כְּתַל (ke.tal)
ke.tal
wall
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun ketal simply means a wall. It appears in only two verses, both found in the books of Ezra and Daniel, which are written largely in Aramaic. In these contexts, it refers to the physical structures that protected ancient cities or marked boundaries.
This word is the direct Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew kotel (H3796). The shift from Hebrew to Aramaic often involved slight changes in spelling and pronunciation, but the core meaning remained stable. Here, ketal denotes a solid barrier, much like the walls of Jerusalem that were rebuilt under Ezra’s leadership or the fortifications mentioned in Daniel’s visions.
Its limited usage highlights how specific vocabulary can be in certain biblical sections. While Hebrew uses kotel more broadly across the Old Testament, ketal anchors its meaning firmly within the Aramaic portions of Scripture. This distinction helps readers track linguistic shifts as the biblical narrative moves between different cultural and political spheres.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Aramaic word ketal refers to a physical wall, appearing in just two verses within Ezra and Daniel. In these texts, it describes solid barriers that protected cities or marked significant boundaries. For instance, the builders in Ezra worked diligently on the walls of Jerusalem, while Daniel witnessed a divine message written on the palace wall.
These structures remind us of God’s protection and presence in our lives. Just as walls provided safety for ancient communities, faith offers stability during uncertain times. We can trust that God remains near, guarding us with His enduring love.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ walls/ the1×
- [the] wall of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְתַ֥ל1×
- בְּ/כֻתְלַיָּ֑/א1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 5:8
Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
This verse highlights the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls as an act of diligent obedience to God.
-
Daniel 5:5
In the same hour, the fingers of a man’s hand came out and wrote near the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. The king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
Here, the wall serves as a canvas for divine judgment, showing God’s sovereignty over human power.