קֻבַּעַת (qub.ba.at)
qub.ba.at
dreg
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qubba‘at refers simply to a cup or drinking vessel. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times within the book of Isaiah. In these contexts, the word denotes the physical object used for holding liquid, serving as a concrete image rather than an abstract concept.
Its usage is straightforward and literal. The sources do not indicate any special metaphorical weight or distinct nuance compared to other words for vessel. It functions as a standard term for a cup, grounding the prophetic imagery in everyday reality. This simplicity allows the surrounding text to carry the symbolic load, whether describing judgment or comfort.
Because the word is so rare, its meaning is defined entirely by these two occurrences. Isaiah uses it to depict scenes of divine interaction, where the cup itself becomes a focal point for what is being poured out or received. The brevity of its biblical presence highlights how specific objects can anchor larger theological themes without needing extensive lexical explanation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In Isaiah’s prophecy, this word for a drinking vessel anchors powerful images of both judgment and relief. It describes the physical cup held in one’s hand, making the spiritual reality of God’s interaction with His people tangible and immediate.
For believers today, these verses remind us that our circumstances are seen by God. Whether facing a season of hardship or experiencing deliverance, He is present. The imagery offers comfort: just as the cup was removed from Jerusalem’s hand, burdens can be laid down in trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] bowl of2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קֻבַּ֜עַת1×
- קֻבַּ֙עַת֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 51:17
Awake, awake! Stand up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from Yahweh’s hand the cup of his wrath. You have drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.
The word describes the cup held by Jerusalem, emphasizing that the suffering experienced was a direct consequence of divine judgment.
-
Isaiah 51:22
Your Lord Yahweh, your God who pleads the cause of his people, says, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath. You will not drink it any more.
Here Yahweh declares He has removed the same cup from their hand, highlighting His role as protector who ends the period of staggering.