Lexical Summary kethab: writing, written, wrote Original Word: כְּתַב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance written (Aramaic) corresponding to kathab -- write(-ten). see HEBREW kathab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to kathab Definition to write NASB Translation write down (1), writing (2), written (2), wrote (2), wrote the down (1). Topical Lexicon OverviewThe term describes an official inscription or document—often a royal letter, decree, or recorded message—whose authority derives from the person issuing it and whose permanence underscores the trustworthiness of its contents. Across the eight occurrences in Ezra and Daniel the word consistently highlights the power of written testimony to preserve truth, convey judgment, and advance God’s redemptive purposes. Occurrences and Narrative Setting 1. Ezra 4:8 Each text falls within the post-exilic or exilic period, when God’s people lived under foreign rule. The word therefore emerges in contexts where imperial power intersects with divine sovereignty. Administrative Correspondence in Ezra Ezra 4:8; 5:7; 5:10 present hostile Persian officials drafting an accusatory letter against the Jews who were rebuilding the temple. The repeated mention of the “text of the letter” stresses (1) the calculated precision of the opposition and (2) the vulnerability of God’s people to bureaucratic maneuvering. Yet the very preservation of these documents within Scripture demonstrates the Lord’s ability to turn adversarial paperwork into a witness that vindicates His plan. Imperial Decree and Covenant Continuity Ezra 6:2 recounts the discovery of Cyrus’s original decree: “a scroll was found on which was written”. The written decree, forgotten in a Persian archive, resurfaces at the exact moment needed to authorize the completion of the temple. God’s covenant faithfulness is thus mediated through the fixed nature of written law, reminding readers that divine promises do not fade with political turnover. Divine Writing and Judgment in Daniel 5 Daniel 5:5 twice notes the supernatural inscription on Belshazzar’s wall: “the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote”. Unlike the Persian letters of Ezra, this writing issues directly from God, bypassing human agents and immediately pronouncing judgment. The scene underscores that earthly kings who trust in their own records and chronicles still fall under a higher, unalterable decree. Royal Proclamation and Evangelistic Foreshadowing Daniel 6:25 shifts from judgment to proclamation: “Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land”. The edict exalts the God of Daniel before a multicultural empire, prefiguring the global spread of the gospel. A pagan ruler’s written statement becomes an instrument for international witness, displaying that God can employ secular administration to broadcast His glory. Prophetic Documentation of Vision Daniel 7:1 links the term with prophetic literature: “He wrote down the dream”. Here the emphasis is personal rather than imperial. Daniel commits his vision to writing so that future generations will understand God’s unfolding kingdom plan. The record stands as an inspired guarantee that the revelation will not be lost or distorted. Theological Themes • Sovereignty Over Kings: Whether coming from Artaxerxes, Cyrus, Darius, or the heavenly hand, every inscription serves God’s overarching purpose (Proverbs 21:1). Practical Ministry Application 1. Record God’s Works: Like Daniel, believers should document testimonies of God’s faithfulness for the edification of future generations. Intertextual Echoes The motif of authoritative writing reverberates through Scripture: the stone tablets at Sinai (Exodus 32:16), the “scroll of remembrance” (Malachi 3:16), and the “handwriting of requirements” nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Each foreshadows the final inscription in Revelation 20:12, where books are opened and judgment rendered. Conclusion From imperial archives to palace walls, from a royal circular to a prophet’s diary, every usage of this word testifies that the Lord both governs and preserves history through written means. His people, therefore, cherish the Scriptures and trust that no decree—human or divine—falls outside His righteous plan. Forms and Transliterations וְכָֽתְבָן֙ וכתבן כְּ֠תַב כְּתִ֣יב כְּתִ֥יב כְּתַ֛בוּ כְתַ֔ב כָתְבָֽה׃ כתב כתבה׃ כתבו כתיב נִכְתֻּ֥ב נכתב chateVah cheTav ḵā·ṯə·ḇāh ḵāṯəḇāh kə·ṯa·ḇū kə·ṯaḇ ḵə·ṯaḇ kə·ṯîḇ kəṯaḇ ḵəṯaḇ kəṯaḇū Ketav keTavu kəṯîḇ keTiv nichTuv niḵ·tuḇ niḵtuḇ vechateVan wə·ḵā·ṯə·ḇān wəḵāṯəḇānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:8 HEB: וְשִׁמְשַׁי֙ סָֽפְרָ֔א כְּתַ֛בוּ אִגְּרָ֥ה חֲדָ֖ה NAS: the scribe wrote a letter KJV: and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter INT: and Shimshai the scribe wrote A letter a Ezra 5:7 Ezra 5:10 Ezra 6:2 Daniel 5:5 Daniel 5:5 Daniel 6:25 Daniel 7:1 8 Occurrences |
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