3688. kasal

Lexicon

kasal: To be foolish, to be stupid, to be dull-hearted

Original Word: כָּסַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kacal
Pronunciation: kah-sahl
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-sal')
Definition: To be foolish, to be stupid, to be dull-hearted
Meaning: to be fat, silly

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

be foolish

A primitive root; properly, to be fat, i.e. (figuratively) silly -- be foolish.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be or become stupid
NASB Translation
foolish (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[כָסַל] verb be or become stupid (Late Hebrew Aramaic in derivatives; Arabic be sluggish, so North Syriac in derivatives; original meaning possibly thick, plump, fat; hence in good sense: כְּסָלִים loins, כֶּסֶל, כִּסְלָה confidence; in bad sense: כֶּסֶל, כִּסְלָה, כְּסִילוּת stupidity, folly, כְּסִיל stupid fellow) —

Qal Imperfect יִכְסָ֑לוּ they become stupid Jeremiah 10:8 ("" יִבְעֲרוּ they become brutish).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for כָּסַל in the Strong's Greek lexicon. However, concepts related to foolishness or lack of wisdom in the Greek New Testament might be expressed using terms such as μωρός (moros, Strong's Greek 3474), which means foolish or dull.

Usage: The term כָּסַל is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe a state of being foolish or silly, often with a connotation of being self-satisfied or complacent. It can also imply a sense of being sluggish or dull-minded.

Context: The Hebrew root כָּסַל (kasal) appears in various contexts within the Old Testament, often conveying a sense of foolishness or a lack of wisdom. This term is used to describe individuals who are not only physically sluggish but also mentally or spiritually complacent. The imagery associated with כָּסַל often involves a metaphorical "fatness" that suggests a dullness or insensitivity to spiritual truths or moral discernment.

In the Berean Standard Bible, the term is used in passages that highlight the folly of those who are self-satisfied and fail to seek wisdom or understanding. For example, in Jeremiah 10:8, it is written, "But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!" Here, the word כָּסַל underscores the senselessness of idol worship and the foolishness of those who turn away from the living God.

The concept of כָּסַל is often contrasted with the pursuit of wisdom and understanding, which are highly valued in biblical literature. The foolishness described by כָּסַל is not merely an intellectual deficiency but a moral and spiritual failing that leads individuals away from the path of righteousness.

Forms and Transliterations

וְיִכְסָ֑לוּ ויכסלו veyichSalu wə·yiḵ·sā·lū wəyiḵsālū

Englishman's Concordance

Jeremiah 10:8
HEB: וּבְאַחַ֖ת יִבְעֲר֣וּ וְיִכְסָ֑לוּ מוּסַ֥ר הֲבָלִ֖ים
NAS: stupid and foolish [In their] discipline
KJV: brutish and foolish: the stock
INT: are altogether stupid and foolish discipline of delusion

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3688
1 Occurrence

wə·yiḵ·sā·lū — 1 Occ.