What does כֶּלֶב (keleb) mean in the Bible?
כֶּלֶב (keleb): Domestic animal carrying strong negative connotations; metaphorically applied to shameful human conduct and spiritual unfaithfulness
Hebrew · H3611
כֶּלֶב
A dog ; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute
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כֶּלֶבH3611
Pronunciationkeleb
What does כֶּלֶב (keleb) mean in the Bible?
כֶּלֶב (keleb): Domestic animal carrying strong negative connotations; metaphorically applied to shameful human conduct and spiritual unfaithfulness
Full entry for כֶּלֶב (H3611) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3611?
The BSB source-word alignment has 32 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the dogs (5), dog (4), a dog (3), by dogs (3), dogs (3).
Where does כֶּלֶב (keleb) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 11:7. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Kings (7), Psalms (5), 2 Kings (3), 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 Itthe dogs5×1 Kings 21:19, 1 Kings 21:23, 2 Kings 9:10, 2 Kings 9:36
dog4×1 Samuel 24:14, 2 Samuel 9:8, 2 Samuel 16:9, Ecclesiastes 9:4
a dog3×Judges 7:5, 1 Samuel 17:43, Proverbs 26:17
by dogs3×1 Kings 14:11, 1 Kings 16:4, 1 Kings 21:24
dogs3×Job 30:1, Psalms 22:16, Isaiah 56:10
like dogs2×Psalms 59:6, Psalms 59:14
[is like] one who breaks a dog’s1×Isaiah 66:3
[there also] the dogs1×1 Kings 21:19
a mere dog1×2 Kings 8:13
and the dogs1×1 Kings 22:38
As a dog1×Proverbs 26:11
even a dog1×Exodus 11:7
Like ravenous dogs1×Isaiah 56:11
of a dog1×2 Samuel 3:8
of wild dogs1×Psalms 22:20
of your dogs1×Psalms 68:23
or male1×Deuteronomy 23:18
to the dogs1×Exodus 22:31
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 11:7כֶּ֙לֶב֙toeven a dogNoun - masculine singularExodus 22:31לַכֶּ֖לֶבtoto the dogsPreposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 23:18כֶּ֗לֶבtoor maleNoun - masculine singularJudges 7:5הַכֶּ֗לֶבtoa dogArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 17:43הֲכֶ֣לֶבtoa dogArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 24:14כֶּ֣לֶבtodogNoun - masculine singular2 Samuel 3:8כֶּ֥לֶבtoof a dogNoun - masculine singular2 Samuel 9:8הַכֶּ֥לֶבtodogArticle | Noun - masculine singular2 Samuel 16:9הַכֶּ֤לֶבtodogArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Kings 14:11הַכְּלָבִ֔יםtoby dogsArticle | Noun - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 11:7
Aligned rows32
Books represented13
Exodus2Deuteronomy1Judges11 Samuel22 Samuel31 Kings72 Kings3Job1Psalms5Proverbs2Ecclesiastes1Isaiah3Jeremiah1
Source forms
הַכְּלָבִ֛ים3xhak·kə·lā·ḇîm1 Kings 21:19, 1 Kings 21:23, 2 Kings 9:10
הַכְּלָבִ֑ים2xhak·kə·lā·ḇîm1 Kings 16:4, 1 Kings 21:24
הַכְּלָבִים֙2xhak·kə·lā·ḇîm1 Kings 21:19, 1 Kings 22:38
הַכְּלָבִ֖ים2xhak·kə·lā·ḇîm2 Kings 9:36, Jeremiah 15:3
כַכָּ֗לֶב2xḵak·kā·leḇPsalms 59:6, Psalms 59:14
הֲכֶ֣לֶב1xhă·ḵe·leḇ1 Samuel 17:43
הַכֶּ֗לֶב1xhak·ke·leḇJudges 7:5
הַכֶּ֥לֶב1xhak·ke·leḇ2 Samuel 9:8
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine plural10x1 Kings 14:11, 1 Kings 16:4, 1 Kings 21:19, 1 Kings 21:23
Noun - masculine singular7xExodus 11:7, Deuteronomy 23:18, 1 Samuel 24:14, 2 Samuel 3:8
Article | Noun - masculine singular5xJudges 7:5, 1 Samuel 17:43, 2 Samuel 9:8, 2 Samuel 16:9
Noun - masculine plural2xPsalms 22:16, Isaiah 56:10
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular2xPsalms 59:6, Psalms 59:14
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural1xIsaiah 56:11
Noun - masculine plural construct1xJob 30:1
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular1xPsalms 68:23
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Domestic animal carrying strong negative connotations; metaphorically applied to shameful human conduct and spiritual unfaithfulness
Source Gloss
a dog ; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Domestic animal carrying strong negative connotations; metaphorically applied to shameful human conduct and spiritual unfaithfulness
a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute BDB: dog Usage: dog.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Animal that returns to its vomit, illustrating foolish repetition
Animal seized by ears, metaphor for meddling in others' disputes
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 32 lexical occurrence verses.
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.