כָּתַב (ka.tav)
ka.tav
to write
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 193 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb katav means to write, inscribe, or record something in permanent form. It appears frequently in historical books like Kings and Chronicles, where it describes the act of documenting events, laws, or decrees. The word carries a sense of finality; what is written becomes an established fact or command that cannot be easily undone.
Its usage often involves writing on specific materials, such as stone tablets or scrolls, which emphasizes durability. For instance, Exodus 34:28 notes that God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone, while Jeremiah 36 describes Jeremiah dictating words to a scribe who writes them on a scroll. This physical aspect distinguishes it from mere speech, marking it as an official record.
The term also extends to registering people or items in lists, such as census data or royal accounts. In Esther 8:9, officials write decrees using the king’s seal, showing its administrative power. Translators usually render katav simply as "write," but the Hebrew context often implies creating a lasting testimony rather than just recording temporary information.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word katav carries a sense of permanence that goes beyond simple recording. When Scripture speaks of God writing, it marks something as established and enduring. In Exodus 34:28, we see Yahweh writing the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. This act signals that His covenant is not a fleeting thought but a lasting foundation for life.
For your daily walk, this offers deep comfort. The promises God has made are fixed and reliable. Unlike human words that fade or change, divine records remain secure. You can trust that what He has spoken stands firm, providing stability in uncertain times.
This durability extends to how we view our own lives. Just as Moses wrote down the journey of Israel in Numbers 33:2, God keeps an accurate record of your steps. His attention to detail ensures that no moment is lost to Him. You are known and remembered with care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 193 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- written38×
- [are] written18×
- and/ he wrote15×
- according to <the>/ [what] is written14×
- <the>/ [thing] written7×
- he wrote5×
- write4×
- and/ it was written4×
- and/ he wrote down4×
- and/ he will write4×
- [was] written4×
- which/ were written3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְּתוּבִ֗ים33×
- כְּתוּבִ֔ים7×
- וַ/יִּכְתֹּ֣ב7×
- כַּ/כָּת֖וּב4×
- וַ/יִּכְתֹּ֨ב4×
- כָּת֥וּב3×
- כָּת֣וּב3×
- כְתוּבָ֖ה3×
- כְתוּבִ֗ים3×
- וַ/יִּכְתֹּ֥ב3×
- וְ/כָתַבְתָּ֣3×
- וְ/כָ֨תַב3×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 34:28
He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
This verse highlights the divine origin of the Ten Commandments, emphasizing that God Himself inscribed them to establish an unbreakable covenant.
-
Numbers 33:2
Moses wrote the starting points of their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh. These are their journeys according to their starting points.
Here the word describes Moses recording the specific stages of Israel's journey, showing how writing preserves history and guides future generations.
-
Deuteronomy 6:9
You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates.
This command to write on doorposts illustrates how faith should be integrated into daily life, making spiritual truths visible and permanent in the home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word katav mean?
How is katav different from just speaking?
Where does this word appear most often?
Every Occurrence (193 verses across 24 books)
Exodus 10 verses
Yahweh said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly…
Exodus 24:4Moses wrote all Yahweh’s words, then rose up early in the morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with…
Exodus 24:12Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law…
Exodus 31:18When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets,…
Exodus 32:15Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand; tablets that were…
Exodus 32:32Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”
Exodus 34:1Yahweh said to Moses, “Chisel two stone tablets like the first. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the…
Exodus 34:27Yahweh said to Moses, “Write these words; for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with…
Exodus 34:28He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets…
Exodus 39:30They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engravings of a signet:…