כִּבְרָה (kiv.rah)
kiv.rah
distance
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun kivrah refers to a distance, specifically an undetermined length of land or space. It appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible, making it a rare term for measuring separation between places.
Its usage highlights physical span rather than precise measurement. In Genesis 12:8 and 13:3, Abraham moves from Bethel to Ai, with kivrah describing the ground he traversed. Similarly, II Kings 5:21 uses it when Naaman’s servant travels a set distance to meet Elisha’s prophet.
Translators often render kivrah as "distance" or "way," reflecting its role in marking travel routes. The word emphasizes the expanse covered rather than exact units, offering a flexible sense of spatial gap in biblical narratives.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kivrah reminds us that life is often a journey measured not in perfect miles, but in the spaces we traverse with God. It describes an undetermined stretch of land, a distance yet to be covered. This term appears in the stories of Abraham and Rachel, highlighting moments where the path ahead was long and the destination uncertain.
When you feel like you are still far from where you need to be, remember that this word captures exactly that feeling. It is not about precise measurements or immediate arrival. It is about the faithfulness required to keep walking through the open spaces of life. God meets us in these stretches of time and space, sustaining us even when the end of the road is not yet visible.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a distance of2×
- [the] distance of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כִּבְרַת\־3×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 35:16
They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.
This verse uses kivrah to describe the physical separation between Bethel and Ephrath, marking a moment of transition and vulnerability for Rachel.
-
Genesis 48:7
As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).”
Jacob recalls this distance when remembering Rachel's death, showing how the word anchors a specific memory of loss along a travel route.
-
II Kings 5:19
He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way.
Here the term indicates a short separation as Naaman departs from Elisha, illustrating its use for any measurable span between two people or places.