כְּלִיא (ke.li)
ke.li
prison
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun keliah refers to imprisonment or a place of confinement, appearing only twice in the Bible, both within the book of Jeremiah. In these instances, the word is part of the phrase "house of keliah," describing a specific location where prisoners were held. This term highlights the physical reality of captivity experienced by biblical figures during times of political turmoil.
Its usage is tightly linked to the narrative of King Zedekiah and the prophet Jeremiah in Jerusalem’s final days. By limiting its occurrence to these two verses, the text emphasizes the severity of the situation rather than offering a broad theological discussion on incarceration. The word serves as a concrete marker of the historical oppression faced by the nation.
Translators typically render keliah as "prison" or "imprisonment," capturing the sense of being locked away. Unlike broader terms for captivity that might include exile, this specific word points to the immediate act of confinement within a designated structure. It reminds readers of the tangible restrictions placed upon those who spoke against the prevailing power.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word keliah points to a place of strict confinement, appearing only in Jeremiah to describe the physical reality of imprisonment during Jerusalem’s final days. It reminds us that even prophets faced tangible restrictions when speaking truth to power. This concrete imagery grounds our faith in history, showing that God’s messengers endured real hardship.
For your life today, this word invites you to trust God’s presence even in restrictive seasons. When circumstances feel like a prison, remember that God sees your confinement and remains sovereign over it. You are not forgotten in the dark places of life; His light reaches there too.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ imprisonment2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/כְּלֽוּא\׃2×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 37:4
Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people, for they had not put him into prison.
This verse clarifies that Jeremiah was not yet confined, highlighting the temporary nature of his freedom before imprisonment.
-
Jeremiah 52:31
In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and released him from prison.
Here the word marks Jehoiachin’s release from prison, showing God’s faithfulness in restoring hope after long captivity.