3532. kebes
Lexical Summary
kebes: Lamb

Original Word: כֶּבֶשׂ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: kebes
Pronunciation: keh-bes
Phonetic Spelling: (keh-bes')
KJV: lamb, sheep
NASB: male lambs, lambs, lamb, male lamb, sheep, male
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to dominate]

1. a ram (just old enough to butt)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
lamb, sheep

From an unused root meaning to dominate; a ram (just old enough to butt) -- lamb, sheep.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a lamb
NASB Translation
lamb (21), lambs (28), male (1), male lamb (18), male lambs (32), sheep (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ107 noun masculineExodus 29:38 lamb (√ dubious: Late Hebrew id., battering-ram; Assyrian kabšu, lamb according to COTGloss; Arabic is ram, leader; Syriac lamb, with anom. , is very rare, and probably loan-word; Nö in Frä109) — ׳כ absolute Exodus 29:39 43t.; plural כְּבָשִׂים Exodus 29:38 61t.; suffix כְּבָשַׂי Job 31:20; —

1 lamb, for sacrifice: Isaiah 1:11; of daily offering Exodus 29:38,39 (twice in verse); Exodus 29:40,41; Numbers 28:3,4 (twice in verse) + 12 t. Numbers 28; sin-offering Leviticus 4:32; purification Leviticus 12:6; Leviticus 14:10 5t. Leviticus 14; dedication of altar Numbers 7:15 25t. Numbers 7; offerings in 7th month Numbers 29:2 22t. Numbers 29, etc. (87 t. Exodus Leviticus Numbers all P); in Ezekiel's temple Ezekiel 46:4 6t. Ezekiel 46; 1 Chronicles 29:21; 2Chronicles 29:21,22,32; 35:7; Ezra 8:35, compare simile Jeremiah 11:19.

2 lambs, as grazing; symbol of devastation Isaiah 5:17 (compare GieBeitr. 1890), simile of Israel Hosea 4:16; in predict. ׳וְגָר זְאֵב עִםכֿ Isaiah 11:6.

3 lambs, as furnishing wool for clothing: Job 31:20 ׳גֵּז כ, Proverbs 27:26 לִלְבוּשֶׁ֑ךָ ׳כ.

Topical Lexicon
Term Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 3532, keves (or kebes), denotes a male lamb, generally one year old. The word appears some 107 times, almost exclusively in cultic or pastoral contexts. Its consistent association with sacrifice invests it with rich theological meaning that threads from Genesis through the Prophets and anticipates the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God.

Occurrences and Distribution

Keves clusters densely in five literary corpora: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Ezekiel. Exodus and Leviticus together account for over half the total occurrences, reflecting the centrality of the lamb in covenant worship. Narrative passages outside the Pentateuch employ the term more sparingly, often to underscore covenant unfaithfulness or promise restoration (for example, 2 Samuel 12:4; Isaiah 16:1; Ezekiel 45:15).

Role in Levitical Sacrifices

Burnt Offering

Keves is the animal most frequently prescribed for the olah. In Leviticus 1:10–13 the worshiper may offer “a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats,” but the following instructions focus on the male lamb. The lamb is to be “slaughtered on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to sprinkle its blood against the sides of the altar” (Leviticus 1:11). The fragrant aroma ascending from a wholly consumed lamb dramatizes total consecration to God.

Sin Offering

For individual sins committed unintentionally, a female keves may be brought (Leviticus 4:32–35). The substitutionary logic is unmistakable: “The priest will make atonement for him concerning the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven” (Leviticus 4:35). The blood manipulation rites highlight the seriousness of sin even when inadvertent.

Guilt Offering

Leviticus 14 mandates a male keves in the trespass (asham) ritual for cleansed lepers. The blood is applied to the right ear, thumb, and big toe of the healed individual, pointing to comprehensive restoration to covenant life (Leviticus 14:12–18).

Peace Offering

While bovines often serve, a keves without blemish is equally acceptable (Leviticus 3:6–11). The fat portions, reserved exclusively for Yahweh, teach the worshiper that the best parts belong to God.

Passover Significance

Exodus 12 establishes the lamb as the center of Israel’s redemption narrative. “Your lamb is to be an unblemished male, a year old… You must slaughter it at twilight” (Exodus 12:5–6). The blood shielded households from the destroyer, marking out a redeemed people. The memorial feast calibrated Israel’s calendar and identity around the substitutionary death of a lamb. The Passover lamb prepares canonical soil for John the Baptist’s proclamation, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Priestly Ordination and Consecration

Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8 require two kevasim during priestly installation—one for the sin offering, another for the burnt offering. Along with a ram of ordination, the lambs broadcast the necessity of purity in those who mediate between God and His people. The blood is applied to ear, thumb, and toe of the priests, mirroring the leper’s rite and reinforcing the theme of whole-person sanctification.

Festal and Daily Rituals

Daily Tamid

Numbers 28:3–8 commands “two male lambs a year old, without blemish, as a regular burnt offering each day.” Morning and evening lambs bookend Israel’s daily life with perpetual remembrance of atonement and communion.

Sabbath Addition

Each Sabbath doubles the daily routine: “On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two male lambs a year old without blemish… in addition to the regular burnt offering” (Numbers 28:9–10). The extra kevasim underscore the sanctity of God’s appointed rest.

Monthly New Moon

Monthly renewal required “two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished” (Numbers 28:11). Inclusion of multiple kevasim reiterates the lamb’s central sacrificial role.

Pilgrim Festivals

Unleavened Bread, Weeks, Trumpets, and Tabernacles each incorporate lamb offerings, climaxing at Tabernacles with seventy bulls, fourteen rams, and ninety-eight kevasim over seven days (Numbers 29). The sheer volume symbolizes abundance and covenant fellowship.

Day of Atonement

Leviticus 16 prescribes a sin offering from a goat for the nation, yet the burnt offering component still features “one ram from the flock” (Leviticus 16:3) and omits a keves. Ezekiel’s eschatological temple, however, restores the lamb to Yom Kippur: “On the fourteenth day of the first month you are to offer a Passover feast… and a young bull and seven unblemished male lambs” (Ezekiel 45:21-23).

Non-Cultic References

Outside ritual texts, keves can refer to ordinary livestock, as in Jacob’s flocks (Genesis 30:32), Nathan’s parable (2 Samuel 12:4), or Proverbs 27:23. Such passages remind readers that sacrificial animals were drawn from everyday pastoral life, making worship both accessible and costly.

Symbolic and Prophetic Dimensions

Innocence and Humility

Isaiah 53:7 pictures the Suffering Servant as “a lamb led to slaughter,” evoking the silent submission and innocence of the sacrificial keves. Jeremiah uses similar imagery for himself: “I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter” (Jeremiah 11:19).

Covenant Failure and Hope

Ezekiel 45–46 portrays renewed worship featuring kevasim, signalling covenant restoration. Amos 6:4 rebukes the complacent who recline on ivory couches and “eat lambs from the flock,” indicting them for misusing gifts intended for worship.

Universal Reign of Peace

Isaiah’s oracle of messianic peace envisions predator and prey coexisting: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6). The keves becomes a sign of covenant harmony extending to creation itself.

Christological Fulfillment

Substitutionary Atonement

1 Peter 1:18–19 declares believers redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.” The moral perfection required in every keves finds ultimate realization in the sinless Messiah.

Passover Completion

Paul writes, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Exodus lamb’s blood that delivered Israel from death foreshadows the cross where Christ shields believers from divine wrath.

Perpetual Intercession

The tamid offering of two daily lambs prefigures the continual priestly ministry of Jesus. Hebrews 7:25 affirms that He “always lives to intercede,” accomplishing eternally what the daily kevasim could only typify.

Apocalyptic Victory

Revelation crowns the imagery: the conquering Lion of Judah appears as “a Lamb standing as if slain” (Revelation 5:6), integrating sacrificial death and sovereign rule. The redeemed worship, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 5:12), echoing the Pentateuchal refrain of fragrant aroma and acceptable sacrifice.

Pastoral and Devotional Applications

Whole-Life Consecration

The total consumption of the burnt-offering lamb challenges believers toward undivided devotion. Romans 12:1 urges presenting bodies “as a living sacrifice,” appropriating the keves typology to Christian ethics.

Daily Rhythm of Worship

Morning and evening burnt offerings ground the faithful in regular communion. Family and congregational worship patterned after this rhythm nurtures ongoing awareness of Christ’s mediating work.

Corporate Fellowship

Peace offerings featuring kevasim involve communal meals in God’s presence. The Lord’s Supper, instituted by the Passover Lamb Himself, perpetuates this fellowship under the New Covenant.

Missional Witness

Isaiah’s vision of the lamb in a reconciled creation propels gospel proclamation, heralding the one sacrifice able to usher global peace (Acts 1:8).

Pastoral Care

Nathan’s parable of the poor man’s keves (2 Samuel 12:1-4) illustrates tender shepherding. Church leaders, called to “shepherd the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:2), reflect the Lamb-Shepherd paradigm found in Revelation 7:17.

Conclusion

From Genesis pastures to Revelation’s throne, the keves threads a golden line of substitution, consecration, and hope. Its sacrificial blood announces the cost of atonement; its unblemished body prefigures the sinless Christ; its daily presentation models constant worship. In the Lamb of God, every keves offered on Israel’s altars finds perfect and eternal fulfillment.

Forms and Transliterations
בַכְּבָשִׂ֖ים בכבשים הַכְּבָשִֽׂים׃ הַכְּבָשִׂ֔ים הַכְּבָשִׂ֥ים הַכֶּ֗בֶשׂ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַכֶּ֥בֶשׂ הַכֶּ֧בֶשׂ הכבש הכבשים הכבשים׃ וְכֶ֨בֶשׂ וְלַ֨כְּבָשִׂ֔ים וְלַכְּבָשִׂ֖ים וְלַכְּבָשִׂ֛ים וְלַכְּבָשִׂ֥ים וָכֶ֧בֶשׂ וּכְבָשִׂ֛ים וּכְבָשִׂ֣ים וכבש וכבשים ולכבשים כְּ֝בָשַׂי כְּבָשִֽׂים׃ כְּבָשִׂ֑ים כְּבָשִׂ֛ם כְּבָשִׂ֣ים כְּבָשִׂ֤ים כְּבָשִׂ֥ים כְּבָשִׂ֧ים כְּבָשִׂ֨ים כְּבָשִׂים֙ כְּכֶ֖בֶשׂ כְּכֶ֥בֶשׂ כְבָשִׂ֖ים כְבָשִׂ֛ים כְבָשִׂ֥ים כְבָשִׂים֙ כֶּ֔בֶשׂ כֶּ֛בֶשׂ כֶּ֣בֶשׂ כֶּ֤בֶשׂ כֶּ֥בֶשׂ כֶּֽבֶשׂ־ כֶּבֶשׂ֩ כבש כבש־ כבשי כבשים כבשים׃ כבשם ככבש לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ לכבש ḇak·kə·ḇā·śîm ḇakkəḇāśîm chevaSim hak·kə·ḇā·śîm hak·ke·ḇeś hakkəḇāśîm hakkeḇeś hakkevaSim hakKeves kə·ḇā·śay kə·ḇā·śim kə·ḇā·śîm ḵə·ḇā·śîm ke·ḇeś ke·ḇeś- kə·ḵe·ḇeś kəḇāśay kəḇāśim kəḇāśîm ḵəḇāśîm keḇeś keḇeś- keCheves kəḵeḇeś Kevasai kevaSim Keves lak·ke·ḇeś lakkeḇeś lakKeves ū·ḵə·ḇā·śîm uchevaSim ūḵəḇāśîm vaCheves vakkevaSim veCheves velakkevaSim wā·ḵe·ḇeś wāḵeḇeś wə·ḵe·ḇeś wə·lak·kə·ḇā·śîm wəḵeḇeś wəlakkəḇāśîm
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 12:5
HEB: לָכֶ֑ם מִן־ הַכְּבָשִׂ֥ים וּמִן־ הָעִזִּ֖ים
NAS: you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
KJV: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats:
INT: become from the sheep from the goats

Exodus 29:38
HEB: עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵֽי־ שָׁנָ֛ה
NAS: old lambs each day,
KJV: two lambs of the first
INT: on the altar lambs old year

Exodus 29:39
HEB: אֶת־ הַכֶּ֥בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֖ד תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה
NAS: The one lamb you shall offer
KJV: The one lamb thou shalt offer
INT: lamb the one shall offer

Exodus 29:39
HEB: בַבֹּ֑קֶר וְאֵת֙ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
NAS: and the other lamb you shall offer
KJV: and the other lamb thou shalt offer
INT: shall offer the morning lamb and the other shall offer

Exodus 29:40
HEB: הַהִ֖ין יָ֑יִן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָֽד׃
NAS: for a drink offering with one lamb.
KJV: And with the one lamb a tenth
INT: of a hin of wine lamb one

Exodus 29:41
HEB: וְאֵת֙ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
NAS: The other lamb you shall offer
KJV: And the other lamb thou shalt offer
INT: lamb the other shall offer

Leviticus 4:32
HEB: וְאִם־ כֶּ֛בֶשׂ יָבִ֥יא קָרְבָּנ֖וֹ
NAS: he brings a lamb as his offering
KJV: And if he bring a lamb for a sin
INT: if A lamb brings his offering

Leviticus 9:3
HEB: לְחַטָּ֔את וְעֵ֨גֶל וָכֶ֧בֶשׂ בְּנֵי־ שָׁנָ֛ה
NAS: and a calf and a lamb, both one year
KJV: and a calf and a lamb, [both] of the first
INT: A sin calf lamb old year

Leviticus 12:6
HEB: לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־ שְׁנָתוֹ֙
NAS: old lamb for a burnt offering
KJV: she shall bring a lamb of the first
INT: A daughter shall bring lamb old year

Leviticus 14:10
HEB: יִקַּ֤ח שְׁנֵֽי־ כְבָשִׂים֙ תְּמִימִ֔ים וְכַבְשָׂ֥ה
NAS: two male lambs without
KJV: two he lambs without blemish,
INT: take two male without ewe

Leviticus 14:12
HEB: הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֗ד וְהִקְרִ֥יב
NAS: the one male lamb and bring
KJV: one he lamb, and offer
INT: shall take the priest male the one and bring

Leviticus 14:13
HEB: וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֶת־ הַכֶּ֗בֶשׂ בִּ֠מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר
NAS: Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place
KJV: And he shall slay the lamb in the place
INT: shall slaughter the male the place where

Leviticus 14:21
HEB: מַשֶּׂגֶת֒ וְ֠לָקַח כֶּ֣בֶשׂ אֶחָ֥ד אָשָׁ֛ם
NAS: one male lamb for a guilt offering
KJV: one lamb [for] a trespass offering
INT: are insufficient take male one A guilt

Leviticus 14:24
HEB: הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־ כֶּ֥בֶשׂ הָאָשָׁ֖ם וְאֶת־
NAS: shall take the lamb of the guilt offering
KJV: shall take the lamb of the trespass offering,
INT: shall take the priest the lamb of the guilt and the log

Leviticus 14:25
HEB: וְשָׁחַט֮ אֶת־ כֶּ֣בֶשׂ הָֽאָשָׁם֒ וְלָקַ֤ח
NAS: Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt
KJV: And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering,
INT: shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt take

Leviticus 23:12
HEB: אֶת־ הָעֹ֑מֶר כֶּ֣בֶשׂ תָּמִ֧ים בֶּן־
NAS: you shall offer a male lamb one year
KJV: the sheaf an he lamb without blemish
INT: wave the sheaf A male without old

Leviticus 23:18
HEB: הַלֶּ֗חֶם שִׁבְעַ֨ת כְּבָשִׂ֤ים תְּמִימִם֙ בְּנֵ֣י
NAS: old male lambs without defect,
KJV: seven lambs without blemish
INT: the bread seven male without old

Leviticus 23:19
HEB: לְחַטָּ֑את וּשְׁנֵ֧י כְבָשִׂ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י שָׁנָ֖ה
NAS: and two male lambs one year
KJV: and two lambs of the first
INT: A sin and two male old year

Leviticus 23:20
HEB: עַל־ שְׁנֵ֖י כְּבָשִׂ֑ים קֹ֛דֶשׁ יִהְי֥וּ
NAS: with two lambs before
KJV: with the two lambs: they shall be holy
INT: with two lambs are to be holy become

Numbers 6:12
HEB: נִזְר֔וֹ וְהֵבִ֛יא כֶּ֥בֶשׂ בֶּן־ שְׁנָת֖וֹ
NAS: and shall bring a male lamb a year
KJV: and shall bring a lamb of the first
INT: A Nazirite and shall bring A male old A year

Numbers 6:14
HEB: קָרְבָּנ֣וֹ לַיהוָ֡ה כֶּבֶשׂ֩ בֶּן־ שְׁנָת֨וֹ
NAS: to the LORD: one male lamb a year old
KJV: one he lamb of the first
INT: his offering to the LORD male old A year

Numbers 7:15
HEB: אַ֧יִל אֶחָ֛ד כֶּֽבֶשׂ־ אֶחָ֥ד בֶּן־
NAS: ram, one male lamb one year old,
KJV: ram, one lamb of the first year,
INT: ram one male one old

Numbers 7:17
HEB: עַתּוּדִ֣ים חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה כְּבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־ שָׁנָ֖ה
NAS: five male lambs one year
KJV: five lambs of the first
INT: male five male old year

Numbers 7:21
HEB: אַ֧יִל אֶחָ֛ד כֶּֽבֶשׂ־ אֶחָ֥ד בֶּן־
NAS: ram, one male lamb one year old,
KJV: ram, one lamb of the first year,
INT: ram one male one old

Numbers 7:23
HEB: עַתּוּדִ֣ים חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה כְּבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵי־ שָׁנָ֖ה
NAS: five male lambs one year
KJV: five lambs of the first
INT: male five male old year

107 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3532
107 Occurrences


ḵə·ḇā·śîm — 7 Occ.
hak·kə·ḇā·śîm — 6 Occ.
hak·ke·ḇeś — 9 Occ.
kə·ḵe·ḇeś — 2 Occ.
kə·ḇā·śay — 1 Occ.
kə·ḇā·śîm — 36 Occ.
ke·ḇeś — 21 Occ.
lak·ke·ḇeś — 10 Occ.
ū·ḵə·ḇā·śîm — 2 Occ.
wā·ḵe·ḇeś — 1 Occ.
ḇak·kə·ḇā·śîm — 1 Occ.
wə·ḵe·ḇeś — 1 Occ.
wə·lak·kə·ḇā·śîm — 10 Occ.

3531
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