כֶּ֫רַע (ka.ra)
ka.ra
leg
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In the ancient world, the leg was essential for movement, standing firm, and bearing weight. When Scripture mentions legs in the context of sacrifices, it highlights the completeness of what was offered to God. Every part mattered. This reminds us that our worship is not about hidden or secret acts, but about offering our whole selves—our strength, our stability, and our ability to move forward in faith.
Even in moments of judgment or loss, like Amos’s warning, the leg represents what remains after destruction. It shows that God preserves a remnant, even when everything else seems lost. For you, this word may speak of resilience. Even if you feel weak or broken, your foundation in Christ holds firm. You are not defined by what is taken away, but by who sustains you.
When we think about walking with God, the leg becomes a symbol of daily dependence. We do not walk alone. He strengthens our steps and guides our path. This simple body part points to a deeper truth: faith is lived out in motion, in obedience, and in trust, one step at a time.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ legs2×
- legs/ its2×
- legs2×
- and/ legs/ its2×
- and/ the/ legs1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְּרָעָ֖י/ו1×
- כְּרָעָ֑י/ו1×
- כְרָעַ֙יִם֙1×
- כְרָעַ֖יִם1×
- וּ/כְרָעָ֖י/ו1×
- וּ/כְרָעָ֔י/ו1×
- וְ/הַ/כְּרָעַ֖יִם1×
- הַ/כְּרָעָ֑יִם1×
- הַ/כְּרָעַ֖יִם1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 12:9
Don’t eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire; with its head, its legs and its inner parts.
This verse specifies that the Passover lamb must be roasted whole, including its legs, emphasizing the completeness of the sacrifice and the urgency of the meal.
-
Leviticus 1:9
but he shall wash its innards and its legs with water. The priest shall burn all of it on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
Here, the washing of the legs signifies ritual purity before the offering is burned, showing that even parts involved in movement must be cleansed for holy service.
-
Amos 3:12
Yahweh says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.”
This metaphorical use illustrates how God rescues a remnant from judgment, comparing survivors to just two legs left after a lion’s attack.