קַב (qav)
qav
kab
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun qav refers to a dry measure, specifically the kab. In ancient Israel, this unit held approximately 1.5 liters, representing one-sixth of a seah or one-eighteenth of an ephah. It served as a practical standard for quantifying grains and other dry goods in daily commerce and temple offerings.
Lexical sources confirm that qav appears exclusively as a measure of capacity for dry substances, distinguishing it from liquid measures like the bath. Its usage is rare in the Hebrew Bible, occurring only once in II Kings 6:25, where it helps quantify the price of donkey heads during a severe siege.
This single occurrence highlights the word’s role in documenting economic hardship. The mention of qav provides concrete detail about the scarcity and inflated value of basic staples, illustrating how standard units of measurement function as markers of social crisis rather than routine trade.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qav appears only once in Scripture, recorded in the harrowing account of the siege of Samaria. It names a small dry measure, roughly equivalent to one and a half liters, used for grain or other staples. In that moment of extreme famine, even this modest unit became a marker of desperate scarcity.
This rare occurrence reminds us that God sees the details of human suffering. When basic needs become unaffordable, it reveals the depth of crisis. Yet, Scripture records these hardships not to leave us in despair, but to show that no situation is too broken for divine attention. The same God who provided manna in the wilderness remains faithful when resources run dry.
Reflecting on qav can bring comfort during seasons of lack. It assures us that our Provider knows the value of every measure and sees our needs clearly. We are invited to trust in His provision, knowing that He sustains us through both abundance and scarcity with steady care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ kab1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/קַּ֥ב1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 6:25
There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
This verse uses the term to quantify dove's dung, highlighting the extreme desperation and inflated prices during the siege of Samaria.