כִּיר (kir)
kir
stove
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun kir refers to a cooking furnace or stove, specifically one made of clay or earthenware. In the Hebrew Bible, this object is essential for preparing food over an open fire, serving as a portable hearth that could withstand high heat while remaining relatively lightweight.
Its most notable usage appears in Leviticus 11:35, where it is described as "frangible" or breakable. This physical fragility carries significant ritual weight: if a dead creeping animal falls into such a vessel, the entire container must be broken and discarded rather than cleaned. The porous nature of the clay meant that impurities could not simply be washed away, making destruction the only way to restore ritual purity.
This single occurrence highlights how everyday household items intersected with ancient Israelite law. The kir was not merely a tool for cooking but also a boundary marker for holiness, illustrating how physical properties like brittleness dictated spiritual practices in daily life.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kir refers to a clay stove or cooking furnace used in ancient Israel. These vessels were essential for daily life, allowing families to prepare meals over an open fire. Unlike metal pots, clay was porous and fragile, meaning it could not be easily cleaned if contaminated.
In Leviticus 11:35, this physical trait becomes a spiritual lesson. If a dead creeping animal touched the stove, it could not simply be washed. The clay absorbed impurities, so the only way to restore purity was to break the vessel and discard it. This shows how everyday objects reflected deeper truths about holiness.
For your faith, this reminds us that some things in life cannot be fixed by simple cleaning. When sin or brokenness enters our lives, we may need to let go of what is no longer usable. God provides new beginnings when we trust Him with the broken pieces, offering restoration rather than just repair.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ a stove1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/כִירַ֛יִם1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 11:35
Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.
This verse uniquely links the physical fragility of the clay stove to ritual purity laws, requiring its destruction if contaminated by a dead creature.