כָּבַר (ka.var)
ka.var
to multiply
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb kavar is extremely rare, appearing only once in the entire Old Testament within the speech of Elihu in Job 36:10. Its core meaning is to be abundant or numerous, describing a state where things are plentiful and interwoven. In this specific context, it describes the multitude of days that God gives to people, suggesting a richness of time rather than just a simple count.
Lexical sources note that while the basic sense involves being many, the word carries a nuance of intertwining or mingling. This implies that the abundance is not just a bare quantity but something complex and layered. Elihu uses it to emphasize that God’s gift of time is substantial enough to allow for learning and instruction, contrasting human brevity with divine generosity.
Because it appears in only one verse, the word does not have a broad theological range across Scripture. Its significance lies entirely in how it shapes Elihu’s argument about patience and wisdom. The rarity of kavar highlights the specific rhetorical weight Elihu places on the abundance of time as a gift for understanding God’s ways.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kavar appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Elihu’s speech in Job. It describes a state of being abundant or numerous, but with a nuance of things being interwoven or mingled together. In this rare instance, it points to a richness that goes beyond simple counting.
Elihu uses this concept to highlight the generosity of God’s gift of time. The abundance is not just about having many days, but about having a layered, substantial period for learning and understanding. It suggests that our lives are filled with enough complexity and duration to seek wisdom.
When we feel overwhelmed by life’s brevity or confusion, this word reminds us that God provides ample space for growth. The richness of our time is an invitation to listen and learn, trusting that the days given to us are sufficient for understanding His ways.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he multiplies1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יַכְבִּֽר\׃\ \פ1×
Key Verses
-
Job 35:16
therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”
This verse uses the word to describe Job multiplying words without knowledge, contrasting human verbosity with divine wisdom.