Lexical Summary kemo or kamo: like, as, according to Original Word: כְּמוֹ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance according to, such as it were, well as, in comparison of, like as, to, unto, thus, Or kamow {kaw-mo'}; a form of the prefix "k-", but used separately (compare ken); as, thus, so -- according to, (such) as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto), thus, when, worth. see HEBREW ken NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina pleonastic form of a preposition prefix Definition like, as, when NASB Translation alike (1), comparison (1), if (1), like (84), likewise (1), so (1), such (4), such* (1), thus (1), when (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כְּמוֺ adverb and conjunction like, as, when (literally the like of what (namely) . . ., a pleonastic form of כְּ (see מוֺ), and, like it, properly a substantive: compare Aramaic כְּמָא like Psalm 78:68 Levy, usually כְּמָא דְּ like as; 1 (56 t.) as an independent word (except Genesis 19:15; Nehemiah 9:11, only in poetry); 2 as an equivalent for כְּ before suffixes, always before light ones, and occasionally before heavy ones (see כְּ at the beginning): — 1. a. adverb, as poetic synonym of כְּ, like, as, Exodus 15:5 they went down כמואֿבן like a stone (hence in prose Nehemiah 9:11), Nehemiah 9:8 (Psalm 78:13), Isaiah 30:22; Isaiah 51:6 (see כֵּן), Isaiah 26:17 כְּמוֺ חָרָח תַּקְרִיב לָלֶרֶת (see כְּ 1c (2), on the construct: so Isaiah 41:25; Psalm 58:5,8a,9), Isaiah 26:18 we have brought forth the like of, as it were, wind, Jeremiah 13:21; Jeremiah 15:18; Jeremiah 50:26; Ezekiel 16:57 (כמו עת as at the time of: see כְּ Note), Hosea 7:4; Hosea 8:12; Hosea 13:7; Habakkuk 3:14 (as it were), Zechariah 9:15; Zechariah 10:2,7 (as with wine: see ib.) Elsewhere chiefly in Psalms (19 t.) and Job (11 t.), as Psalm 29:6; Psalm 61:7; Psalm 63:6; Psalm 78:69; Psalm 79:5; Psalm 88:6; Psalm 90:9; Job 6:15; Job 10:22 (twice in verse); Job 12:3 כמו אלה the like of these things, Job 14:9; Songs 6:10; Songs 7:2; Lamentations 4:6 כמו רגע (in prose כרגע). Repeated, like כְּ ֗֗֗ כְּ, Psalm 58:10; and answered by כֵּן Isaiah 26:17. — Psalm 58:8b כמו יתמוללו, as it were is against usage of כמו (with a verb), and yields a lame sense: read perhaps ׳ית [חָצִיר] כמו (Lag Che); Psalm 73:15 if I said, אֲסַמְּרָה כְמ֑וֺ, the text is untranslateable, the rendering thus for כמו being indefensible: probably הֵנָּה has dropped out before the following ׃הִנֵּה for כְּמוֺ הֵנָּה the like of these things, compare Job 23:14 כָּהֵנָּה, and Job 12:3 above b. conjunction = כַּאֲשֶׁר: (a) of time, once, Genesis 19:15 כְּמוֺ עָלָה הַשַּׁחַר when the dawn arose; (β) of mode, according as, Zechariah 10:8 וְרָבוּ כְּמוֺ רָבוּ Proverbs 23:7 (answered by כֵּן). — For 2 (before suffixes), see עכּ. Topical Lexicon Overview Used roughly one hundred forty times, כְּמוֹ functions as Israel’s primary comparative particle, inviting readers to see one thing in the light of another. By carrying the eye from the known to the unknown, it becomes a vital theological, poetic, and pastoral bridge throughout the Old Testament. Comparative Function in Hebrew Thought In Hebrew, comparison is not mere stylistic flourish; it is a means of revelation. The phrase “Who is like You, O LORD?” (Exodus 15:11) is both rhetorical and doxological, declaring divine uniqueness while prompting worship. Whenever כְּמוֹ appears, it presses the mind toward evaluation—How great? How faithful? How perilous?—and thereby sharpens covenant consciousness. Torah Narratives 1. Distinguishing the LORD: “For there is none like Him in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14) sets the plague narratives inside a cosmic courtroom where Egyptian deities stand exposed. Wisdom Literature Proverbs layers everyday imagery with moral bite: Here כְּמוֹ crystallizes cause-and-effect realities, translating abstract virtue and folly into unforgettable pictures that guide ethical formation. Psalms employs the particle for both lament and praise: Prophetic Literature Prophets harness כְּמוֹ to paint either devastation or hope. Theological Implications of Likeness 1. Divine Incomparability: Frequent exclamations “Who is like You?” (e.g., Psalm 113:5; Micah 7:18) reinforce monotheism. Liturgical and Poetic Significance Hebrew worship thrives on analogy. Miriam’s song, David’s psalms, and later synagogue liturgy employ כְּמוֹ to kindle imagination. The particle enables singers and hearers to taste the goodness of God, to feel the weight of sin, and to anticipate redemption. Practical Ministry Applications • Preaching: Similes drawn from everyday life make doctrinal truths accessible; following Scripture’s own pattern lends authority and clarity. Devotional Reflection Whenever the Spirit-inspired writers say “like” or “as,” they invite a pause. The soul that lingers over the comparison moves from information to transformation, from observing a truth to singing it, praying it, and living it. כְּמוֹ thus serves not merely the grammar of Hebrew but the growth of God’s people in faith, hope, and love. Forms and Transliterations וְכָמֹהוּ֩ וּכְמ֥וֹ וּכְמוֹ֙ וכמהו וכמו כְּ֭מוֹהֶם כְּֽמוֹ־ כְּֽמוֹכֶ֗ם כְּמ֖וֹ כְּמ֗וֹ כְּמ֣וֹ כְּמ֤וֹ כְּמ֥וֹ כְּמוֹ־ כְמ֑וֹ כְמוֹ־ כְמוֹהֶ֔ם כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ כָּמ֑וֹךָ כָּמ֔וֹךָ כָּמ֖וֹהָ כָּמ֖וֹךָ כָּמ֗וֹךָ כָּמ֙וֹךָ֙ כָּמ֙וֹנִי֙ כָּמ֣וֹהָ כָּמ֣וֹךָ כָּמ֣וֹנִי כָּמ֤וֹנִי כָּמ֥וֹהָ כָּמ֥וֹךָ כָּמ֧וֹנִי כָּמֹ֑הוּ כָּמֹ֔הוּ כָּמֹ֔נִי כָּמֹ֖הוּ כָּמֹ֖כָה כָּמֹ֖נִי כָּמֹ֖נוּ כָּמֹ֗הוּ כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ כָּמֹ֜הוּ כָּמֹ֣נִי כָּמֹ֥הוּ כָּמֹֽהוּ׃ כָּמֹֽנִי׃ כָּמֽ֑וֹךָ׃ כָּמֽוֹךָ׃ כָּמֽוֹנִי׃ כָּמוֹךָ֒ כָֽמ֖וֹךָ כָמ֑וֹךָ כָמ֖וֹהָ כָמ֖וֹךָ כָמ֖וֹנוּ כָמ֗וֹךָ כָמ֙וֹךָ֙ כָמ֙וֹנִי֙ כָמ֛וֹךָ כָמ֛וֹנִי כָמ֣וֹנִי כָמ֥וֹךָ כָמֹ֔נוּ כָמֹ֖הוּ כָמֹ֖נוּ כָמֹ֗הוּ כָמֹ֙הוּ֙ כָמֹ֛הוּ כָמֹ֣הוּ כָמֹ֤כָה כָמֽוֹךָ׃ כָמֽוֹנִי׃ כמהו כמהו׃ כמו כמו־ כמוה כמוהם כמוך כמוך׃ כמוכם כמונו כמוני כמוני׃ כמכה כמנו כמני כמני׃ chaMocha chaMochah chaMoha chaMohu chaMoni chaMonu cheMo chemoHem chemov kā·mō·hū ḵā·mō·hū kā·mō·ḵāh ḵā·mō·ḵāh kā·mō·nî kā·mō·nū ḵā·mō·nū kā·mō·w·hā ḵā·mō·w·hā kā·mō·w·ḵā ḵā·mō·w·ḵā kā·mō·w·nî ḵā·mō·w·nî ḵā·mō·w·nū kaMocha kaMochah kaMoha kaMohu kāmōhū ḵāmōhū kāmōḵāh ḵāmōḵāh kaMoni kāmōnî kaMonu kāmōnū ḵāmōnū kāmōwhā ḵāmōwhā kāmōwḵā ḵāmōwḵā kāmōwnî ḵāmōwnî ḵāmōwnū kə·mō·w·hem ḵə·mō·w·hem kə·mō·w·ḵem kə·mōw ḵə·mōw kə·mōw- ḵə·mōw- keMo kemoChem Kemohem kemov kəmōw ḵəmōw kəmōw- ḵəmōw- kəmōwhem ḵəmōwhem kəmōwḵem ū·ḵə·mōw ucheMo ūḵəmōw vechamoHu wə·ḵā·mō·hū wəḵāmōhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 19:15 HEB: וּכְמוֹ֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר עָלָ֔ה NAS: When morning dawned, KJV: And when the morning arose, INT: When morning dawned Genesis 34:15 Genesis 41:39 Genesis 44:15 Genesis 44:18 Exodus 9:14 Exodus 9:18 Exodus 9:24 Exodus 10:14 Exodus 11:6 Exodus 15:5 Exodus 15:8 Exodus 15:11 Exodus 15:11 Exodus 30:32 Exodus 30:33 Exodus 30:38 Leviticus 19:18 Leviticus 19:34 Numbers 23:10 Deuteronomy 4:32 Deuteronomy 5:14 Deuteronomy 5:26 Deuteronomy 7:26 Deuteronomy 18:15 140 Occurrences |
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(i.e. 
) like what, like, usually followed by 
like as; Samaritan 
; Arabic 
Ethiopic 
kama, like as, Di Gr§ 63 a Sabean כמוZMG 1883, 394) — used