קָלָה (qa.lah)
qa.lah
to roast
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb qalah means to roast or parch, describing the action of cooking food over dry heat. In the Old Testament, it appears only three times, with two instances in Leviticus detailing the preparation of grain offerings. The text specifies that this grain was roasted in the fire, highlighting a specific culinary method distinct from baking or boiling.
The word also carries a metaphorical weight in Jeremiah 23:29, where God asks if His words are not like fire that burns. Here, the Niphal stem conveys being consumed by heat or burning. This usage connects the physical act of roasting to the intense, purifying power of divine speech.
Its rarity makes each occurrence significant. By focusing on dry heat rather than wet cooking methods, qalah emphasizes transformation through direct exposure to fire. This imagery reinforces the seriousness of ritual obedience and the potency of God’s message in prophetic literature.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word qalah describes the simple yet profound act of roasting grain over dry heat. In Leviticus, this method was used to prepare first fruits as a gift to God, showing that even ordinary agricultural produce could become sacred through careful preparation and direct exposure to fire. This wasn't just cooking; it was an act of reverence that transformed raw harvest into something holy.
When we encounter this word in Jeremiah, the imagery shifts from food to divine speech. God asks if His words are not like fire that burns, consuming and purifying. Just as grain must face the heat to become useful offering, our understanding of Scripture often requires us to sit with its challenging truths. The fire doesn't destroy; it refines.
Joshua 5:11 reminds us that this roasted grain marked a transition for Israel—eating from the land after years in wilderness. It signals new beginnings and God's provision when we step into promised ground. Whether you're facing uncertainty or celebrating provision, remember that preparation matters. God meets us where we are, transforming our ordinary moments into opportunities for grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- roasted1×
- he roasted/ them1×
- and/ roasted [grain]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קָלָ֥/ם1×
- קָל֤וּי1×
- וְ/קָל֑וּי1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 2:14
“‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits fresh heads of grain parched with fire and crushed.
This verse specifies the exact method of preparing first fruit offerings, showing how physical preparation reflects spiritual devotion.
-
Jeremiah 29:22
A curse will be taken up about them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;’
The metaphorical use here connects divine judgment to the destructive power of fire, emphasizing the seriousness of God's words.
-
Joshua 5:11
They ate unleavened cakes and parched grain of the produce of the land on the next day after the Passover, in the same day.
This occurrence marks Israel's transition from wilderness wandering to settled life in the promised land, highlighting God's faithful provision.