What does כָּתַב (kātab) mean in the Bible?
כָּתַב (kātab): Encompasses the full arc from physical inscription to authoritative command: engraving permanence into written law and covenant.
Hebrew · H3789
כָּתַב
To grave , by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)
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כָּתַב H3789
Pronunciation kātab
What does כָּתַב (kātab) mean in the Bible?
כָּתַב (kātab): Encompasses the full arc from physical inscription to authoritative command: engraving permanence into written law and covenant.
Full entry for כָּתַב (H3789) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3789?
The BSB source-word alignment has 224 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include written (52), are they not written (8), wrote (6), recorded (5), that is written (5).
Where does כָּתַב (kātab) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 17:14. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Kings (30), 2 Chronicles (27), Deuteronomy (22), Jeremiah (21).
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 written 52× Deuteronomy 29:20, Deuteronomy 29:21, Deuteronomy 29:27, Joshua 1:8
are they not written 8× 2 Kings 10:34, 2 Kings 12:19, 2 Kings 13:8, 2 Kings 14:15
wrote 6× 2 Samuel 11:14, 2 Kings 10:1, 2 Chronicles 30:1, Esther 8:5
recorded 5× Numbers 33:2, Deuteronomy 28:61, Joshua 24:26, Esther 6:2
that is written 5× Joshua 8:34, Joshua 23:6, 2 Kings 22:13, 2 Chronicles 34:21
Write 5× Numbers 17:2, Numbers 17:3, Deuteronomy 27:3, Isaiah 30:8
and write 4× Isaiah 8:1, Jeremiah 36:2, Ezekiel 37:16
as it is written 4× 2 Chronicles 35:12, Ezra 3:2, Nehemiah 8:15, Nehemiah 10:34
It is written 4× 2 Samuel 1:18, Psalms 40:7, Isaiah 65:6, Daniel 9:13
Write down 4× Exodus 34:27, Deuteronomy 31:19, Ezekiel 24:2, Habakkuk 2:2
Write them 4× Deuteronomy 6:9, Deuteronomy 11:20, Proverbs 3:3, Proverbs 7:3
- 3× Exodus 32:15, 1 Kings 21:11, Ezekiel 2:10
as written 3× 1 Kings 2:3, 2 Chronicles 23:18, 2 Chronicles 31:3
had written 3× Esther 9:23, Jeremiah 36:27, Jeremiah 51:60
he wrote 3× 2 Samuel 11:15, 2 Kings 17:37, Jeremiah 36:32
were recorded 3× Nehemiah 12:22, Nehemiah 12:23, Job 19:23
wrote down 3× Exodus 24:4, Deuteronomy 31:9, Deuteronomy 31:22
. . . 2× Exodus 34:28, Hosea 8:12
according to what is written 2× 2 Chronicles 25:4, 2 Chronicles 35:26
and I will write 2× Exodus 34:1, Deuteronomy 10:2
as [it is] written 2× 2 Kings 23:21, Nehemiah 10:36
inscribed 2× Exodus 31:18, Deuteronomy 9:10
is written 2× Esther 8:8, Jeremiah 17:1
that were written 2× 2 Kings 23:3, 2 Chronicles 34:31
was written 2× Ezra 4:7, Malachi 3:16
You have written 2× Exodus 32:32, Jeremiah 36:6
[are] written 1× 2 Chronicles 13:22
[but acted] according to what is written 1× 2 Kings 14:6
[Joshua] inscribed 1× Joshua 8:32
And [the LORD] wrote 1× Deuteronomy 10:4
And all this was recorded 1× Esther 2:23
And He wrote them 1× Deuteronomy 5:22
and inscribe it 1× Jeremiah 31:33
and issue 1× Isaiah 10:1
and let it be recorded 1× Esther 1:19
and map it out 1× Joshua 18:4
and the order was written 1× Esther 3:12
and they engraved 1× Exodus 39:30
and to record 1× Ecclesiastes 12:10
And written 1× Ezekiel 2:10
And you shall write 1× Deuteronomy 27:8
as prescribed 1× 2 Chronicles 30:5
be written 1× Psalms 102:18
compose 1× Job 31:35
could count them 1× Isaiah 10:19
decrees 1× Isaiah 10:1
did you write 1× Jeremiah 36:17
Enroll 1× Jeremiah 22:30
have mapped out 1× Joshua 18:6
have you written 1× Jeremiah 36:29
He also wrote 1× 2 Chronicles 32:17
He built it according to what is written 1× Joshua 8:31
he had written 1× Joshua 8:32
he may write 1× Deuteronomy 24:1
he must write 1× Deuteronomy 17:18
He wrote them 1× 1 Samuel 10:25
I have written 1× Exodus 24:12
I signed 1× Jeremiah 32:10
in accordance with what is written 1× Ezra 3:4
in the register 1× Psalms 87:6
It was written 1× Esther 3:12
let [a decree] be issued 1× Esther 3:9
listed 1× Psalms 69:28
map it out 1× Joshua 18:8
mapping it 1× Joshua 18:9
may an order be written 1× Esther 8:5
may write 1× Esther 8:8
Mordecai wrote 1× Esther 8:10
or be recorded 1× Ezekiel 13:9
putting it in writing 1× Nehemiah 9:38
recorded [their names] 1× 1 Chronicles 24:6
rewrite 1× Jeremiah 36:28
shall write 1× Numbers 5:23
she wrote 1× 1 Kings 21:9
that are written 1× Deuteronomy 30:10
that had been written 1× Jeremiah 51:60
that He wrote 1× Deuteronomy 4:13
that read 1× Nehemiah 6:6
that was written 1× 1 Chronicles 16:40
the following written 1× Nehemiah 7:5
the passage stating 1× Nehemiah 13:1
The young man wrote down 1× Judges 8:14
Then [Jezebel] wrote 1× 1 Kings 21:8
Then Jehu wrote 1× 2 Kings 10:6
they are recorded 1× 2 Chronicles 26:22
they are written 1× 2 Chronicles 35:25
they recorded 1× Esther 8:9
They were inscribed 1× Exodus 32:15
Though I wrote for them 1× Hosea 8:12
to map out 1× Joshua 18:8
to what was written 1× 2 Chronicles 30:18
was lodged 1× Ezra 4:6
was recorded 1× Ezra 8:34
were among those listed 1× Numbers 11:26
were written 1× Psalms 139:16
when he wrote 1× Jeremiah 45:1
which are written 1× Deuteronomy 28:58
which were written 1× Esther 9:32
who are recorded 1× Isaiah 4:3
who were noted 1× 1 Chronicles 4:41
who were signing 1× Jeremiah 32:12
will be signed 1× Jeremiah 32:44
will be written 1× Jeremiah 17:13
will write 1× Isaiah 44:5
Write it down 1× Ezekiel 43:11
Write this 1× Exodus 17:14
writes 1× Deuteronomy 24:3
writing 1× Deuteronomy 31:24
written [against them] 1× Psalms 149:9
wrote [a letter] 1× Ezra 4:7
wrote [them] 1× Jeremiah 36:18
You record 1× Job 13:26
you write 1× Ezekiel 37:20
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 17:14 כְּתֹ֨ב to Write this Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Exodus 24:4 וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב to wrote down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 24:12 כָּתַ֖בְתִּי to I have written Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Exodus 31:18 כְּתֻבִ֖ים to inscribed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural Exodus 32:15 כְּתֻבִים֙ to They were inscribed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural Exodus 32:15 כְּתֻבִֽים׃ to - Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural Exodus 32:32 כָּתָֽבְתָּ׃ to You have written Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular Exodus 34:1 וְכָתַבְתִּי֙ to and I will write Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Exodus 34:27 כְּתָב־ to Write down Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Exodus 34:28 וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב to . . . Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 17:14
Aligned rows 224
Books represented 25
Exodus 11 Numbers 5 Deuteronomy 22 Joshua 13 Judges 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 16 2 Kings 30 1 Chronicles 5 2 Chronicles 27 Ezra 6 Nehemiah 10 Esther 17 Job 3 Psalms 6 Proverbs 3 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 8 Jeremiah 21 Ezekiel 8 Daniel 3 Hosea 2 Habakkuk 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
כְּתוּבִ֗ים 35x kə·ṯū·ḇîm 1 Kings 14:19, 1 Kings 15:7, 1 Kings 15:31, 1 Kings 16:5
וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב 7x way·yiḵ·tōḇ Exodus 24:4, Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 31:9, 1 Samuel 10:25
כְּתוּבִ֔ים 7x kə·ṯū·ḇîm 1 Chronicles 9:1, 2 Chronicles 24:27, 2 Chronicles 25:26, 2 Chronicles 27:7
כַּכָּת֖וּב 6x kak·kā·ṯūḇ 1 Kings 2:3, 2 Chronicles 31:3, 2 Chronicles 35:12, 2 Chronicles 35:26
וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב 4x way·yiḵ·tōḇ Numbers 33:2, Deuteronomy 10:4, Judges 8:14, Jeremiah 36:4
כָּת֥וּב 4x kā·ṯūḇ Ezra 4:7, Nehemiah 7:5, Psalms 40:7, Daniel 12:1
כְתוּבָ֖ה 4x ḵə·ṯū·ḇāh Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18, Isaiah 65:6, Ezekiel 2:10
הַכָּת֖וּב 3x hak·kā·ṯūḇ Joshua 1:8, Joshua 8:34, 2 Chronicles 34:21
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural 57x Exodus 31:18, Exodus 32:15, Deuteronomy 9:10, 1 Kings 11:41
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 19x Exodus 24:4, Exodus 34:28, Numbers 33:2, Deuteronomy 10:4
Preposition-k, Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 16x Joshua 8:31, 1 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 14:6, 2 Kings 23:21
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 12x Deuteronomy 28:61, 1 Kings 21:11, Ezra 4:7, Nehemiah 6:6
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 10x Joshua 8:32, 2 Kings 17:37, 2 Chronicles 26:22, 2 Chronicles 30:1
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 8x Joshua 1:8, Joshua 8:34, Joshua 23:6, 2 Kings 22:13
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural 6x Deuteronomy 28:58, 2 Kings 23:3, 2 Kings 23:24, 1 Chronicles 4:41
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular 6x Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18, Isaiah 65:6, Jeremiah 17:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Encompasses the full arc from physical inscription to authoritative command: engraving permanence into written law and covenant.
Strong's H3789
Lexical occurrences 227 verses Word forms 3 forms 120 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Jeremiah 30:1-3 Source Gloss
to grave , by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Encompasses the full arc from physical inscription to authoritative command: engraving permanence into written law and covenant.
to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe) BDB: write Usage: describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).
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 3 Aligned forms 120
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 110×
Participle passive 1Chr 9:1 · 1Chr 29:29 · 1Kgs 11:41 · 1Kgs 14:19 · 1Kgs 14:29 · 1Kgs 15:7 · 1Kgs 15:23 · 1Kgs 15:31 · 1Kgs 16:5 · 1Kgs 16:14 · 1Kgs 16:20 · 1Kgs 16:27 · 1Kgs 21:11 · 1Kgs 22:39 · 1Kgs 22:46 · 2Chr 9:29 75×
Perfect 2Chr 26:22 · 2Chr 30:1 · 2Chr 32:17 · 2Kgs 17:37 · Esth 8:5 · Esth 9:23 · Ezra 4:7 · Jer 36:27 · Job 31:35 · Josh 8:32 · Exod 32:32 · Jer 36:6 · Jer 36:17 · Jer 36:29 · Exod 24:12 · Prov 22:20 17×
Sequential imperfect Exod 17:14 · Exod 34:27 · Ezek 24:2 · Hab 2:2 · Jer 30:2 · Deut 31:19 · Esth 8:8 · Jer 22:30 8×
Imperfect Ezek 37:20 · Job 13:26 · Num 17:17 · Num 17:18 · Hos 8:12 · Isa 44:5 · Josh 18:6 8×
Infinitive absolute Ezek 24:2 1×
Participle active Jer 36:18 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 9×
Imperfect Ezek 13:9 · Jer 17:13 · Ps 139:16 · Esth 3:9 · Ps 102:19 5×
Participle passive Esth 3:12 · Esth 8:8 2×
Jussive Esth 8:5 · Ps 69:29 2×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Perfect Isa 10:1 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Recording divine words and prophecies in written form for preservation
Scribal inscription of prophetic utterances onto a scroll at divine command
Re-writing and adding to previously inscribed text after destruction
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 227 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כָּתַב 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