כְּפוֹר (ke.phor)
ke.phor
bowl; frost
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun kopher carries two distinct meanings that appear in different contexts within the Old Testament. In its primary usage, it refers to a bowl or basin, specifically one made of gold or silver used for temple service. This sense is found in passages describing the sacred vessels prepared for worship, highlighting the precious materials and careful craftsmanship involved in maintaining the sanctuary.
The second meaning, "hoar frost" or simply "frost," appears less frequently but offers a vivid image of winter’s arrival. This usage connects the word to natural phenomena rather than crafted objects, evoking the cold, crystalline beauty of frozen dew. The shift from a metallic vessel to icy crystals shows how Hebrew vocabulary can span both human artistry and divine creation.
These two definitions are unrelated etymologically but share the same spelling in Masoretic Hebrew. Readers encounter this word in books like Chronicles and Psalms, where it helps paint either the splendor of the temple or the starkness of the season. Understanding which meaning applies depends entirely on the surrounding context, as the text never conflates a golden basin with frozen water.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kopher appears in Scripture with two distinct meanings that reflect different aspects of God's creation. In the temple records, it describes the golden bowls used for sacred service, reminding us that beauty and order have a place in worship. These vessels were crafted with care, showing that the materials we offer to God can be both precious and purposeful.
In other passages, kopher refers to frost or hoar ice, capturing the stark beauty of winter mornings. This natural imagery reminds us that God controls the seasons and the elements, bringing cold and clarity to the earth. Whether in a golden bowl or on the ground as frost, these images point to a Creator who attends to both the crafted and the natural world.
For your faith, this word invites you to see value in both the tangible objects of worship and the quiet moments of nature. It encourages an appreciation for the details of life, whether they are found in the sanctuary or in the frost on the grass, all under God's sovereign care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- for/ a bowl2×
- bowls of2×
- and/ for/ [the] bowls of2×
- and/ a bowl2×
- like <the>/ frost1×
- frost1×
- and/ bowls of1×
- and/ [the] frost of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/כְפ֥וֹר1×
- לִ/כְפ֣וֹר1×
- כַּ/כְּפֹ֖ר1×
- כְּפוֹרֵ֤י1×
- כְּפ֤וֹרֵי1×
- כְּ֝פ֗וֹר1×
- וּ/כְפֽוֹר\׃1×
- וּ/כְפֹרֵ֤י1×
- וּ/כְפֹ֥ר1×
- וּ/כְפ֔וֹר1×
- וְ/לִ/כְפוֹרֵ֨י1×
- וְ/לִ/כְפוֹרֵ֥י1×
Key Verses
-
I Chronicles 28:17
and the forks, the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl;
This verse lists kopher as golden bowls used in temple service, highlighting its role in describing sacred vessels.
-
Exodus 16:14
When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.
Here the word describes the frost-like appearance of manna, using natural imagery to explain a miraculous provision.
-
Job 38:29
Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?
In this rhetorical question, kopher refers to the gray frost of the sky, emphasizing God's power over weather phenomena.