Lexical Summary kachal: To paint, to apply cosmetics Original Word: כָּחַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to paint with stibium A primitive root; to paint (with stibium): NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to paint NASB Translation painted (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כָּחַל] verb paint (eyes) (Late Hebrew id,; Aramaic כְּחַל,  ; Ethiopic  Arabic  ) — only in ׳רָחַצְתְּ כָּחַלְתְּ עֵינַיִךְ וגו Ezekiel 23:40 (Co reads 3 plural); — see also מּוּךְ. Topical Lexicon Definition and Overview The verb denotes the act of darkening or beautifying the eyes with cosmetic pigment. In the Ancient Near East, this practice was widespread, employing powdered antimony (kohl) applied with a small stick to the eyelids and lashes. The purpose could be medicinal, cosmetic, or religious, but in Scripture the single appearance of this verb frames it within a setting of calculated seduction tied to spiritual infidelity. Biblical Occurrence Ezekiel 23:40 records the only canonical use: “Furthermore you sisters sent men from afar. When the messenger arrived, you bathed, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry”. Here the prophet indicts Jerusalem and Samaria, personified as Oholah and Oholibah, who have sought foreign alliances and illicit worship. The eye-painting illustrates deliberate self-presentation aimed at enticing foreign lovers and, by implication, foreign gods. Cultural Background 1. Cosmetics and Status 2. Religious Connections 3. Comparable Biblical Imagery Theological Implications 1. Symbol of Spiritual Adultery Ezekiel employs the vivid picture of painted eyes to expose covenant unfaithfulness. What appears merely cosmetic becomes an emblem of the heart’s inclination toward worldly alliances and idolatry. 2. Vanity versus Holiness Scripture does not universally forbid cosmetics (compare Song of Songs 4:1), yet prophetic critique arises when outward beauty serves pride, deception, or the abandonment of trust in the Lord. The verb’s solitary use underscores how a common cultural practice, neutral in itself, can embody sin when harnessed for unrighteous ends. Practical Ministry Considerations 1. Discern the Heart Motive Contemporary believers may use cosmetics without guilt; the caution lies in the motive—whether adornment expresses stewardship and modesty or feeds vanity and manipulation. 2. Teaching on Identity Ezekiel’s image invites teaching that true beauty flows from covenant faithfulness (1 Peter 3:3-4). External enhancement must never substitute for inner transformation wrought by the Spirit. 3. Counseling Application Pastoral counseling can draw on Ezekiel 23:40 to address issues of sexual temptation, relational compromise, or consumerist pressures, helping believers see how subtle practices can reflect deeper loyalties. Historical Significance The presence of cosmetics in biblical narrative demonstrates the realism of Scripture’s portrayal of ancient life. By appropriating everyday actions for prophetic symbolism, the Bible affirms its consistency: external rituals—whether cosmetic, sacrificial, or liturgical—gain moral weight from the heart’s orientation toward or away from God. Forms and Transliterations כָּחַ֥לְתְּ כחלת kā·ḥalt kaChalt kāḥaltLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 23:40 HEB: לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר רָחַ֛צְתְּ כָּחַ֥לְתְּ עֵינַ֖יִךְ וְעָ֥דִית NAS: you bathed, painted your eyes KJV: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, INT: to whom bathed painted your eyes and decorated 1 Occurrence |
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