כָּתֵף (ka.teph)
ka.teph
shoulder
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 41 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun kâthêph primarily denotes the shoulder, but its usage extends to any lateral projection or side structure. In Genesis 22:3, Abraham loads wood onto his son Isaac’s shoulder, illustrating the word’s literal sense of a body part used for bearing weight. This physical function shapes its metaphorical power in passages like Nehemiah 9:29, where Israel is described as giving a "stubborn shoulder," meaning they refused to carry the burden of God’s law.
The term also applies to inanimate objects with broad, supporting structures. It describes the side walls of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:8) and the bronze stands that supported the laver in the tabernacle (1 Kings 7:30). In these architectural contexts, kâthêph refers to the vertical supports or sides that hold up a heavy load, emphasizing stability and structural integrity rather than mere location.
Its etymological root relates to clothing, specifically where garments hang. This connection highlights the shoulder as a place of dignity and service. When Isaiah speaks of God carrying Israel on His shoulders (Isaiah 49:22), the image draws on this dual sense of physical support and honored responsibility, portraying divine care as both strong and intimate.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for shoulder in Hebrew carries a rich weight of meaning, moving from simple anatomy to profound responsibility. In the Old Testament, it describes the physical strength used to carry heavy burdens, such as the sacred objects of the tabernacle or the wood Isaac carried up Mount Moriah. This imagery reminds us that service often requires strength and endurance, but it also points to a deeper truth about how God relates to His people.
Perhaps the most comforting image is found in Isaiah, where God promises to carry Israel on His shoulders. Here, the shoulder becomes a symbol of divine care and intimate support. It suggests that when we feel overwhelmed by life’s demands, we are not left to bear them alone. The same strength that upheld the temple pillars or lifted the gates of Jericho is available to sustain us in our daily struggles.
When we reflect on this word, we can find encouragement in the idea of being held and supported. It invites us to trust that our burdens are shared with a God who is both powerful and close. Whether we are carrying the weight of duty or seeking rest in His presence, this imagery offers a stable foundation for our faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 41 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] slope of7×
- [the] shoulder-pieces of6×
- [the] side of5×
- from/ [the] side of4×
- a shoulder4×
- shoulders/ his3×
- supports2×
- shoulder-pieces2×
- on the/ shoulder2×
- and/ for the/ side2×
- [the] shoulder of2×
- the/ supports1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כֶּ֤תֶף6×
- כֶּ֥תֶף4×
- מִ/כֶּ֨תֶף3×
- כֶּ֨תֶף2×
- כֶּ֣תֶף2×
- כִּתְפֹ֣ת2×
- מִ/כֶּ֧תֶף1×
- לַ/כָּתֵ֑ף1×
- כָּתֵ֨ף1×
- כָּתֵ֥ף1×
- כֶּ֧תֶף1×
- כִּתְפֹ֥ת1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 28:12
You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.
Aaron bears the names of Israel on his shoulders, showing how the priestly role involves carrying the identity and memory of the people before God.
-
Judges 16:3
Samson lay until midnight, then arose at midnight and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, with the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
Samson’s act of carrying the city gates demonstrates the raw physical power associated with the shoulder in moments of dramatic deliverance.
-
Numbers 7:9
But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them; they carried it on their shoulders.
The Levites carried the sanctuary on their shoulders, illustrating that sacred service required direct physical burden-bearing as an act of reverence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word kâthêph mean?
How is kâthêph used in the Bible?
Why is the shoulder important in biblical imagery?
Every Occurrence (41 verses across 14 books)
Exodus 12 verses
The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exodus 27:15For the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exodus 28:7It shall have two shoulder straps joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together.
Exodus 28:12You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel.…
Exodus 28:25The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of…
Exodus 28:27You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its…
Exodus 38:14the hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
Exodus 38:15and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their…
Exodus 39:4They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. It was joined together at the two ends.
Exodus 39:7He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh…
Exodus 39:18The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the…
Exodus 39:20They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close…