What does כָּתָב (kātāb) mean in the Bible?
כָּתָב (kātāb): Writing as the inscribed, authoritative record that makes words legally binding and permanently authoritative
Hebrew · H3791
כָּתָב
Something written , i.e. a writing , record or book
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כָּתָב H3791
Pronunciation kātāb
What does כָּתָב (kātāb) mean in the Bible?
כָּתָב (kātāb): Writing as the inscribed, authoritative record that makes words legally binding and permanently authoritative
Full entry for כָּתָב (H3791) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3791?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of the text (2), their family records (2), - (1), . . . (1), according to the instructions written (1).
Where does כָּתָב (kātāb) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Chronicles 28:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Esther (9), 2 Chronicles (2), Ezra (2), 1 Chronicles (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 of the text 2× Esther 3:14, Esther 8:13
their family records 2× Ezra 2:62, Nehemiah 7:64
- 1× Ezra 4:7
. . . 1× Esther 8:9
according to the instructions written 1× 2 Chronicles 35:4
according to their regulation 1× Esther 9:27
For a decree 1× Esther 8:8
in its own script 1× Esther 1:22
in the Book 1× Daniel 10:21
in the register 1× Ezekiel 13:9
in the script 1× Esther 3:12
in their own script 1× Esther 8:9
in writing 1× 1 Chronicles 28:19
of the written 1× Esther 4:8
wrote a letter 1× 2 Chronicles 2:11
Show sample aligned rows
1 Chronicles 28:19 בִּכְתָ֛ב to in writing Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular 2 Chronicles 2:11 בִּכְתָ֔ב to wrote a letter Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular 2 Chronicles 35:4 בִּכְתָ֗ב to according to the instructions written Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Ezra 2:62 כְתָבָ֛ם to their family records Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Ezra 4:7 וּכְתָב֙ to - Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Nehemiah 7:64 כְתָבָ֛ם to their family records Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Esther 1:22 כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ to in its own script Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Esther 3:12 כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ to in the script Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Esther 3:14 הַכְּתָ֗ב to of the text Article | Noun - masculine singular Esther 4:8 כְּתָֽב־ to of the written Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Chronicles 28:19
Aligned rows 17
Books represented 7
1 Chronicles 1 2 Chronicles 2 Ezra 2 Nehemiah 1 Esther 9 Ezekiel 1 Daniel 1
Source forms
כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ 3x kiḵ·ṯā·ḇāh Esther 1:22, Esther 3:12, Esther 8:9
הַכְּתָ֗ב 2x hak·kə·ṯāḇ Esther 3:14, Esther 8:13
כִּכְתָבָ֖ם 2x kiḵ·ṯā·ḇām Esther 8:9, Esther 9:27
כְתָבָ֛ם 2x ḵə·ṯā·ḇām Ezra 2:62, Nehemiah 7:64
בִּכְתָ֛ב 1x biḵ·ṯāḇ 1 Chronicles 28:19
בִּכְתָ֔ב 1x biḵ·ṯāḇ 2 Chronicles 2:11
בִּכְתָ֗ב 1x biḵ·ṯāḇ 2 Chronicles 35:4
בִּכְתָ֖ב 1x biḵ·ṯāḇ Daniel 10:21
Parsing patterns
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular 3x Esther 1:22, Esther 3:12, Esther 8:9
Article | Noun - masculine singular 2x Esther 3:14, Esther 8:13
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural 2x Ezra 2:62, Nehemiah 7:64
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular 2x 1 Chronicles 28:19, 2 Chronicles 2:11
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 2x 2 Chronicles 35:4, Daniel 10:21
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural 2x Esther 8:9, Esther 9:27
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Ezra 4:7
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Ezekiel 13:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Writing as the inscribed, authoritative record that makes words legally binding and permanently authoritative
Source Gloss
something written , i.e. a writing , record or book
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Writing as the inscribed, authoritative record that makes words legally binding and permanently authoritative
something written, i.e. a writing, record or book BDB: writing Usage: register, scripture, writing.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
כָּתָב is built from this root:
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