What does כְּתָב (kĕtāb) mean in the Bible?
כְּתָב (kĕtāb): Writing as authorized prescription: the act of inscribing something with binding, permanent legal or religious force
Hebrew · H3792
כְּתָב
Prescribing, writing(-ten).
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כְּתָבH3792
Pronunciationkĕtāb
What does כְּתָב (kĕtāb) mean in the Bible?
כְּתָב (kĕtāb): Writing as authorized prescription: the act of inscribing something with binding, permanent legal or religious force
Full entry for כְּתָב (H3792) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3792?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include inscription (3), the document (2), the inscription (2), according to what is written (1), is the inscription (1).
Where does כְּתָב (kĕtāb) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Ezra 6:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Daniel (10), Ezra (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itinscription3×Daniel 5:7, Daniel 5:15, Daniel 5:24
the document2×Daniel 6:8, Daniel 6:10
the inscription2×Daniel 5:8, Daniel 5:17
according to what is written1×Ezra 6:18
is the inscription1×Daniel 5:25
limit1×Ezra 7:22
the written1×Daniel 6:9
this inscription1×Daniel 5:16
Show sample aligned rows
Ezra 6:18כִּכְתָ֖בtoaccording to what is writtenPreposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructEzra 7:22כְתָֽב׃tolimitNoun - masculine singularDaniel 5:7כְּתָבָ֣הtoinscriptionNoun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 5:8כְּתָבָא֙tothe inscriptionNoun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 5:15כְתָבָ֤הtoinscriptionNoun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 5:16כְּתָבָ֜אtothis inscriptionNoun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 5:17כְּתָבָא֙tothe inscriptionNoun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 5:24וּכְתָבָ֥אtoinscriptionConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 5:25כְתָבָ֖אtois the inscriptionNoun - masculine singular determinateDaniel 6:8כְּתָבָ֑אtothe documentNoun - masculine singular determinate
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowEzra 6:18
Aligned rows12
Books represented2
Ezra2Daniel10
Source forms
כְּתָבָא֙3xkə·ṯā·ḇāDaniel 5:8, Daniel 5:17, Daniel 6:10
וּכְתָבָ֥א1xū·ḵə·ṯā·ḇāDaniel 5:24
כִּכְתָ֖ב1xkiḵ·ṯāḇEzra 6:18
כְתָֽב׃1xḵə·ṯāḇEzra 7:22
כְתָבָ֖א1xḵə·ṯā·ḇāDaniel 5:25
כְּתָבָ֜א1xkə·ṯā·ḇāDaniel 5:16
כְּתָבָ֑א1xkə·ṯā·ḇāDaniel 6:8
כְּתָבָ֖א1xkə·ṯā·ḇāDaniel 6:9
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular determinate9xDaniel 5:7, Daniel 5:8, Daniel 5:15, Daniel 5:16
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate1xDaniel 5:24
Noun - masculine singular1xEzra 7:22
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct1xEzra 6:18
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Writing as authorized prescription: the act of inscribing something with binding, permanent legal or religious force
Source Gloss
prescribing, writing(-ten).
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Writing as authorized prescription: the act of inscribing something with binding, permanent legal or religious force
BDB: writing Usage: prescribing, writing(-ten).
Word Origins
כְּתָב 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.