Lexical Summary kele: Prison, confinement, enclosure Original Word: כֶּלֶא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance prison From kala'; a prison -- prison. Compare kil'ayim, kliy'. see HEBREW kala' see HEBREW kil'ayim see HEBREW kliy' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kala Definition confinement, restraint, imprisonment NASB Translation prison (2), prison* (7), prisons (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כֶּ֫לֶא noun [masculine] confinement, restraint, imprisonment; — absolute ׳כ 1 Kings 22:27 6t.; suffix כִּלְאוֺ 2 Kings 25:29; Jeremiah 52:33; plural כְּלָאִים Isaiah 42:22; — confinement, in combination ׳בֵּית (ה)כ (compare Assyrian bit kili, prison, DlHWB 328) 1 Kings 22:27 2Chronicles 18:26; 2 Kings 17:4; Jeremiah 37:15,18; Isaiah 42:7; בָּֽתֵּי כְלָאִים Isaiah 42:22 (compare בַּיִת 1 (ε) (2) p. 109 above; see also כלוא below); בִּנְדֵי כִלְאוֺ 2 Kings 25:29 = Jeremiah 52:33 garments of imprisonment = prison-garb. Topical Lexicon Definition and Scopeכֶּלֶא (keleʼ) denotes a place of confinement, translated “prison,” “dungeon,” or “house of restraint.” The term refers both to a literal facility in which a person is kept under guard and, by extension, to the condition of captivity itself. Distribution The noun appears ten times, all in the historical and prophetic books: • 1 Kings 22:27 The contexts range from royal courts in Israel and Judah to prophetic oracles about Israel’s national bondage and the Messianic hope. Historical Setting of Israelite Prisons 1. Royal Custody: Kings maintained private holding quarters within palaces or adjacent complexes (1 Kings 22:27). These facilities were often temporary, pending trial or royal decision. Representative Passages 1. Prophetic Opposition: Micaiah is incarcerated for contradicting royal propaganda (1 Kings 22:27; 2 Chronicles 18:26). The prophet’s faithful testimony leads to physical restraint but ultimately vindicates God’s word. Theological Significance • Judgment for Rebellion: Confinement often follows covenant infidelity or political treachery, emphasizing that disobedience carries tangible consequences (2 Kings 17:4). Ministry Implications 1. Advocacy for the Persecuted: Biblical precedent calls the Church to remember those “in prison, as if you were fellow prisoners” (Hebrews 13:3). Summary כֶּלֶא captures both the grim reality of ancient incarceration and the hopeful promise of divine deliverance. Whether applied to rebellious monarchs, persecuted prophets, or an entire nation under judgment, each occurrence reinforces the consistent biblical message: sin enslaves, but the LORD redeems. Forms and Transliterations הַכֶּ֑לֶא הַכֶּֽלֶא׃ הכלא הכלא׃ כְלָאִ֖ים כִלְא֑וֹ כֶּ֖לֶא כֶּֽלֶא׃ כלא כלא׃ כלאו כלאים chelaIm chilO hak·ke·le hakkele ḵə·lā·’îm ke·le ḵəlā’îm kele ḵil’ōw ḵil·’ōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 22:27 HEB: זֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית הַכֶּ֑לֶא וְהַאֲכִילֻ֨הוּ לֶ֤חֶם INT: this court prison and feed bread 2 Kings 17:4 2 Kings 25:27 2 Kings 25:29 2 Chronicles 18:26 Isaiah 42:7 Isaiah 42:22 Jeremiah 37:15 Jeremiah 37:18 Jeremiah 52:33 10 Occurrences |