Strong's Lexicon

H3709

H3709 — כַּף

Hebrew / Aramaic entry for Bible study and original-language reference.

Hebrewkaphnoun femOccurrences: 195TWOT: 1022a

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:H3709
Word:כַּף
Part of Speech:noun fem
Etymology:from H3721
Language:Hebrew
Occurrences:195
Transliteration:kaph
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:kaf
Meaning:1. the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree) 2. (figuratively) power
KJV Renderings:branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB4151

כַּף192 noun feminine 1Kgs 8:54 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic id., [untranscribed source text 2614] Assyrian kappu, hand, pan, kippatu, hollow; Arabic [untranscribed source text 2615] palm, hand) — absolute ׳ כ Job 29:9 +, so read probably also Ezek 29:7b for ᵑ0 כָּתֵף ( ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Sm Co, compare va); כָּ֑ף 2Kgs 11:12 +; more often construct כַּף Gen 40:11 +; suffix כַּפִּי Judg 12:3, כַּפְּךָ Job 13:31, etc.; in Ezek 29:7 read כַּף Qr for כפך Kt (so Ew Hi Sm Co Da); dual כַּפַּיִם Isa 49:16 +; construct כַּפֵּי Exod 29:24 (twice in verse) + 3 t.; suffix כַּפַּי Gen 20:5 +, כַּפָּיו Num 24:10 +, כַּפֵּיהֶם Isa 59:6 + 2 t., כַּפֵּימוֺ Job 27:23, etc.; plural כַּפּוֺת (especially of soles, and in metaphor senses) absolute Num 4:7 +; construct 2Kgs 9:35 +, suffix כַּפֹתָיו Exod 25:29; Exod 37:16

1.
a. of human beings, hollow or flat of hand, palm, (c. 116 t.) 2Kgs 4:34 (twice in verse); ׳ נָתַן אֵת הַכּוס עַלכּכַּף פ Gen 40:11; Gen 40:21 ( E ), set the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh (compare Gen 40:11a וְכוֺס פַּרְעֹה בְּיָדִי), similarly Lev 8:27 (twice in verse) ( P ) +; הַשֶּׁמֶן אֲשֶׁר עַלכּכַּפּוֺ Lev 14:16; Lev 14:17; Lev 14:18; Lev 14:27; Lev 14:28 as distinguished from wrist and arm, Deut 25:12 rarely with ידים (always כַּכּוֺת ), שְׁתֵּי כַּפּוֺת ידיו 1Sam 5:4 (of Dagon), הַיָּדַיִם ׳ כ 2Kgs 9:35, compare Dan 10:10 כַּף הַשְּׂמָאלִית Lev 14:15; Lev 14:26 note especially קֶמַח ׳ מְלֹא כ 1Kgs 17:12 a handful of meal (literally palmful), compare Eccl 4:6 (where distinguished from מלא חָפְנַיִם a double fistful; in both these passages of a very small quantity); compare וַיְמַלֵּא כַּפּוֺ מִן Lev 9:17 (reference to מְלֹא קֻמְצוֺ Lev 2:2; Lev 5:12 compare Lev 6:8). In Exod 4:4 ( J E ), Prov 31:19; Ezek 21:16; Ps 129:7, etc., the thought is that of grasping.
b. anthropomorphic of ׳ י covering Moses over with his palm, וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי עָלֶיךָ Exod 33:22 ( J ), and so figurative (with שׁית) Ps 139:5 withdrawing ( הֵסִירׅ his hand Exod 33:23 ( J ); removing ( הִרְהִּיק ׅ his afficting hand Job 13:21 עַלכּכַּפַּיִם כִּסָּה אוֺר Job 36:32, i.e. he (God) hath filled his palms with light.
c. once of animals, הוֺלֵךְ עַלכּכַּפָּיו Lev 11:27 going upon their palms, i.e. paws (cats, dogs, etc.).
d. phrases are: — (I) הִכָּה כַּף = clap the hands, in applause 2Kgs 11:12 so ׳ תָּקַע כ Ps 47:2, ׳ מָחָא כ Isa 55:12 (figurative of trees), Ps 98:8 (figurative of rivers); but especially in scorn, contempt, etc., סָפַק אֶתכַּֿפָּיו Num 24:10 ( J ), יִשְׂפֹּק עָלֵימוֺ כַפֵּ֑ימוֺ Job 27:23 so תָּקַע כַּף עלֿ Nah 3:19, הִכָּה כַפִּי אֶלֿ Ezek 22:13 (of ׳ י); absolute, בְכַפְּךָהִכָּה Ezek 6:11 (as מחא יד Ezek 25:6), הִכָּה כַּף אֶלכַּֿף Ezek 21:19 , אַכֶּה כַפִּי אֶלכַּֿפִּי v.Ezek 21:22 (of ׳ י). (2) תָּפַשׂ בַּכַּף grasp, seize with the hand Ezek 29:7 compare Ezek 29:7 (on text see above) (3) of hand-grasp as pledge לַזָּר כַּפֶּיךָתָּקַעְתָּ Prov 6:1 ( if) thou hast smitten thy palms (given a double hand-grasp), for another (so De; || עָרַבְתָּ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ ); so absolute תקע כף Prov 17:18 ; Prov 22:26 (compare תקע ליד Job 17:3). (4) often of hand spread out in prayer, as sign of longing to receive, with פָּרַשׂ אֶלֿ Exod 9:29; Exod 9:33 ( J ), 1Kgs 8:38 = 2Chr 6:29 , etc. (see יד Ps 143:6; Lam 1:17 and יָד 1.d., above; also פרשׂ, נשׂא, שׁטח ). (5) שׂים כַּף לְפֶה, in respectful silence, Job 29:9. (6) figurative בְכַפִּיוָאָשִׂימָה נַפְשִׁי Judg 12:3 = I have taken my life in my hand (i.e. hazarded it), so 1Sam 19:5; 1Sam 28:21 ; Job 13:14 and (without verb) Ps 119:109. (7) ׳ נִקְיֹן כ Gen 20:5 cleanness of palms is figurative for purity of act, compare Ps 26:6, also Job 9:30 ; Job 22:30 ; Ps 24:4 ; Ps 73:13 conversely, ( לֹא ) חָמָס בְּכַפָּ֑י Job 16:17 ; 1Chr 12:18; Isa 59:6; Jonah 3:8, compare Isa 59:3 (so ידים Isa 1:15 ), Job 31:7 ; Ps 7:4. — In many cases כַּף is not to be distinguished from יָד; so in phrase ׳ יְגִיעַ כ toil of the hands Gen 31:42 ; Hag 1:11 ; Job 10:3 ; Ps 128:2 ׳ פֹּעַל כ Ps 9:17 , ׳ חֵפֶץ כ Prov 31:13 ׳ תְּבוּנוֺת כ Ps 78:72 , ׳ פְּרִי כ Prov 31:16 ; compare Mic 7:3.
2. = power (i.e. grasp) of any one, נתן בכף Judg 6:13 = deliver into the power of, so Jer 12:7, compare בּוֺא בכף Prov 6:3 usually הוֺשִׁיעַ, פּדָה, הִצִּיל etc., with מִכַּף = out of the power of Judg 6:14; 1Sam 4:3; 2Sam 14:16 ; 2Sam 19:10 (twice in verse); 2Sam 22:1 (twice in verse) = Ps 18:1 (title), 2Kgs 16:7 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 20:6 = Isa 38:6; Mic 4:10; Jer 15:21; 2Chr 30:6; 2Chr 32:11 ; Ezra 8:31; Ps 71:4 (compare יָד 5.g., p. 391 above)
3. רַגְלָהּכַּף, etc., = sole of foot, Gen 8:9 ( J ), Josh 3:13 ; Josh 4:18 (both J E ), 1Kgs 5:17 ; 2Kgs 19:24 = Isa 37:25 ; Deut 11:24 ; Deut 28:56 ; Deut 28:65 ; Josh 1:3 ( D ) Ezek 43:7 ; Mal 3:21 קָדְקֳדוֺמִכַּף רַגְלוֺ וְעַד 2Sam 14:25 ; Job 2:7, compare Isa 1:6 (figurative); ׳ ר ׳ מִדְרַךְ כ Deut 2:5 treading-place for the sole of a foot; of the cherubim Ezek 1:7, of a calf, (in simile) Ezek 1:7., (according to MT; compare however Co).
4. of various hollow, bending or bent objects: —
a. hollow (i.e. socket), of the thigh-joint, יָרֵךְ ׳ כ Gen 32:26 (twice in verse); Gen 32:33 (twice in verse) ( J ).
b. pan, vessel (as hollow), used in ritual, Exod 25:29; Exod 37:16; Num 5:7; Num 7:14 + 15 t. Num 7 ; 1Kgs 7:50 = 2Chr 4:22; 2Kgs 25:14 = Jer 52:18; Jer 52:19; 2Chr 24:14.
c. hollow of sling, 1Sam 25:29.
d. כַּפּוֺת תְּמָרִים Lev 23:40 = of huge hand-shaped branches (or fronds) of palm-trees.
e. כַּפּוֺת הַמַּנְעוּל Song 5:5 the (bent) handles of the bolt.


Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

Englishman's Hebrew Concordance

כף (kaph)

Genesis 8:9

KJV: But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.pulled…: Heb. caused her to come
EHCC: no rest for the sole of her foot,

Genesis 31:42

KJV: Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
EHCC: the labour of my Aands, .

Genesis 89:95

EHCC: 96(.6 touched the hollow of bis (hit

Genesis 40:11

KJV: And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
EHCC: 1 gave the cup into Pharaoh's bead. |

Exodus 4:4

KJV: And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
EHCC: it became a rod in his kasd: /

Exodus 9:29

KJV: And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord’s.
EHCC: 1 will spread abroad my hands

Exodus 25:29

KJV: And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.to…: or, to pour out withal
EHCC: the dishes thereof, and spoons fhe,

Exodus 29:24

KJV: And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.shalt wave: or, shalt shake to and fro
EHCC: in the hands of Aaron, and in the

Exodus 33:92

EHCC: will cover thee with amy hand

Exodus 23:1

KJV: Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.raise: or, receive
EHCC: will take away mine hand,

Exodus 87:16

EHCC: the table, bis dishes. and is roe -

Leviticus 8:27

KJV: And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord.
EHCC: he put all upon Aaron's hasds

Leviticus 9:17

KJV: And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.took…: Heb. filled his hand out of it
EHCC: took an handful (ae: on

Leviticus 11:27

KJV: And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
EHCC: whatsoever upon

Leviticus 14:16

KJV: And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord:
EHCC: the palm ertinown el hands ו |

Leviticus 6:19

KJV: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
EHCC: upon the hands of the Nazarite,

Leviticus 4:18

KJV: And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
EHCC: the soles of the priests’ feet

Leviticus 7:50

EHCC: and the basons, and the spoons,

Leviticus 9:35

EHCC: and the palms of (her) hands.

Leviticus 7:0

EHCC: ut of the hand of the king of Syria, and :16

Leviticus 18:21

KJV: And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.Molech: Gr. Moloch
EHCC: if a man lean, it will go into his hand,

Leviticus 6:0

EHCC: ut othe hand of the kings of Assyria. :0

Leviticus 24:4

KJV: He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the Lord continually.
EHCC: He that hath clean hands,

Leviticus 26:6

KJV: And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.rid: Heb. cause to cease
EHCC: 1 will wash mine hands in innocency:

Leviticus 47:1

EHCC: (2).O clap your a 6 8

Leviticus 73:13

EHCC: washed m: in innocency.

Leviticus 78:72

EHCC: by the skilfulness of hie hando. |

Leviticus 88:9

EHCC: (10). 1 have stretched out my haads .

Leviticus 91:12

EHCC: They shall bear thee up in (their) hands,

Leviticus 98:8

EHCC: Let the floods clap (their) hands:

Leviticus 128:2

EHCC: thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands:

Leviticus 129:7

EHCC: the mower filleth not his hand;

Leviticus 139:5

EHCC: and laid thine Aand upon me.

Leviticus 141:2

EHCC: the lifting up of my hands

Proverbs 6:1

KJV: My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
EHCC: (if) thou hast stricken thy hand with

Proverbs 10:4

KJV: He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
EHCC: poor that dealeth (with) a slack hand:

Proverbs 22:26

KJV: Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
EHCC: (one) of them that strike ands,

Proverbs 81:13

EHCC: worketh willingly with her hands.

Ecclesiastes 4:6

KJV: Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
EHCC: an handful (with) quietness,

Song of Songs 5:5

KJV: I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.sweet…: Heb. passing, or, running about
EHCC: upon the handles ofthe lock.

Song of Songs 28:4

EHCC: while Ms yet in his hand

Song of Songs 36:6

EHCC: it will go into his hand, and pierce

Song of Songs 37:25

EHCC: with the sole of Tay feet have I dried up

Song of Songs 93:6

EHCC: And I will deliver...out of the hand of the

Song of Songs 49:16

EHCC: upon the palms of (my) hands;

Song of Songs 55:12

EHCC: all the trees...sball clap (their) hands.

Song of Songs 59:3

EHCC: your hands are defiled with blood,

Song of Songs 60:14

EHCC: bow themselves down at the soles of thy

Song of Songs 62:3

EHCC: in the hand of thy God.

Jeremiah 4:31

KJV: For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
EHCC: (that) spreadeth her hands,

Jeremiah 12:7

KJV: I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.the dearly…: Heb. the love
EHCC: tato the hand of her enemies.

Jeremiah 15:21

KJV: And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
EHCC: out of the hand of the terrible,

Jeremiah 52:18

KJV: The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.shovels: or, instruments to remove the ashesbowls: or, basons
EHCC: the bowls, and the spoons,

Lamentations 2:15

KJV: All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?by: Heb. by the way
EHCC: All that pass by clap (their) hands

Lamentations 3:41

KJV: Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
EHCC: lift up our heart with (our) hands

Ezekiel 1:7

KJV: And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.straight…: Heb. a straight foot
EHCC: and the sole of their feet (was) like the sole

Ezekiel 6:11

KJV: Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.
EHCC: Smite with thine hand,

Ezekiel 21:11

KJV: And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
EHCC: (16).that it may be handled: (lit. to be

Ezekiel 22:13

KJV: Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
EHCC: 1 have smitten mine hand

Ezekiel 29:7

KJV: When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.
EHCC: they took hold of thee by thy hand,

Ezekiel 43:7

KJV: And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.
EHCC: the place of the soles of my feet,

Daniel 10:10

KJV: And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.set: Heb. moved
EHCC: and (upon) the palms of my hands.

Jonah 3:8

KJV: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
EHCC: the violence that (is) in their hands,

Micah 4:10

KJV: Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.
EHCC: from the hand of thine enemies.

Micah 7:3

KJV: That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.his…: Heb. the mischief of his soul
EHCC: That they may do evil with both hands

Nahum 3:19

KJV: There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?healing: Heb. wrinkling
EHCC: shall clap the hands over thee:

Habakkuk 2:9

KJV: Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!coveteth…: or, gaineth and evil gainpower…: Heb. palm of the hand
EHCC: from the power (marg. palm of the hand)

Malachi 4:3

KJV: And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.
EHCC: (3:21). under the soles of your feet
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