קָשֶׁה (qa.sheh)
qa.sheh
severe
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 33 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective qasheh describes something hard, severe, or difficult to bear. It applies to physical conditions like harsh labor in Egypt and intense battles, but it most often characterizes human attitudes. The word captures a stubborn resistance to change, whether it is the stiff-necked defiance of a people or the hardened heart of an individual.
Its range extends from external hardships to internal rigidity. In Exodus, it labels the severe bondage imposed by Pharaoh and the obstinate nature of the Israelites themselves (Exodus 1:14; 32:9). It also describes emotional weight, such as Hannah’s heavy spirit or Joseph’s perception of his brothers’ harsh words (1 Samuel 1:15; Genesis 42:7).
The term appears frequently in the narratives of Exodus and Isaiah to highlight the tension between divine authority and human resistance. Translators render it variously as hard, cruel, stubborn, or severe depending on context. It consistently points to a quality that is difficult to overcome, whether through force of arms or persuasion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word qasheh describes a quality that is hard to bear or difficult to change. It appears in contexts ranging from severe physical labor to stubborn attitudes and harsh words. When we encounter this term, we see how external pressures can weigh on the spirit, much like the heavy burdens faced by the Israelites in Egypt.
Yet the word also points inward, describing a heart that resists guidance or change. This rigidity is not just a historical detail but a mirror for our own struggles. We often find ourselves facing situations that feel unyielding, whether in relationships or personal challenges, where communication breaks down and tension rises.
Understanding this word helps us recognize the weight of stubbornness and the pain it causes. It invites us to seek a softer heart, one that is open to change and less likely to harden against others. In moments of conflict, remembering this concept encourages us to look for ways to ease burdens rather than add to them.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 33 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- hard7×
- stiff of6×
- <the>/ hard3×
- severe2×
- harsh2×
- <the>/ fierce2×
- hard of1×
- for/ [the] hard of1×
- cruel1×
- and/ hard1×
- [were] stubborn1×
- [was] hard1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קְשֵׁה\־6×
- קָשָֽׁה\׃2×
- קָשָׁ֥ה2×
- קָשָׁ֑ה2×
- הַ/קָּשָׁ֗ה2×
- הַ/קָּשָׁ֖ה2×
- קָשָֽׁה\׃\ \פ1×
- קָשָֽׁה\׃\ \ס1×
- קָשָׁ֗ה1×
- קָשָׁ֖ה1×
- קָשֶׁ֛ה1×
- קָשֶׁ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 32:9
Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.
This verse uses the term to describe the Israelites as a stiff-necked people, highlighting their stubborn resistance to God's authority despite His miracles.
-
Genesis 42:7
Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
Here it describes Joseph speaking roughly to his brothers, showing how the word captures harsh interpersonal communication born of suspicion.
-
Exodus 1:14
and they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.
The text uses this adjective for the hard service in mortar and brick, illustrating the severe physical oppression imposed on the Israelites.
-
I Kings 12:13
The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him,
Rehoboam answers the people roughly, demonstrating how the word applies to leadership that responds with harshness instead of wisdom.