Lexical Summary qarqa: floor Original Word: קַרְקַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bottom, one side of the floor From qara'; floor (as if a pavement of pieces or tesseroe), of a building or the sea -- bottom, (X one side of the) floor. see HEBREW qara' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition floor NASB Translation floor (8). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. קַרְקַע noun [masculine] floor (probably reduplication from a √ קרר, or קור; Late Hebrew id., ground, so ᵑ7 קַרְקְעָא, קַרְקָעִיתָא; apparently = Assyrian ‡a‡‡aru, ground, earth, Arabic  terra aequabilis mollisque; compare Köii. 1, 91); — absolute ׳ק 1 Kings 6:16; 1 Kings 7:7a, קָ֑ע- 1 Kings 7:7b (see below); construct קַרְקַע Numbers 5:17 +; — floor of temple 1 Kings 6:15 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 6:16,30; 1 Kings 7:7a; 1 Kings 7:7b read probably הַקּוֺרוֺת rafters (compare 1 Kings 6:15 and קוֺרָה) ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Th Sta KmpKau Benz; (earth)- floor of tabernacle Numbers 5:17; קַרְקַע הַיָּם Amos 9:3 the floor, bottom of the sea. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Core Idea קַרְקַע describes the lowest structural surface in any setting—whether the compacted earth of the wilderness tabernacle, the crafted timber and gold-plated pavement of Solomon’s temple complex, or the ocean bed invoked by the prophet Amos. It consistently marks the place where human feet or created creatures rest, emphasizing foundational realities both physically and theologically. Pentateuchal Usage: Dust from the Tabernacle Floor Numbers 5:17 anchors קַרְקַע in the Mosaic ritual of the “water of bitterness.” The priest “put[s] some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water” (Numbers 5:17). This floor dust, mingled with holy water, becomes an instrument of divine testing. No ordinary dirt, it is sanctified by proximity to the earthly dwelling of God, underscoring that sin is exposed not by human ingenuity but by the presence of the Holy One. Every ministry that confronts sin must reckon with this principle: true conviction flows from the holiness of God, not the persuasiveness of the minister. Royal Architecture: The Floors of Solomon’s House for the Name of the LORD Six of the eight occurrences fall in 1 Kings 6–7, detailing construction of the temple and palace: • “He lined the walls of the temple with cedar paneling from floor to ceiling” and “overlaid the floor of the temple with cypress boards” (1 Kings 6:15). The shift from unadorned cypress to gold overlay testifies to progressive intensification of holiness as one moves inward. Gold upon the קַרְקַע declares that even the lowest surface in God’s house shares in His glory; within the covenant community nothing is too common to be consecrated. For preaching and worship planning, the detail warns against compartmentalizing sacred and secular spaces—every “floor” where God meets His people warrants reverent treatment. Prophetic Imagery: The Ocean Floor as Flight’s Last Resort Amos 9:3 employs קַרְקַע metaphorically: “though they hide from My eyes at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them”. The prophet selects the remotest imaginable floor to portray divine omnipresence. Unlike the temple floor that welcomes worship, this sea floor becomes the stage of judgment. Together the passages teach complementarily: God sanctifies foundations for His people yet searches out foundations to judge the unrepentant. Ministry that neglects either truth—holiness or justice—offers only half a gospel. Theological Themes 1. Foundation and Stability: Floors symbolize what everything else rests on. Scripture’s repeated attention to קַרְקַע invites reflection on God Himself as the ultimate foundation (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:11). Practical Implications for Contemporary Ministry • Church facilities communicate theology. Thoughtful stewardship of physical space—cleanliness, beauty, accessibility—reinforces the message that every aspect of life is offered to God. Summary קַרְקַע unites the earthly and the divine by highlighting what lies beneath one’s feet. Whether dust, cedar, gold, or seabed, the word directs attention to God’s claim over every foundation—in worship, judgment, and daily life—calling believers to walk humbly on holy ground. Forms and Transliterations בְּקַרְקַ֣ע בקרקע הַקַּרְקַ֖ע הַקַּרְקָֽע׃ הקרקע הקרקע׃ מִקַּרְקַ֤ע מֵהַקַּרְקַ֖ע מהקרקע מקרקע קַרְקַ֥ע קרקע bə·qar·qa‘ bekarKa bəqarqa‘ hakkarKa haq·qar·qa‘ haq·qar·qā‘ haqqarqa‘ haqqarqā‘ karKa mê·haq·qar·qa‘ mehakkarKa mêhaqqarqa‘ mikkarKa miq·qar·qa‘ miqqarqa‘ qar·qa‘ qarqa‘Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 5:17 HEB: אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה֙ בְּקַרְקַ֣ע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִקַּ֥ח NAS: of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle KJV: and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle INT: after is on the floor of the tabernacle shall take 1 Kings 6:15 1 Kings 6:15 1 Kings 6:16 1 Kings 6:30 1 Kings 7:7 1 Kings 7:7 Amos 9:3 8 Occurrences |
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