Lexical Summary kaleh: Completion, end, conclusion Original Word: כָּלֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fail From kalah; pining -- fail. see HEBREW kalah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kalah Definition a failing NASB Translation yearn (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כָּלֶה] adjective failing with desire, longing, only feminine plural וְעֵינֶיךָ ראֹוֺת וְכָלוֺת אֲלֵיהֶם Deuteronomy 28:32 while thine eyes look and fail longingly for them (compare verb כלה Qal 2 b, and כִּלָּיוֺן below) Topical Lexicon Range of MeaningThe term conveys the idea of exhausted longing—eyes that grow weak because they gaze after what is dear but now beyond reach. It pictures a profound emotional and physical depletion that results from relentless yearning. Canonical Setting Deuteronomy 28:32 employs the word in the roster of covenant curses pronounced on Israel for persistent disobedience: “Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and your eyes will look and long for them all day long, but you will be powerless to lift a hand.” Placed near the end of Moses’ final address, the verse anticipates the darkest moments of Israel’s future exiles. The image of parents staring until their eyesight fails captures the utter helplessness that would attend covenant infidelity. Historical Backdrop Assyrian and Babylonian deportations fulfilled this warning with chilling precision (2 Kings 17; 2 Kings 25). In the aftermath, Hebrew families literally “looked and longed” for children marched away to foreign lands. The single use of the term thus echoes through generations: •Northern Kingdom exiles under Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II (circa 734–722 B.C.) Post-exilic literature (for example, Ezra 1; Nehemiah 1) confirms that such separation remained a living memory even after returns began. Theological Significance 1. Justice within Covenant: The anguished longing is not random tragedy but the just consequence of Israel’s breach of the Sinai covenant. The emotional weight underscores how seriously God regards faithfulness (Deuteronomy 28:15). Pastoral and Ministry Applications •Intercession for the Captive: Modern slavery, trafficking, and unjust imprisonment resonate with Deuteronomy 28:32. The text compels prayer and advocacy for families torn apart today. New Testament Resonances Luke 15:20 portrays the father of the prodigal “while he was still afar off”—eyes straining in hopeful expectation. The Gospel overturns the hopeless longing pictured by כָּלֶה; in Christ the child does return, and the parent’s vision is fulfilled. Likewise, Romans 8:19 speaks of creation “awaiting eagerly,” using the same motif of intense expectation now oriented toward promised glory. Questions for Reflection 1. How does the pain of Deuteronomy 28:32 illuminate the depth of divine grief over lost children (Matthew 23:37)? Summary Though appearing only once, כָּלֶה captures a universal human experience—eyes exhausted by unfulfilled desire—and embeds it within the larger biblical narrative of covenant, exile, and redemption. From the fields of ancient Israel to the ministries of modern congregations, the word warns, wounds, and ultimately points to the One who ends every futile longing by bringing the children home. Forms and Transliterations וְכָל֥וֹת וכלות vechaLot wə·ḵā·lō·wṯ wəḵālōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 28:32 HEB: וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֔וֹת וְכָל֥וֹת אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּל־ NAS: look on and yearn for them continually; KJV: shall look, and fail [with longing] for them all the day INT: your eyes look and yearn about all 1 Occurrence |
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