קוֹט (qa.tat)
qa.tat
to cut off
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb qoṭ appears only once in the entire Old Testament, found in Job 8:14. Its basic sense is to be cut off, break, or snap, describing a sudden physical rupture. In this context, Bildad uses it metaphorically to describe the fragile hope of a godless person, which fails under pressure like a brittle twig.
Lexicographers note that the exact meaning remains somewhat uncertain due to its rarity. The root is difficult to trace with certainty, and no clear cognates exist in other Semitic languages to confirm its precise nuance. This isolation makes it a unique lexical item within biblical Hebrew.
Because it occurs so sparingly, translators must rely heavily on the immediate context of Job’s dialogue. The word emphasizes the abruptness of the collapse rather than a gradual decay. It serves as a vivid image of instability, illustrating how quickly confidence can shatter when not anchored in righteousness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word qoṭ appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Job 8:14. Bildad uses it to describe how the hope of a godless person can suddenly snap under pressure. It is like a dry twig that breaks without warning. This rare verb highlights the fragility of trust built on anything other than God.
When life brings heavy burdens, our confidence might feel brittle. We may worry that our faith will shatter if we are not anchored in something solid. Scripture reminds us that true hope does not break easily. It is rooted in God’s character, which remains steady through every storm.
This single occurrence invites us to examine where we place our trust. Are we relying on shifting sand or a firm foundation? The image of a snapped cord warns against shallow confidence. Instead, we are encouraged to build our lives on the enduring word of God, which sustains us when everything else fails.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it snaps1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יָק֥וֹט1×
Key Verses
-
Job 8:14
whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.
This verse uses qoṭ metaphorically to show how a godless person's confidence suddenly breaks apart under pressure, like a fragile spider's web.