What does כּוּל (kûl) mean in the Bible?
כּוּל (kûl): Encompasses physical containment and sustenance, extending to God's capacity to uphold creation and covenant people.
Hebrew · H3557
כּוּל
Properly, to keep in ; hence, to measure ; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
כּוּל H3557
Pronunciation kûl
What does כּוּל (kûl) mean in the Bible?
כּוּל (kûl): Encompasses physical containment and sustenance, extending to God's capacity to uphold creation and covenant people.
Full entry for כּוּל (H3557) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3557?
The BSB source-word alignment has 38 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include can endure (2), contain You (2), hold (2), It could hold (2), and I provided them (1).
Where does כּוּל (kûl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 45:11. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Kings (12), 2 Chronicles (4), Jeremiah (4), 2 Samuel (3).
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 can endure 2× Proverbs 18:14, Malachi 3:2
contain You 2× 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 6:18
hold 2× 2 Chronicles 7:7, Jeremiah 2:13
It could hold 2× 1 Kings 7:26, 2 Chronicles 4:5
and I provided them 1× 1 Kings 18:13
and I will provide 1× 2 Samuel 19:33
and sustain you 1× Ruth 4:15
are guided 1× Psalms 112:5
bear 1× Amos 7:10
can endure it 1× Joel 2:11
contain Him 1× 2 Chronicles 2:6
endure 1× Jeremiah 10:10
for it holds 1× Ezekiel 23:32
gathered supplies 1× 1 Kings 20:27
had provided 1× 2 Samuel 19:32
He provided for them 1× 2 Samuel 20:3
holding 1× 1 Kings 7:38
I will provide 1× Genesis 45:11
in turn provided food 1× 1 Kings 4:27
of holding it back 1× Jeremiah 6:11
of holding it in 1× Jeremiah 20:9
provided 1× Genesis 47:12
providing them 1× 1 Kings 18:4
sustain 1× Zechariah 11:16
to consume 1× Ezekiel 21:28
to contain 1× 1 Kings 8:64
to feed you 1× 1 Kings 17:4
to provide food 1× 1 Kings 4:7
to provide for you 1× 1 Kings 17:9
Who has held 1× Isaiah 40:12
will provide for 1× Genesis 50:21
will sustain you 1× Psalms 55:22
would arrange provisions 1× 1 Kings 4:7
You sustained them 1× Nehemiah 9:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 45:11 וְכִלְכַּלְתִּ֤י to I will provide Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Genesis 47:12 וַיְכַלְכֵּ֤ל to provided Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 50:21 אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל to will provide for Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular Ruth 4:15 וּלְכַלְכֵּ֖ל to and sustain you Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 2 Samuel 19:32 כִלְכַּ֤ל to had provided Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 19:33 וְכִלְכַּלְתִּ֥י to and I will provide Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 2 Samuel 20:3 וַֽיְכַלְכְּלֵ֔ם to He provided for them Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural 1 Kings 4:7 וְכִלְכְּל֥וּ to to provide food Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 1 Kings 4:7 לְכַלְכֵּֽל׃ס to would arrange provisions Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 1 Kings 4:27 וְכִלְכְּלוּ֩ to in turn provided food Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 45:11
Aligned rows 38
Books represented 15
Genesis 3 Ruth 1 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 12 2 Chronicles 4 Nehemiah 1 Psalms 2 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 4 Ezekiel 2 Joel 1 Amos 1 Zechariah 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
יְכַלְכְּל֔וּךָ 2x yə·ḵal·kə·lū·ḵā 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 6:18
לְהָכִ֖יל 2x lə·hā·ḵîl Ezekiel 21:28, Amos 7:10
אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל 1x ’ă·ḵal·kêl Genesis 50:21
הָכִ֔יל 1x hā·ḵîl Jeremiah 6:11
וָאֲכַלְכְּלֵ֖ם 1x wā·’ă·ḵal·kə·lêm 1 Kings 18:13
וַיְכַלְכֵּ֤ל 1x way·ḵal·kêl Genesis 47:12
וַֽיְכַלְכְּלֵ֔ם 1x way·ḵal·kə·lêm 2 Samuel 20:3
וְכָ֥ל 1x wə·ḵāl Isaiah 40:12
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct 4x 2 Chronicles 7:7, Ezekiel 21:28, Ezekiel 23:32, Amos 7:10
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x 1 Kings 7:26, 1 Kings 7:38, 2 Chronicles 4:5
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Psalms 112:5, Proverbs 18:14, Zechariah 11:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 2x Genesis 45:11, 2 Samuel 19:33
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 2x 1 Kings 4:7, 1 Kings 4:27
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular 2x 1 Kings 17:4, 1 Kings 17:9
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Jeremiah 2:13, Jeremiah 10:10
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singular 2x 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 6:18
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Encompasses physical containment and sustenance, extending to God's capacity to uphold creation and covenant people.
Strong's H3557
Lexical occurrences 37 verses Word forms 2 forms 13 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 47:1-12 Source Gloss
properly, to keep in ; hence, to measure ; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Encompasses physical containment and sustenance, extending to God's capacity to uphold creation and covenant people.
properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses) BDB: comprehend Usage: (be able to, can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).
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 13
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 6×
Imperfect 1Kgs 7:26 · 1Kgs 7:38 · 2Chr 4:5 · Jer 2:13 · Jer 10:10 5×
Infinitive construct Jer 6:11 1×
Pilpel 7×
Imperfect Prov 18:14 · Ps 112:5 · Zech 11:16 · Gen 50:21 4×
Perfect 2Sam 19:33 1×
Infinitive construct Jer 20:9 1×
Participle active Mal 3:2 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to provide food and nourishment for a family or household
to endure or sustain emotional burden, spirit maintaining strength
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כּוּל is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
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