3791. kethab

Lexicon

kethab: Writing, inscription, document

Original Word: כָּתָב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: kathab
Pronunciation: keh-thawb'
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-thawb')
Definition: Writing, inscription, document
Meaning: something written, a writing, record, book

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

register, scripture, writing

From kathab; something written, i.e. A writing, record or book -- register, scripture, writing.

see HEBREW kathab

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from kathab
Definition
a writing
NASB Translation
decree (1), edict (2), letter (1), register (1), registration* (2), regulation (1), script (4), text (2), writing (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

כְּתָב noun masculine^{Ezra 4:7} writing (late Aramaic; Biblical Aramaic כְּתָב Syriac ); — ׳כ absolute 1 Chronicles 28:19 4t.; construct Ezekiel 13:9 4t.; suffix כְּתָבָהּ Esther 1:22 2t.; כְּתָבָם Ezra 2:62 3t.; — writing:

1 register, enrolement, Ezekiel 13:9; Ezra 2:62 = Nehemiah 7:64.

2 = mode of writing, character, letter, הִנִּשְׁתְּוָן כָּתוּב אֲרָמִית ׳וּכ Ezra 4:7 and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic (characters; so probably, see BeRy Ryle, compare Late Hebrew Hoffm^{ZAW i.(1881), 334 ff.}); compare Esther 1:22; Esther 3:12; Esther 8:9 (twice in verse).

3 = letter, 2 Chron 2:10; Esther 9:27.

4 of a royal enactment, edict2Chronicles 35:4 ("" מִכְתָּב), Esther 3:14; Esther 8:8,13; more fully כְּתָבהַֿדָּת Esther 4:8.

5 of a writing with divine authority 1 Chronicles 28:19; אֱמֶת ׳כ Daniel 10:21, i.e. a book of truth.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb כָּתַב (katav), meaning "to write."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G582 (apographē): Refers to a written record or enrollment, often used in the context of a census or registration.
• G1124 (graphē): Denotes a writing or scripture, commonly used in the New Testament to refer to the Holy Scriptures.
• G1378 (dogma): Signifies a decree or ordinance, typically a formalized written decision or law.
• G1992 (epistolē): Refers to a letter or epistle, a form of written communication.

These Greek terms parallel the Hebrew כָּתָב in their emphasis on the significance and authority of written documents within both religious and secular contexts.

Usage: The word כָּתָב is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote various forms of written documents, including letters, decrees, and records. It signifies the physical manifestation of writing, often implying authority or permanence.

Context: • General Overview: The Hebrew noun כָּתָב appears in contexts where written communication or documentation is emphasized. It is often associated with official records, legal documents, and sacred texts. The act of writing in ancient Israel was a significant cultural and religious practice, serving as a means to preserve laws, history, and divine revelations.

• Biblical Context: In the Old Testament, כָּתָב is frequently mentioned in relation to the recording of laws and decrees. For instance, in the book of Esther, the term is used to describe the royal edicts issued by the king (Esther 3:14, BSB: "A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and published to all the people, so that they would be ready for that day."). This highlights the authoritative nature of written documents in the ancient Near Eastern context.

• Theological Significance: The concept of writing in the Hebrew Bible underscores the importance of preserving divine commandments and historical events. The written word served as a testament to God's covenant with His people and a means to instruct future generations. The permanence of writing contrasted with the transient nature of oral communication, providing a reliable medium for transmitting God's will and human history.

• Cultural and Historical Insights: In ancient Israel, literacy and the ability to produce written documents were highly valued skills, often associated with scribes and scholars. The use of writing facilitated the administration of justice, governance, and religious instruction. The presence of written records in the biblical narrative reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern practice of documenting significant events and decrees.

Forms and Transliterations

בִּכְתָ֔ב בִּכְתָ֖ב בִּכְתָ֗ב בִּכְתָ֛ב בכתב הַכְּתָ֗ב הכתב וּבִכְתָ֤ב וּכְתָב֙ ובכתב וכתב כְּתָֽב־ כְתָ֞ב כְתָבָ֛ם כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ כִּכְתָבָ֖ם ככתבה ככתבם כתב כתב־ כתבם bichTav biḵ·ṯāḇ biḵṯāḇ cheTav chetaVam hak·kə·ṯāḇ hakkəṯāḇ hakkeTav ḵə·ṯā·ḇām ḵə·ṯāḇ kə·ṯāḇ- ḵəṯāḇ kəṯāḇ- ḵəṯāḇām ketav kichtaVah kichtaVam kiḵ·ṯā·ḇāh kiḵ·ṯā·ḇām kiḵṯāḇāh kiḵṯāḇām ū·ḇiḵ·ṯāḇ ū·ḵə·ṯāḇ ūḇiḵṯāḇ ucheTav ūḵəṯāḇ uvichTav

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 28:19
HEB: הַכֹּ֥ל בִּכְתָ֛ב מִיַּ֥ד יְהוָ֖ה
NAS: made me understand in writing by His hand
KJV: made me understand in writing by [his] hand
INT: All writing his hand the LORD

2 Chronicles 2:11
HEB: מֶֽלֶךְ־ צֹר֙ בִּכְתָ֔ב וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח אֶל־
NAS: answered in a letter sent
KJV: answered in writing, which he sent
INT: king of Tyre A letter sent to

2 Chronicles 35:4
HEB: אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם כְּמַחְלְקוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בִּכְתָ֗ב דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ
NAS: in your divisions, according to the writing of David
KJV: after your courses, according to the writing of David
INT: your fathers' your divisions to the writing of David king

Ezra 2:62
HEB: אֵ֗לֶּה בִּקְשׁ֧וּ כְתָבָ֛ם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים וְלֹ֣א
NAS: [among] their ancestral registration, but they could not be located;
KJV: These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy,
INT: These searched their register their ancestral could

Ezra 4:7
HEB: מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרָ֑ס וּכְתָב֙ הַֽנִּשְׁתְּוָ֔ן כָּת֥וּב
NAS: of Persia; and the text of the letter
KJV: of Persia; and the writing of the letter
INT: king of Persia and the text of the letter was written

Nehemiah 7:64
HEB: אֵ֗לֶּה בִּקְשׁ֧וּ כְתָבָ֛ם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים וְלֹ֣א
NAS: [among] their ancestral registration, but it could not be located;
KJV: These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy,
INT: These searched their register their ancestral could

Esther 1:22
HEB: מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְאֶל־ עַ֥ם
NAS: province according to its script and to every
KJV: into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people
INT: each province script and to every

Esther 3:12
HEB: מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם
NAS: province according to its script, each
KJV: of every province according to the writing thereof, and [to] every people
INT: each province script each people

Esther 3:14
HEB: פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֗ב לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן דָּת֙
NAS: A copy of the edict to be issued
KJV: The copy of the writing for a commandment
INT: A copy of the edict to be issued law

Esther 4:8
HEB: וְאֶת־ פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן כְּתָֽב־ הַ֠דָּת אֲשֶׁר־
NAS: him a copy of the text of the edict
KJV: him the copy of the writing of the decree
INT: A copy of the text of the edict which

Esther 8:8
HEB: הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־ כְתָ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־ נִכְתָּ֣ב
NAS: ring; for a decree which
KJV: ring: for the writing which is written
INT: the king's for A decree which is written

Esther 8:13
HEB: פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֗ב לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן דָּת֙
NAS: A copy of the edict to be issued
KJV: The copy of the writing for a commandment
INT: A copy of the edict to be issued law

Esther 9:27
HEB: הַיָּמִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה כִּכְתָבָ֖ם וְכִזְמַנָּ֑ם בְּכָל־
NAS: days according to their regulation and according to their appointed
KJV: days according to their writing, and according to their [appointed] time
INT: days these to their regulation time and for all

Ezekiel 13:9
HEB: לֹֽא־ יִהְי֗וּ וּבִכְתָ֤ב בֵּֽית־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙
NAS: will they be written down in the register of the house
KJV: neither shall they be written in the writing of the house
INT: no place the register of the house of Israel

Daniel 10:21
HEB: אֶת־ הָרָשׁ֥וּם בִּכְתָ֖ב אֱמֶ֑ת וְאֵ֨ין
NAS: you what is inscribed in the writing of truth.
KJV: thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth:
INT: will tell is inscribed the writing of truth there

15 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3791
15 Occurrences

biḵ·ṯāḇ — 4 Occ.
ḵə·ṯāḇ — 1 Occ.
ḵə·ṯā·ḇām — 2 Occ.
hak·kə·ṯāḇ — 2 Occ.
kə·ṯāḇ- — 1 Occ.
kiḵ·ṯā·ḇāh — 2 Occ.
kiḵ·ṯā·ḇām — 1 Occ.
ū·ḵə·ṯāḇ — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇiḵ·ṯāḇ — 1 Occ.