6986. qeteb
Lexical Summary
qeteb: Destruction, ruin, pestilence

Original Word: קֶטֶב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: qeteb
Pronunciation: keh'-teb
Phonetic Spelling: (keh'-teb)
KJV: destroying, destruction
NASB: destruction, sting
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to cut off]

1. ruin

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
destroying, destruction

From an unused root meaning to cut off; ruin -- destroying, destruction.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
destruction
NASB Translation
destruction (3), sting (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
קֶ֫טֶב, [קֹ֫טֶב] noun masculineDeuteronomy 32:24 destruction; — of pestilence, absolute ׳ק Deuteronomy 32:24 ("" רֶשֶׁף), Psalm 91:6 ("" דֶּבֶר), so suffix (of Sh®°ôl) קָֽטָבְךָ (Ges§ 93q) Hosea 13:14 ("" of מָוֶת, דְּבָרֶיךָ); more Generally, שַׂעַר קָ֑קטֶב Isaiah 28:2.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

קֶטֶב (qeteb) denotes an invisible force of ruin—variously rendered “pestilence,” “plague,” or “destructive tempest.” Each Old Testament occurrence links it to divine judgment or protection, underscoring the Lord’s sovereign control over both calamity and deliverance.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Deuteronomy 32:24 – Part of the covenant curses in the Song of Moses: “They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague”.
2. Psalm 91:6 – A promise of safety: “nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon”.
3. Isaiah 28:2 – A prophetic warning against Ephraim: “like a hailstorm and a destructive tempest”.

Literary and Imagistic Features

• Night-day contrast (Psalm 91:6) heightens the sense that קֶטֶב strikes at any time.
• In Isaiah 28:2 the word pairs with meteorological imagery, presenting קֶטֶב as an irresistible storm.
Deuteronomy 32:24 embeds it in a triad (hunger, pestilence, plague), reflecting the progressive intensification of covenant sanctions.

Covenantal Framework

In Deuteronomy, קֶטֶב functions as a legal sanction for covenant infidelity (compare Leviticus 26:25; Deuteronomy 28:21). Israel’s security depends on obedience; pestilence is a covenantal lawsuit executed by the Divine Warrior.

Theological Insights

1. Divine Sovereignty: The same God who sends קֶטֶב (Deuteronomy 32:24) also shields from it (Psalm 91:6), illustrating His unrivaled authority (Job 5:18; Isaiah 45:7).
2. Holiness and Justice: קֶטֶב exposes sin’s seriousness. The scourge is not arbitrary but judicial (Amos 4:10).
3. Mercy and Refuge: Psalm 91 redirects attention from the threat to the Protector, prefiguring the ultimate refuge found in Christ (John 10:28; Colossians 3:3).

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near Eastern texts speak of a demon named *KTb* who brings midday heatstroke. Scripture repurposes the term, stripping it of mythic autonomy and placing it under Yahweh’s command. Thus, even culturally familiar fears are subordinated to biblical monotheism.

Intertextual Connections

• Echoes in the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 9:3) and the threshing floor judgment of 2 Samuel 24:15 show קֶטֶב as part of a broader biblical theology of pestilence.
Revelation 6:8 and Revelation 16:2 employ plague motifs, extending the theme into eschatological judgment.

Christological and Eschatological Trajectory

The Gospels record Jesus healing every kind of disease (Matthew 4:23), demonstrating authority over the realities symbolized by קֶטֶב. Revelation portrays final deliverance where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4), signalling the ultimate defeat of every form of destructive pestilence.

Pastoral and Practical Application

• Assurance: Believers may claim Psalm 91:6 without presumption, trusting God’s freedom either to shield from or to sanctify through affliction (Philippians 1:20).
• Repentance: National or personal crises that resemble קֶטֶב invite self-examination (2 Chronicles 7:14).
• Compassionate Ministry: The Church historically cared for the sick during plagues, embodying Christ’s mercy (Matthew 25:36). Present-day ministries can mirror that legacy through medical missions, prayer, and practical aid.

Summary

קֶטֶב serves as a vivid biblical symbol of judgment that is ultimately answerable to the Lord. Scripture balances sober warnings with robust promises, directing hearts toward repentance, trust, and active compassion in the face of every “destructive pestilence.”

Forms and Transliterations
וְקֶ֣טֶב וקטב מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב מקטב קָ֑טֶב קטב Katev mikKetev miq·qe·ṭeḇ miqqeṭeḇ qā·ṭeḇ qāṭeḇ veKetev wə·qe·ṭeḇ wəqeṭeḇ
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Deuteronomy 32:24
HEB: וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־
NAS: And bitter destruction; And the teeth
KJV: and with bitter destruction: I will also send
INT: and consumed plague destruction and bitter and the teeth

Psalm 91:6
HEB: בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב יָשׁ֥וּד צָהֳרָֽיִם׃
NAS: in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste
KJV: in darkness; [nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth
INT: darkness stalks of the destruction wasteth noon

Isaiah 28:2
HEB: בָּרָ֖ד שַׂ֣עַר קָ֑טֶב כְּ֠זֶרֶם מַ֣יִם
NAS: a tempest of destruction, Like a storm
KJV: of hail [and] a destroying storm,
INT: of hail A tempest of destruction A storm waters

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6986
3 Occurrences


qā·ṭeḇ — 1 Occ.
miq·qe·ṭeḇ — 1 Occ.
wə·qe·ṭeḇ — 1 Occ.

6985
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