Lexical Summary kelal: Totality, entirety, perfection Original Word: כְּלַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance finish, make set up (Aramaic) corresponding to kalal; to complete -- finish, make (set) up. see HEBREW kalal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to kalal Definition to complete NASB Translation finish (2), finished (4), finishing (1). Topical Lexicon Hebrew-Aramaic Background כְּלַל appears only in the Imperial Aramaic sections of Ezra and conveys the idea of bringing something to full completion or perfect soundness. While the lexical form is limited to these seven verses, the conceptual root of “finishing” runs through Scripture, binding together themes of covenant fulfillment, perseverance, and divine sovereignty. Historical and Literary Context The occurrences cluster in Ezra 4–6, a narrative block that shifts into Aramaic to record official Persian correspondence. The returned exiles face political opposition as they rebuild Jerusalem’s walls (chapter 4) and the temple (chapters 5–6). Each use of כְּלַל marks a decisive moment in the conflict between human obstruction and God’s intent to restore His dwelling place among His people. Occurrences and Narrative Flow • Ezra 4:12, 13 – Adversaries report that the city “has restored its walls” and warn that if the work “is rebuilt and its walls are restored, no tribute, custom, or toll will be paid.” Themes of Completion and Opposition 1. Divine Purpose Prevails. Human authorities may suspend or question the work, yet the verb repeatedly re-emerges to show God carrying His project to term (compare Proverbs 19:21). Christological Foreshadowing The Old Testament pattern of כְּלַל reaches its apex in the Messiah’s cry, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Just as the restored temple signified renewed access to God, the finished work of Christ secures eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11–12). The earthly structure points to the true temple of His body (John 2:19–21) and to the living temple composed of believers (Ephesians 2:20–22). Ministry Significance • Perseverance in God-given tasks. Paul echoes the motif: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Philippians 1:6). Key Verses Ezra 4:13 – “Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, no tribute, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal revenue will suffer.” Ezra 5:11 – “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.” Ezra 6:14 – “So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they prospered under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes kings of Persia.” Summary כְּלַל is a small Aramaic verb that signals the larger biblical assurance that what God starts He completes. Whether in Jerusalem’s walls, the second temple, or the believer’s sanctification, the same faithful Lord carries every ordained purpose to its perfect end. Forms and Transliterations וְשַׁכְלְלֵֽהּ׃ וְשַׁכְלִ֗לוּ ושכללה׃ ושכללו יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן ישתכללון לְשַׁכְלָלָֽה׃ לשכללה׃ שַׁכְלִ֔לוּ שכללו lə·šaḵ·lā·lāh ləšaḵlālāh leshachlaLah šaḵ·li·lū šaḵlilū shachLilu veshachleLeh veshachLilu wə·šaḵ·lə·lêh wə·šaḵ·li·lū wəšaḵləlêh wəšaḵlilū yiš·taḵ·lə·lūn yishtachleLun yištaḵləlūnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:12 HEB: [אֶשְׁכְלִלוּ כ] (שַׁכְלִ֔לוּ ק) וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א NAS: city and are finishing the walls KJV: city, and have set up the walls INT: are rebuilding wall complete the foundations and repairing Ezra 4:13 Ezra 4:16 Ezra 5:3 Ezra 5:9 Ezra 5:11 Ezra 6:14 7 Occurrences |
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