Lexical Summary kaphis: Beam, rafter Original Word: כָּפִיס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance beam From an unused root meaning to connect; a girder -- beam. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a rafter, girder NASB Translation rafter (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כָּפִיס noun masculine apparently (si vera lectio) technical term for some beam in a house, perhaps rafter, or girder (Late Hebrew id., Levy, Jastrow, but according to HoffmZAW ii. 1881, 71 it is changed from oblong block of wood (O.T.) to a building-stone, or brick in Mishna); — only Habakkuk 2:11 for a stone out of the wall crieth out, מֵעֵץ יַעֲנֶנָּה ׳וְכ and a rafter out of the timber-work answereth it. Topical Lexicon Definition and Linguistic Setting Kapis denotes a length of timber—commonly understood as a beam, rafter, or cross-piece—integral to the roof or upper framework of an ancient Near Eastern house. Though attested only once in the Hebrew canon, its placement in prophetic poetry fixes it firmly within the vocabulary of everyday building materials familiar to eighth-through-sixth-century Judah. Historical and Architectural Background Domestic construction in the biblical world employed mudbrick walls that were capped and tied together by wooden beams. These timbers supported flat roofs and were often sourced from the highlands of Lebanon or Bashan (1 Kings 5:6; Isaiah 2:13). Because beams bound the masonry, they symbolized the hidden structural strength of a dwelling. Conversely, when the Lord threatened judgment, the destruction of these very supports became a vivid image of collapse (Amos 3:15). Context in Habakkuk 2:11 Habakkuk pronounces five “woes” upon Babylon, condemning its bloodshed and exploitation. In the third woe, the prophet personifies the building materials of the conqueror’s palaces: “Surely the stone will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.” (Habakkuk 2:11) Here the kapis—translated “rafters” or “beams”—is pictured as answering the protest of the stones. Both inanimate objects testify against the oppressor who built with forced labor and plundered wealth (Habakkuk 2:6-10). The verse portrays unavoidable witness: even what seems mute will speak when divine justice is at stake (compare Luke 19:40). Theological Significance 1. Immanent Testimony. Kapis functions as a metaphor for conscience embedded in creation. While walls and beams normally provide shelter, they now expose guilt. This echoes the principle that “nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13). Intertextual Echoes • Stones or structures bearing witness appear elsewhere: Joshua 24:27; Job 31:38-40; Genesis 4:10. Practical Ministry Application • Social Justice Preaching. Kapis encourages pastors and teachers to confront systemic injustice, reminding hearers that God hears the cries of wronged laborers even when human courts do not. Christological Reflection Just as kapis in Habakkuk voices condemnation, the cross-beam upon which Christ was nailed becomes the ultimate witness—both to human sin and to God’s redemptive justice (Colossians 2:14). The beam that bore judgment for Babylon foreshadows the beam that bore judgment for the world, offering reconciliation to all who repent and believe. Summary Though Kapis appears only in Habakkuk 2:11, its single usage carries rich layers of meaning. As a physical beam it represents strength; as a prophetic symbol it becomes a courtroom voice, declaring that every act of oppression is recorded in God’s ledger. The image touches history, architecture, ethics, and eschatology—reminding readers that the righteous live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4) while unjust gains rot the house from within. Forms and Transliterations וְכָפִ֖יס וכפיס vechaFis wə·ḵā·p̄îs wəḵāp̄îsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Habakkuk 2:11 HEB: מִקִּ֣יר תִּזְעָ֑ק וְכָפִ֖יס מֵעֵ֥ץ יַעֲנֶֽנָּה׃ NAS: out from the wall, And the rafter will answer KJV: of the wall, and the beam out of the timber INT: the wall will cry and the rafter the framework will answer 1 Occurrence |
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