What does קַל (qal) mean in the Bible?
קַל (qal): Light in weight moves swiftly; the semantic bridge from physical lightness to rapid motion and ease
Hebrew · H7031
קַל
Light ; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)
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קַל H7031
Pronunciation qal
What does קַל (qal) mean in the Bible?
קַל (qal): Light in weight moves swiftly; the semantic bridge from physical lightness to rapid motion and ease
Full entry for קַל (H7031) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7031?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The swift (2), [was] fleet (1), a swift (1), and swiftly (1), are but foam (1).
Where does קַל (qal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 2 Samuel 2:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (4), Amos (2), Jeremiah (2), 2 Samuel (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 The swift 2× Jeremiah 46:6, Amos 2:14
[was] fleet 1× 2 Samuel 2:18
a swift 1× Isaiah 19:1
and swiftly 1× Isaiah 5:26
are but foam 1× Job 24:18
I will swiftly 1× Joel 3:4
swift 1× Isaiah 18:2
swift horses 1× Isaiah 30:16
swifter 1× Lamentations 4:19
the fleet 1× Amos 2:15
to the swift 1× Ecclesiastes 9:11
You are a swift 1× Jeremiah 2:23
Show sample aligned rows
2 Samuel 2:18 קַ֣ל to [was] fleet Adjective - masculine singular Job 24:18 קַֽל־ to are but foam Adjective - masculine singular Ecclesiastes 9:11 לַקַּלִּ֨ים to to the swift Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine plural Isaiah 5:26 קַ֥ל to and swiftly Adjective - masculine singular Isaiah 18:2 קַלִּ֗ים to swift Adjective - masculine plural Isaiah 19:1 קַל֙ to a swift Adjective - masculine singular Isaiah 30:16 קַ֣ל to swift horses Adjective - masculine singular Jeremiah 2:23 קַלָּ֖ה to You are a swift Adjective - feminine singular Jeremiah 46:6 הַקַּ֔ל to The swift Article | Adjective - masculine singular Lamentations 4:19 קַלִּ֤ים to swifter Adjective - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 2 Samuel 2:18
Aligned rows 13
Books represented 8
2 Samuel 1 Job 1 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 4 Jeremiah 2 Lamentations 1 Joel 1 Amos 2
Source forms
קַ֣ל 3x qal 2 Samuel 2:18, Isaiah 30:16, Joel 3:4
הַקַּ֔ל 1x haq·qal Jeremiah 46:6
וְקַ֥ל 1x wə·qal Amos 2:15
לַקַּלִּ֨ים 1x laq·qal·lîm Ecclesiastes 9:11
מִקָּ֔ל 1x miq·qāl Amos 2:14
קַ֥ל 1x qal Isaiah 5:26
קַל֙ 1x qal Isaiah 19:1
קַֽל־ 1x qal- Job 24:18
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular 6x 2 Samuel 2:18, Job 24:18, Isaiah 5:26, Isaiah 19:1
Adjective - masculine plural 2x Isaiah 18:2, Lamentations 4:19
Adjective - feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 2:23
Article | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Jeremiah 46:6
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Amos 2:15
Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine plural 1x Ecclesiastes 9:11
Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Amos 2:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Light in weight moves swiftly; the semantic bridge from physical lightness to rapid motion and ease
Source Gloss
light ; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Light in weight moves swiftly; the semantic bridge from physical lightness to rapid motion and ease
light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial) BDB: light Usage: light, swift(-ly).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
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