7058. qemach
Lexical Summary
qemach: Flour, meal

Original Word: קֶמַח
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: qemach
Pronunciation: keh'-makh
Phonetic Spelling: (keh'-makh)
KJV: flour, meal
NASB: flour, meal, flour cakes, grain
Word Origin: [from an unused root probably meaning to grind]

1. flour

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
flour, meal

From an unused root probably meaning to grind; flour -- flour, meal.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
flour, meal
NASB Translation
flour (7), flour cakes (1), flour* (1), grain (1), meal (4).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
קֶ֫מַח noun [masculine] flour, meal; — absolute ׳ק 1 Samuel 1:24 +, קָ֑מַח Isaiah 47:2; construct קֶמַח Numbers 5:15; — Judges 6:19 (material for unleavened cakes), 1 Samuel 1:24; 1 Samuel 28:24; 2 Kings 4:41; defined by סֹלֶת (q. v.) Genesis 18:6, distinguished from סֹלֶת1Ki 5:2; of barley (שְׂעֹרִים) Numbers 5:15 (P), but 2 Samuel 17:28 + חִטִּם, שְׂעֹרִים, קָלִי; + other articles of food 1Chron2 Sam 12:41 (van d. H. 2 Samuel 12:40); kept in a) כַּד 1 Kings 17:12,14,16; made by grinding Isaiah 47:2; צֶמַחבְּלִי ׳יַעֲשֶׂה ק Hosea 8:7.

Topical Lexicon
Everyday Staple and Foundation of Bread

קֶמַח denotes finely ground meal, most often wheat or barley, indispensable for ordinary bread-making. In patriarchal times Sarah is told, “Quick, knead three seahs of fine flour and bake some bread” (Genesis 18:6), illustrating a household’s readiness to honor guests. The same domestic use appears in 1 Samuel 28:24, where unleavened cakes are prepared to strengthen Saul before battle. Throughout Israel’s agrarian history flour remained the basic source of daily sustenance, uniting families and communities around a common table.

Hospitality and Covenant Fellowship

Hospitality in Scripture carries covenantal overtones, welcoming travelers as if welcoming God Himself. Gideon, after encountering the Angel of the LORD, “prepared…unleavened bread from an ephah of flour” (Judges 6:19). Hannah’s pilgrimage to Shiloh includes “an ephah of flour” (1 Samuel 1:24), signifying gratitude for answered prayer. Such scenes portray קֶמַח as a tangible expression of fellowship, generosity, and acknowledgment of divine favor.

Legal and Cultic Roles

In the jealousy ritual the husband brings “one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour” (Numbers 5:15). Although oil and incense are absent—marking the seriousness of the accusation—the presence of קֶמַח underscores the offering’s connection to ordinary livelihood. The flour represents the couple’s shared life now placed under divine scrutiny.

Royal Provision and National Prosperity

Solomon’s daily court consumption—“thirty cors of fine flour” (1 Kings 4:22)—celebrates the abundance granted under the Davidic kingdom. Later, David’s supporters supply his hungry company with “plentiful supplies of flour” (2 Samuel 17:28; 1 Chronicles 12:40). National security and joy are pictured through ample stores of meal, reminding Israel that political stability flows from God’s covenant faithfulness.

Miraculous Supply in Times of Famine

The widow of Zarephath’s dwindling jar of flour becomes a stage for God’s compassion: “The jar of flour was not exhausted…according to the word the LORD had spoken through Elijah” (1 Kings 17:16). Likewise Elisha neutralizes poison in a stew by casting in flour (2 Kings 4:41). In both narratives God employs the humblest kitchen ingredient to preserve life, teaching reliance on His word rather than visible resources.

Prophetic Imagery and Warning

Isaiah tells proud Babylon, “Take millstones and grind flour” (Isaiah 47:2). The once-royal city will be reduced to servile labor, its splendor ground down like grain. Hosea laments, “The standing grain has no heads; it yields no flour” (Hosea 8:7), portraying covenant infidelity as harvest without meal—activity without nourishment. The prophets use קֶמַח to contrast genuine productivity under Yahweh with the barrenness of rebellion.

Typological and Christological Reflections

Flour, crushed and refined, prefigures the suffering and perfection of the promised Messiah. Just as grain is broken to become bread for the world, the incarnate Son is “the bread of life” (John 6:35). The grain offerings of Leviticus—typically “fine flour” (though usually a different Hebrew term)—foreshadow the spotless humanity of Christ offered to the Father. The inexhaustible jar in Zarephath anticipates the limitless sufficiency of His atoning work; what He provides never runs out.

Ministry Applications

1. Dependence: God can multiply modest resources, encouraging believers to act in faith rather than fear.
2. Hospitality: Sharing basic food remains a powerful gospel witness, mirroring Abraham’s and Gideon’s generous tables.
3. Purity and Transformation: Like grain crushed into meal, discipleship involves refining trials that ultimately nourish others.
4. Warning: Spiritual labor without covenant loyalty yields “no flour”; ministries detached from obedience become hollow.

Key References

Genesis 18:6; Numbers 5:15; Judges 6:19; 1 Samuel 1:24; 1 Samuel 28:24; 2 Samuel 17:28; 1 Kings 4:22; 1 Kings 17:12-16; 2 Kings 4:41; 1 Chronicles 12:40 (twice); Isaiah 47:2; Hosea 8:7.

Forms and Transliterations
הַקֶּ֙מַח֙ הקמח וְקֶ֣מַח וקמח מַאֲכָ֡ל מאכל קֶ֔מַח קֶ֙מַח֙ קֶ֠מַח קֶ֣מַח קֶּ֔מַח קָ֑מַח קָֽמַח׃ קמח קמח׃ hakKemach haq·qe·maḥ haqqemaḥ Kamach Kemach ma’ăḵāl ma·’ă·ḵāl maaChal qā·maḥ qāmaḥ qe·maḥ qemaḥ veKemach wə·qe·maḥ wəqemaḥ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 18:6
HEB: שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת ל֖וּשִׁי
NAS: of fine flour, knead
KJV: of fine meal, knead
INT: three measures meal of fine knead

Numbers 5:15
HEB: עֲשִׂירִ֥ת הָאֵיפָ֖ה קֶ֣מַח שְׂעֹרִ֑ים לֹֽא־
NAS: of barley meal; he shall not pour
KJV: of barley meal; he shall pour
INT: her one-tenth of an ephah meal of barley nor

Judges 6:19
HEB: עִזִּים֙ וְאֵיפַת־ קֶ֣מַח מַצּ֔וֹת הַבָּשָׂר֙
NAS: from an ephah of flour; he put
KJV: of an ephah of flour: the flesh
INT: goat an ephah of flour and unleavened the meat

1 Samuel 1:24
HEB: וְאֵיפָ֨ה אַחַ֥ת קֶ֙מַח֙ וְנֵ֣בֶל יַ֔יִן
NAS: ephah of flour and a jug
KJV: ephah of flour, and a bottle
INT: ephah and one of flour jug of wine

1 Samuel 28:24
HEB: וַתִּזְבָּחֵ֑הוּ וַתִּקַּח־ קֶ֣מַח וַתָּ֔לָשׁ וַתֹּפֵ֖הוּ
NAS: it; and she took flour, kneaded
KJV: it, and took flour, and kneaded
INT: slaughtered took flour kneaded and baked

2 Samuel 17:28
HEB: וְחִטִּ֥ים וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְקֶ֣מַח וְקָלִ֑י וּפ֥וֹל
NAS: barley, flour, parched
KJV: and barley, and flour, and parched
INT: wheat barley flour parched beans

1 Kings 4:22
HEB: וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים כֹּ֖ר קָֽמַח׃
NAS: and sixty kors of meal,
KJV: and threescore measures of meal,
INT: and sixty kors of meal

1 Kings 17:12
HEB: מְלֹ֤א כַף־ קֶ֙מַח֙ בַּכַּ֔ד וּמְעַט־
NAS: a handful of flour in the bowl
KJV: but an handful of meal in a barrel,
INT: all along branch of flour the bowl little

1 Kings 17:14
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּ֤ד הַקֶּ֙מַח֙ לֹ֣א תִכְלָ֔ה
NAS: The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted,
KJV: The barrel of meal shall not waste,
INT: of Israel the bowl of flour nor shall not be exhausted

1 Kings 17:16
HEB: כַּ֤ד הַקֶּ֙מַח֙ לֹ֣א כָלָ֔תָה
NAS: The bowl of flour was not exhausted
KJV: [And] the barrel of meal wasted
INT: the bowl of flour nor exhausted

2 Kings 4:41
HEB: וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ וּקְחוּ־ קֶ֔מַח וַיַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־
NAS: Now bring meal. He threw
KJV: Then bring meal. And he cast
INT: said now bring meal threw into

1 Chronicles 12:40
HEB: וּבַפְּרָדִ֣ים ׀ וּֽבַבָּקָ֡ר מַאֲכָ֡ל קֶ֠מַח דְּבֵלִ֨ים
NAS: great quantities of flour cakes,
KJV: [and] meat, meal, cakes
INT: oxen great of flour cakes fig

1 Chronicles 12:40
HEB: וּֽבַבָּקָ֡ר מַאֲכָ֡ל קֶ֠מַח דְּבֵלִ֨ים וְצִמּוּקִ֧ים
NAS: of flour cakes, fig
INT: great of flour cakes fig cakes

Isaiah 47:2
HEB: רֵחַ֖יִם וְטַ֣חֲנִי קָ֑מַח גַּלִּ֨י צַמָּתֵ֧ךְ
NAS: and grind meal. Remove
KJV: and grind meal: uncover
INT: the millstones and grind meal Remove your veil

Hosea 8:7
HEB: בְּלִ֣י יַֽעֲשֶׂה־ קֶּ֔מַח אוּלַ֣י יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה
NAS: It yields no grain. Should it yield,
KJV: shall yield no meal: if
INT: no yields grain Should yield

15 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7058
15 Occurrences


haq·qe·maḥ — 2 Occ.
qā·maḥ — 2 Occ.
qe·maḥ — 9 Occ.
ma·’ă·ḵāl — 1 Occ.
wə·qe·maḥ — 1 Occ.

7057
Top of Page
Top of Page