What does קַו (qawwām) mean in the Bible?
קַו (qawwām): Cord that connects and measures, extending figuratively to rule, standard, and musical harmony.
Hebrew · H6957
קַו
A cord (as connecting), especially for measuring ; figuratively, a rule ; also a rim , a musical string or accord
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קַו H6957
Pronunciation qawwām
What does קַו (qawwām) mean in the Bible?
קַו (qawwām): Cord that connects and measures, extending figuratively to rule, standard, and musical harmony.
Full entry for קַו (H6957) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6957?
The BSB source-word alignment has 22 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a measuring line (4), line (4), on line (4), the measuring line (2), by measure (1).
Where does קַו (qawwām) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 2 Kings 21:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (16), 2 Chronicles (1), 2 Kings (1), Ezekiel (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 a measuring line 4× Job 38:5, Isaiah 34:11, Isaiah 44:13, Lamentations 2:8
line 4× Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13
on line 4× Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13
the measuring line 2× 2 Kings 21:13, Isaiah 28:17
by measure 1× Isaiah 34:17
from a powerful 1× Isaiah 18:7
in circumference 1× 2 Chronicles 4:2
their voice 1× Psalms 19:4
to a powerful 1× Isaiah 18:2
with a measuring line 1× Ezekiel 47:3
Show sample aligned rows
2 Kings 21:13 קָ֣ו to the measuring line Noun - masculine singular construct 2 Chronicles 4:2 וְקָו֙ to in circumference Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Job 38:5 קָּֽו׃ to a measuring line Noun - masculine singular Psalms 19:4 קַוָּ֗ם to their voice Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Isaiah 18:2 קָ֣ו to to a powerful Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 18:2 קַו־ to Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 18:7 קָ֣ו to from a powerful Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 18:7 קַו־ to Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 28:10 קַ֥ו to line Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 28:10 לָקָ֖ו to on line Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 2 Kings 21:13
Aligned rows 22
Books represented 7
2 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 1 Job 1 Psalms 1 Isaiah 16 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 1
Source forms
קָ֣ו 3x qāw 2 Kings 21:13, Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7
קַ֣ו 2x qaw Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13
קַו־ 2x qaw- Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7
בַּקָּ֑ו 1x baq·qāw Isaiah 34:17
וְקָו֙ 1x wə·qāw 2 Chronicles 4:2
וְקָ֣ו 1x wə·qāw Ezekiel 47:3
לְקָ֔ו 1x lə·qāw Isaiah 28:17
לָקָ֖ו 1x lā·qāw Isaiah 28:10
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 11x Job 38:5, Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:7, Isaiah 28:10
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular 5x Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13, Isaiah 28:17
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 2x 2 Chronicles 4:2, Ezekiel 47:3
Noun - masculine singular construct 2x 2 Kings 21:13, Isaiah 34:11
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural 1x Psalms 19:4
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 34:17
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Cord that connects and measures, extending figuratively to rule, standard, and musical harmony.
Source Gloss
a cord (as connecting), especially for measuring ; figuratively, a rule ; also a rim , a musical string or accord
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Cord that connects and measures, extending figuratively to rule, standard, and musical harmony.
a cord (as connecting), especially for measuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accord Usage: line. Compare 6978.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Their line; measuring line; can also refer to a musical string or 'voice'; indicates the reach of their influence
Showing 1 selected witness from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
קַו is built from these roots:
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