Lexical Summary kelub: Cage, Basket Original Word: כְּלוּב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance basket, cage From the same as keleb; a bird-trap (as furnished with a clap-stick or treadle to spring it); hence, a basket (as resembling a wicker cage) -- basket, cage. see HEBREW keleb NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as keleb Definition a basket, cage NASB Translation basket (2), cage (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כְּלוּב noun masculineJeremiah 5:27 basket, cage (√ dubious; Late Hebrew id., כְּלִיבָה Aramaic  in Lexicons; Tel Amarna kilubi, bird-net, compare ZimZA vi. 145, 147) — absolute כִּכְלוּבמָלֵא עוֺף Jeremiah 5:27 like a cage full of birds; construct כְּלוּב קַיִץ Amos 8:1,2a basket of summer furit. Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture כְּלוּב appears three times in the Old Testament: Jeremiah 5:27; Amos 8:1; Amos 8:2. In Jeremiah it pictures a cage, while in Amos it denotes a basket of summer fruit. Although the concrete object differs (“cage” or “basket”), each setting uses the same image to expose the moral and spiritual state of the covenant people. Jeremiah 5:27 – A Cage Filled with Deceit “Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich.” Jeremiah employs the metaphor of a crowded bird-cage to accuse Judah’s leaders of trapping others by fraud. The cramped, fluttering birds evoke victims caught for selfish gain. Material prosperity (“powerful and rich”) is unmasked as the fruit of systemic injustice. The verse stands within a larger indictment (Jeremiah 5:23-31) showing that corruption had permeated every social layer, nullifying any outward show of piety. Thus כְּלוּב functions prophetically to expose hidden sin and call the nation to repentance before impending judgment. Amos 8:1-2 – A Basket Signaling the End “This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit. ‘Amos, what do you see?’ He asked. ‘A basket of summer fruit,’ I replied. Then the LORD said to me, ‘The end has come for My people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’ ” In the Northern Kingdom, the prophet sees a well-filled produce basket. The Hebrew wordplay between “summer fruit” (qayitz) and “end” (qetz) reinforces the vision’s meaning: Israel is ripe for judgment. The basket, normally a sign of harvest blessing, becomes the emblem of final reckoning. What should have been a season of worshipful gratitude is now a summons to accountability for social oppression (Amos 8:4-6) and ritual hypocrisy (Amos 8:10). Historical Setting • Jeremiah ministered in the late seventh and early sixth centuries B.C., confronting Judah’s slide toward exile. The cage image arises amid political turmoil and economic disparity under Jehoiakim. Symbolism and Theological Themes 1. Exposure of Hidden Reality: Whether cage or basket, the container is transparent. What it carries can be seen and evaluated. God brings the concealed practices of His people into the open. Implications for Ministry and Personal Application • Integrity over Appearance: Like Judah’s deceptive cage-owners, believers must guard against acquiring influence through unjust means. Intertextual Resonances The motif of a container packed with contents recurs throughout Scripture: a net full of fish (Luke 5:6), a cup of wrath (Jeremiah 25:15), a grain bin filled to overflowing (Proverbs 3:10). Each instance portrays a culmination—of blessing or judgment—inviting self-examination. כְּלוּב therefore joins a biblical tapestry that urges God’s people to live transparently before Him, lest abundance become indictment. Forms and Transliterations כְּל֣וּב כְּל֥וּב כִּכְלוּב֙ ככלוב כלוב kə·lūḇ kəlūḇ keLuv kichLuv kiḵ·lūḇ kiḵlūḇLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 5:27 HEB: כִּכְלוּב֙ מָ֣לֵא ע֔וֹף NAS: Like a cage full of birds, KJV: As a cage is full of birds, INT: A cage full of birds Amos 8:1 Amos 8:2 3 Occurrences |
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