Lexical Summary kothel: wall, walls Original Word: כֹּתֶל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wall From an unused root meaning to compact; a wall (as gathering inmates) -- wall. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition wall (of a house) NASB Translation wall (2), walls (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כֹּ֫תֶל] noun [masculine] wall of house (Late Hebrew כּוֺתֶל, Aramaic כּוֺתְלָא); — only suffix כָּתְלֵנוּ Songs 2:9. כְּתַל (K§ 54, 3a) ε) and c)) noun [masculine] wall (Biblical Hebrew כֹּתֶל, √ כתל); — construct ׳כ Daniel 5:5; plural emphatic כֻּתְלַיָּא Ezra 5:8. Topical Lexicon General Meaning כֹּתֶל designates a structural wall built of stone or brick, providing separation and security. Unlike the more common חוֹמָה (fortification) or גָּדֵר (fence), כֹּתֶל appears only once in the Old Testament text, suggesting a nuanced or poetic choice of vocabulary. Context in Song of Songs 2:9 “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice” (Song of Songs 2:9). 1. Physical Setting: A private residence with a solid wall, small window openings, and a decorative lattice. Biblical Theology of Walls 1. Protection and Identification Historical and Cultural Background • Domestic walls in Iron Age Israel averaged two to three feet thick, constructed of unhewn stones with mud or lime mortar. Prophetic and Messianic Echoes The Beloved’s stance “behind our wall” foreshadows the Messiah’s first coming in concealed humility (John 1:14) and His promise of visible return (Revelation 22:20). The moment captures the “already/not yet” tension that threads through redemptive history. Practical Ministry Applications • Intimacy Pursued: Followers are invited to seek personal communion, confident that the Lord is already near. Related Terms and Passages חֹמָה (wall, fortification): Joshua 6:5; Psalm 51:18 גָּדֵר (fence, hedge): Isaiah 5:5 אַרְגּוּב (lattice): Judges 5:28 Each word complements כֹּתֶל, enriching the scriptural imagery of boundaries, security, and nearness. See Also Nehemiah 1–6; Psalm 48:12-13; 2 Corinthians 5:7-8 Forms and Transliterations כָּתְלֵ֔נוּ כתלנו kā·ṯə·lê·nū kateLenu kāṯəlênūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Songs 2:9 HEB: עוֹמֵד֙ אַחַ֣ר כָּתְלֵ֔נוּ מַשְׁגִּ֙יחַ֙ מִן־ NAS: behind our wall, He is looking KJV: behind our wall, he looketh forth INT: is standing behind our wall is looking through 1 Occurrence |