כָּמַס (ka.mas)
ka.mas
to store up
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb kamas means to store up or save something for future use. In the Bible, this action is almost exclusively linked to God’s reserved judgment rather than human hoarding. The word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 32:34, where it describes vengeance kept in reserve.
This single occurrence carries significant weight. Moses speaks of God saying, "Is it not written in my book that I will repay?" Here, kamas illustrates a divine patience. The punishment is not immediate; it is stored up until the appointed time arrives. This usage highlights that God’s justice is deliberate and certain, even when delayed.
Translators typically render this verb as "store up" or "lay up." The choice emphasizes the intentional nature of the act. The judgment is not an impulsive reaction but a carefully preserved reality. By using kamas, the text assures readers that no wrong goes unnoticed and that accountability is secured in advance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word kamas appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Deuteronomy 32:34. It describes God saying that vengeance is stored up and sealed among His treasures. This single occurrence shifts our focus from human anxiety about justice to divine patience. The text assures us that wrongs are not ignored but carefully preserved until the right moment.
For your faith, this offers profound comfort. You do not need to carry the burden of repaying evil or ensuring immediate fairness. God keeps a record and acts with deliberate timing. This means your trust can rest in His perfect justice rather than your own efforts to fix every wrong. It is a reminder that accountability is secure, even when it feels delayed.
This perspective invites you to release the weight of retaliation. Instead of seeking immediate payback, you can find peace in knowing that God sees everything and will act with precision. Your role is to live faithfully now, trusting that He handles what is stored up for the future.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- stored up1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כָּמֻ֣ס1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 32:34
“Isn’t this laid up in store with me, sealed up among my treasures?
This verse uniquely uses kamas to describe God keeping vengeance sealed in His treasures, emphasizing deliberate timing over immediate action.