What does כָּרָה (karah) mean in the Bible?
כָּרָה (karah): To prepare or make ready through acquisition; emphasizes the preparatory action of obtaining goods for a specific purpose
Hebrew · H3739
כָּרָה
To purchase
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כָּרָהH3739
Pronunciationkarah
What does כָּרָה (karah) mean in the Bible?
כָּרָה (karah): To prepare or make ready through acquisition; emphasizes the preparatory action of obtaining goods for a specific purpose
Full entry for כָּרָה (H3739) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3739?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include - (1), and barter (1), barter (1), feast (1), So I bought her (1).
Where does כָּרָה (karah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 2:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (2), 2 Kings (1), Deuteronomy (1), Hosea (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-1×Deuteronomy 2:6
and barter1×Job 6:27
barter1×Job 41:6
feast1×2 Kings 6:23
So I bought her1×Hosea 3:2
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 2:6תִּכְר֧וּto-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural2 Kings 6:23וַיִּכְרֶ֨הtofeastConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJob 6:27וְ֝תִכְר֗וּtoand barterConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine pluralJob 41:6יִכְר֣וּtobarterVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralHosea 3:2וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָtoSo I bought herConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 2:6
Aligned rows5
Books represented4
Deuteronomy12 Kings1Job2Hosea1
Source forms
וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ1xwā·’ek·kə·re·hāHosea 3:2
וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה1xway·yiḵ·reh2 Kings 6:23
וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ1xwə·ṯiḵ·rūJob 6:27
יִכְר֣וּ1xyiḵ·rūJob 41:6
תִּכְר֧וּ1xtiḵ·rūDeuteronomy 2:6
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine plural1xJob 6:27
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular1xHosea 3:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1x2 Kings 6:23
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural1xDeuteronomy 2:6
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural1xJob 41:6
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To prepare or make ready through acquisition; emphasizes the preparatory action of obtaining goods for a specific purpose
Strong'sH3739
Lexical occurrences3 versesWord forms1 form1 referenceVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHosea 3:1-5Source Gloss
to purchase
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To prepare or make ready through acquisition; emphasizes the preparatory action of obtaining goods for a specific purpose
to purchase BDB: give a feast Usage: buy, prepare.
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 groups1Aligned forms1
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense1×
ImperfectDeut 2:61×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to acquire, purchase
Showing 1 selected witness from 3 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כָּרָה is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Illustrates costly redemption.Hosea 3:1-5