Nehemiah 12:22; ׳הַכּ בְּשֵׁמוֺת1 Chronicles 4:41 those recorded by name; in prediction, עֲרִירִי הַזֶּה ׳כ אֶתהָֿאִישׁJeremiah 22:30 register this man as childless; with eschatological reference, לַחַיִּים כָּלהַֿכָּתוּבIsaiah 4:3 all those enrolled (i.e. appointed) unto life; and, more explicitly, בַּסֵּפֶר כָּתוּב כָּלהַֿנִּמְצָאDaniel 12:1; ׳י עַמִּים בִּכְתוֺבּ יִסְמֹּרPsalm 87:6 ׳יshall reckon, when he registers (note absence of suffix) the peoples, etc.

4 = decree, מְרֹרוֺת עָלַי תִּכְתֹּבJob 13:26 thou (׳י‎) decrest against me bitter things.

Niph`al (chiefly late, especially Esther), Imperfect יִכָּתֵבEsther 1:19 +, 3 feminine singular זֹאת תִּכָּ֫תֶבPsalm 102:19; 3masculine plural יִכָּתֵ֑בוּJeremiah 17:13 3t., יִכָּֽתְבוּןJob 19:23; Participle נִכְתָּבEsther 3:12 2t.; —

1 be written, subject words Job 19:23, book Malachi 3:16; be written בְּסֵפֶרEsther 2:23; 9:23, in, or among ב‎ the laws 1:19; once, with יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ כֻּלָּם עַלסִֿפְרְךָ עַלֿ,Psalm 139:16 in thy ׳י‎'s book all of them (my members) are written, i.e. written down, recorded (see below); absolute הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֵׁם נִכְתָּב אֲשֶׁר כְּתָבEsther 8:8 a writing which is written in the king's name, compare (impersonal) 3:12; impersonal also צִוָּה כְּכָלאֲֿשֶׁר וַיִּכָּתֵב3:12; 8:9; ׳יִכָּ‎ followed by לְ‎ = for Psalm 102:19; followed by לְ‎ + infinitive (really = a subject-cl., — the contents of the letter) Esther 3:9; 8:5.

2 be written down, recorded, Ezra 8:34; enrolled, יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ לֹא ישׂראל בית בִּכְתָבEzekiel 13:9 in the enrolement of the house of Israel they are not enrolled (eschatolog.); אַליִֿכָּתֵ֑בוּ וְעִםצַֿדִּיקִיםPsalm 69:29 ("" מִסֵּפֶר יִמָּחוּ חַיִּים‎) — יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ בָּאָרֶץJeremiah 17:13 is difficult; Gie reads, plausibly, יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ מֵאֶרֶץ‎ (compare Psalm 34:17; 101:8, etc.)

Pi`el frequently, Perfect and Participle, only עָמָל כִּתֵּ֑בוּוּמְכַתְּבִיםIsaiah 10:1 and busy writers that make a business of writing oppression (i.e. register unjust sentences, compare Qal 4; "" חִקֲקֵיאָֿוֶן הַחֹקֲקִים‎).

כְּתַבverb write (see Biblical Hebrew); —

Pe`al Perfect3masculine singular ׳כDaniel 6:26 ל‎ person + oratio recta [direct speech], 7:1 accusative of thing; 3 masculine plural כְּתַ֫בוּEzra 4:8 accusative אִגְּרָה‎; 1 plural נִכְתּוּב5:10, accusative of thing; Participle active absolute feminine singular כָּֽתְבָהDaniel 5:5, subject יְדָא‎, feminine plural כָּֽתְבָן5:5, subject אֶצְבְּעָן‎.

Pe`il (WCG 224) Perfect3masculine singular תִּיב כְּ כִּדְנָהEzra 5:7 thus (it) was written, so כ ׳כֵּן6:2.








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