כָּסַף (ka.saph)
ka.saph
to long
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb kasp means to long for or yearn after something with intense desire. In the Old Testament, it describes a deep, often painful craving that goes beyond simple want. It appears in contexts where the subject feels a strong pull toward what is absent or distant, whether that is a person, a place, or even the work of one’s own hands.
This word carries a sense of urgency and emotional weight. For instance, it is used to describe someone who longs deeply for their family home, highlighting the ache of separation. It can also depict a fierce, almost primal hunger, such as when a lion yearns to tear its prey. The Niphal stem intensifies this feeling, emphasizing the depth of the longing.
Though it occurs only four times in Scripture, kasp reveals how biblical language captures the human experience of desire. It is not a casual wish but a powerful inward force that drives action or sorrow. Translators often render it as "long for" or "yearn," preserving the raw emotion behind the original Hebrew.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kaspaph describes a longing so deep it feels like physical hunger. It is not a casual wish but an intense ache for something absent or distant. When you feel this pull toward God, family, or justice, you are experiencing a profound human reality that Scripture acknowledges with honesty.
In Job 14:15, the text speaks of God having a desire for the work of His hands. This reminds us that our lives matter deeply to Him. Even in seasons of separation or sorrow, this intense longing can draw your heart closer to the One who created you and knows your innermost cries.
While such deep desires can bring pain, they also point to a greater hope. They remind us that we are made for connection and purpose. Trust that God sees your yearning and invites you to find rest in His presence, knowing He values every part of your story.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will long1×
- you longed1×
- certainly <to long for>1×
- ashamed1×
- [which] it longs1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִכְסֹֽף\׃1×
- נִכְסֹ֥ף1×
- נִכְסָֽף\׃1×
- נִכְסַ֖פְתָּה1×
- יִכְס֣וֹף1×
Key Verses
-
Job 14:15
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
This verse uniquely shows God longing for the work of human hands, reversing the usual direction of desire to affirm human worth.
-
Genesis 31:30
Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
Here the word explains Jacob’s intense motivation to return home, highlighting how deep familial bonds drive major life decisions.
-
Psalms 17:12
He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
The imagery of a lion greedy for prey illustrates the fierce, predatory nature of this desire when it is misdirected toward harm.