What does כַּלָּה (kalāh) mean in the Bible?
כַּלָּה (kalāh): Bride as ideal completeness; the word etymologically implies perfection, wholeness, and covenant union
Hebrew · H3618
כַּלָּה
A bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wife
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כַּלָּהH3618
Pronunciationkalāh
What does כַּלָּה (kalāh) mean in the Bible?
כַּלָּה (kalāh): Bride as ideal completeness; the word etymologically implies perfection, wholeness, and covenant union
Full entry for כַּלָּה (H3618) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3618?
The BSB source-word alignment has 34 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include my bride (6), of the bride (4), his daughter-in-law (3), Your daughter-in-law (3), daughters-in-law (2).
Where does כַּלָּה (kalāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 11:31. Its strongest book concentrations include Ruth (7), Song Of Solomon (6), Jeremiah (5), Genesis (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itmy bride6×Song Of Solomon 4:8, Song Of Solomon 4:9, Song Of Solomon 4:10, Song Of Solomon 4:11
of the bride4×Jeremiah 7:34, Jeremiah 16:9, Jeremiah 25:10, Jeremiah 33:11
his daughter-in-law3×Genesis 11:31, Leviticus 20:12, Ezekiel 22:11
Your daughter-in-law3×Genesis 38:24, Leviticus 18:15, Ruth 4:15
daughters-in-law2×Ruth 1:7, Ruth 1:8
her daughter-in-law2×Ruth 1:22, Ruth 2:22
and a daughter-in-law1×Micah 7:6
and her daughters-in-law1×Ruth 1:6
and the bride1×Joel 2:16
and your daughters-in-law1×Hosea 4:13
as a bride1×Isaiah 61:10
his bride1×Isaiah 62:5
Judah’s daughter-in-law1×1 Chronicles 2:4
like a bride1×Isaiah 49:18
Now Eli’s daughter-in-law1×1 Samuel 4:19
or a bride1×Jeremiah 2:32
to her daughter-in-law1×Ruth 2:20
to his daughter-in-law1×Genesis 38:11
was his daughter-in-law1×Genesis 38:16
your daughters-in-law1×Hosea 4:14
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 11:31כַּלָּת֔וֹtohis daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularGenesis 38:11כַּלָּת֜וֹtoto his daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularGenesis 38:16כַלָּת֖וֹtowas his daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularGenesis 38:24כַּלָּתֶ֔ךָtoYour daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularLeviticus 18:15כַּלָּֽתְךָ֖toyour daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularLeviticus 20:12כַּלָּת֔וֹtohis daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularRuth 1:6וְכַלֹּתֶ֔יהָtoand her daughters-in-lawConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singularRuth 1:7כַלֹּתֶ֖יהָtodaughters-in-lawNoun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singularRuth 1:8כַלֹּתֶ֔יהָtodaughters-in-lawNoun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singularRuth 1:22כַלָּתָהּ֙toher daughter-in-lawNoun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 11:31
Aligned rows34
Books represented12
Genesis4Leviticus2Ruth71 Samuel11 Chronicles1Song Of Solomon6Isaiah3Jeremiah5Ezekiel1Hosea2Joel1Micah1
Source forms
כַלָּ֑ה3xḵal·lāhSong Of Solomon 4:9, Song Of Solomon 4:10, Song Of Solomon 4:12
כַּלָּ֑ה3xkal·lāhSong Of Solomon 4:11, Jeremiah 7:34, Jeremiah 25:10
כַּלָּת֔וֹ3xkal·lā·ṯōwGenesis 11:31, Leviticus 20:12, 1 Chronicles 2:4
כַּלָּ֔ה2xkal·lāhSong Of Solomon 4:8, Isaiah 62:5
כַּלָּ֖ה2xkal·lāhJeremiah 2:32, Micah 7:6
וְכַכַּלָּ֖ה1xwə·ḵak·kal·lāhIsaiah 61:10
וְכַלָּ֖ה1xwə·ḵal·lāhJoel 2:16
וְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם1xwə·ḵal·lō·w·ṯê·ḵemHosea 4:13
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular13xSong Of Solomon 4:8, Song Of Solomon 4:9, Song Of Solomon 4:10, Song Of Solomon 4:11
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular6xGenesis 11:31, Genesis 38:11, Genesis 38:16, Leviticus 20:12
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular2xRuth 1:7, Ruth 1:8
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular2xGenesis 38:24, Leviticus 18:15
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular2xRuth 1:22, Ruth 2:22
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural1xHosea 4:13
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular1xRuth 1:6
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular1xJoel 2:16
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Bride as ideal completeness; the word etymologically implies perfection, wholeness, and covenant union
Source Gloss
a bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wife
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Bride as ideal completeness; the word etymologically implies perfection, wholeness, and covenant union
a bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wife BDB: daughter-in-law Usage: bride, daughter-in-law, spouse.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
כַּלָּה is built from this root:
כָּלַלH3634
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.