3720. kaphan

Lexicon

kaphan: To bend, bow down, subdue

Original Word: כָּפָן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: kaphan
Pronunciation: kah-fan'
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-fawn')
Definition: To bend, bow down, subdue
Meaning: hunger

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

famine

From kaphan; hunger (as making to stoop with emptiness and pain) -- famine.

see HEBREW kaphan

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from kaphan
Definition
hunger, famine
NASB Translation
famine (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

כָּפָן noun [masculine] hunger, famine (Aramaism; on form compare Lag^{BN 144}), Job 5:22; Job 30:3.

כפס (perhaps √ of following; compare ᵑ7. כְּפַס Esther 1:6 bind, fasten (so Levy, Jastrow)).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to be in want.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The corresponding Greek term in the New Testament is λιμός (G3042), which also means hunger or famine. This Greek term is used in similar contexts to describe periods of scarcity and is found in passages such as Matthew 24:7, where Jesus speaks of famines as part of the signs of the end times: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places" (BSB). The use of λιμός in the New Testament continues the thematic link between physical hunger and spiritual reliance on God, as well as the eschatological implications of such events.

Usage: The term כָּפָן is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a state of hunger or famine, often reflecting a period of severe scarcity of food.

Context: The Hebrew word כָּפָן (Kaphan) appears in the context of describing conditions of extreme deprivation and need, particularly in relation to food shortages. This term is used to convey the physical and often spiritual trials associated with famine. In the ancient Near Eastern context, famine was not only a natural disaster but also seen as a divine judgment or a test of faith. The word is used in poetic and prophetic literature to emphasize the severity of the situation and the dependence of humanity on divine provision.

In the Hebrew Bible, כָּפָן is often associated with periods of testing and reliance on God for sustenance. For example, in the book of Job, the term is used to describe the dire circumstances faced by those who are destitute: "They are gaunt from poverty and hunger; they gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteland and desolation" (Job 30:3, BSB). This usage highlights the desperation and vulnerability of those experiencing famine.

The concept of hunger in the biblical narrative serves as a reminder of the fragility of human life and the need for trust in God's provision. It also underscores the moral and ethical responsibility of the community to care for those in need, reflecting the broader biblical themes of justice and compassion.

Forms and Transliterations

וּבְכָפָ֗ן וּלְכָפָ֣ן ובכפן ולכפן ū·ḇə·ḵā·p̄ān ū·lə·ḵā·p̄ān ūḇəḵāp̄ān ulechaFan ūləḵāp̄ān uvechaFan

Englishman's Concordance

Job 5:22
HEB: לְשֹׁ֣ד וּלְכָפָ֣ן תִּשְׂחָ֑ק וּֽמֵחַיַּ֥ת
NAS: at violence and famine, And you will not be afraid
KJV: At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh:
INT: violence and famine will laugh of the beasts

Job 30:3
HEB: בְּחֶ֥סֶר וּבְכָפָ֗ן גַּ֫לְמ֥וּד הַֽעֹרְקִ֥ים
NAS: From want and famine they are gaunt
KJV: For want and famine [they were] solitary;
INT: want and famine are gaunt gnaw

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3720
2 Occurrences

ū·lə·ḵā·p̄ān — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇə·ḵā·p̄ān — 1 Occ.