What does כָּהָה (kāhāh) mean in the Bible?
כָּהָה (kāhāh): Weakness moving from physical dimming (light, vision) to emotional despair and divine rebuke of sin
Hebrew · H3543
כָּהָה
To be weak , i.e. (figuratively) to despond (causatively, rebuke ), or (of light, the eye) to grow dull
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כָּהָה H3543
Pronunciation kāhāh
What does כָּהָה (kāhāh) mean in the Bible?
כָּהָה (kāhāh): Weakness moving from physical dimming (light, vision) to emotional despair and divine rebuke of sin
Full entry for כָּהָה (H3543) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3543?
The BSB source-word alignment has 10 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include has faded (2), . . . (1), grow weak (1), have grown dim (1), restrain (1).
Where does כָּהָה (kāhāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (2), Zechariah (2), 1 Samuel (1), Deuteronomy (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It has faded 2× Leviticus 13:6, Leviticus 13:56
. . . 1× Zechariah 11:17
grow weak 1× Isaiah 42:4
have grown dim 1× Job 17:7
restrain 1× 1 Samuel 3:13
utterly blinded 1× Zechariah 11:17
weak 1× Deuteronomy 34:7
were so weak 1× Genesis 27:1
will faint 1× Ezekiel 21:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 27:1 וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ to were so weak Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural Leviticus 13:6 כֵּהָ֣ה to has faded Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 13:56 כֵּהָ֣ה to has faded Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 34:7 כָהֲתָ֥ה to weak Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 1 Samuel 3:13 כִהָ֖ה to restrain Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Job 17:7 וַתֵּ֣כַהּ to have grown dim Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Isaiah 42:4 יִכְהֶה֙ to grow weak Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Ezekiel 21:7 וְכִהֲתָ֣ה to will faint Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular Zechariah 11:17 כָּהֹ֥ה to utterly blinded Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Zechariah 11:17 תִכְהֶֽה׃ס to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 27:1
Aligned rows 10
Books represented 8
Genesis 1 Leviticus 2 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 1 Job 1 Isaiah 1 Ezekiel 1 Zechariah 2
Source forms
כֵּהָ֣ה 2x kê·hāh Leviticus 13:6, Leviticus 13:56
וְכִהֲתָ֣ה 1x wə·ḵi·hă·ṯāh Ezekiel 21:7
וַתֵּ֣כַהּ 1x wat·tê·ḵah Job 17:7
וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ 1x wat·tiḵ·he·nā Genesis 27:1
יִכְהֶה֙ 1x yiḵ·heh Isaiah 42:4
כִהָ֖ה 1x ḵi·hāh 1 Samuel 3:13
כָּהֹ֥ה 1x kā·hōh Zechariah 11:17
כָהֲתָ֥ה 1x ḵā·hă·ṯāh Deuteronomy 34:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 3x Leviticus 13:6, Leviticus 13:56, 1 Samuel 3:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular 1x Ezekiel 21:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural 1x Genesis 27:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Job 17:7
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Zechariah 11:17
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Isaiah 42:4
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute 1x Zechariah 11:17
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 1x Deuteronomy 34:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Weakness moving from physical dimming (light, vision) to emotional despair and divine rebuke of sin
Source Gloss
to be weak , i.e. (figuratively) to despond (causatively, rebuke ), or (of light, the eye) to grow dull
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Weakness moving from physical dimming (light, vision) to emotional despair and divine rebuke of sin
to be weak, i.e. (figuratively) to despond (causatively, rebuke), or (of light, the eye) to grow dull BDB: rebuke Usage: darken, be dim, fail, faint, restrain, × utterly.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 5
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Perfect 1Sam 3:13 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 4×
Imperfect Isa 42:4 · Zech 11:17 2×
Perfect Deut 34:7 1×
Infinitive absolute Zech 11:17 1×
Word Origins
כָּהָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain