כָּבַר
properly, to plait together, i.e. (figuratively) to augment (especially in number or quantity, to accumulate)
Definition
The Hebrew verb כָּבַר (kâbar) fundamentally means 'to be great, many, or abundant.' Its core idea is to increase in number or intensity, often describing the multiplication of people, possessions, or even abstract concepts like trouble. In its single biblical occurrence in Job 35:16, it is used to describe how Job 'multiplies' his words without knowledge, emphasizing an excessive or abundant outpouring of speech. While the gloss 'to plait together' suggests an intricate intertwining leading to increase, the primary biblical sense is straightforward augmentation or accumulation.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. In Job 35:16, Elihu accuses Job of opening his mouth 'in vain' and multiplying (כָּבַר) words without knowledge. The context is a debate about suffering and God's justice, where the word criticizes an excessive, and ultimately empty, verbal abundance. There are no other usage patterns, as it is a hapax legomenon (a word occurring only once).
Etymology
כָּבַר is a primitive root. It is related to the adjective כָּבֵד (kāḇēḏ, H3515), meaning 'heavy, honored, or glorious,' sharing the underlying concept of greatness or abundance. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Akkadian 'kabāru,' also carry meanings of being thick, heavy, or great, confirming this root idea of substantial increase.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, כָּבַר contributes to the theology of speech and wisdom. In Job 35:16, it highlights the danger of multiplying words devoid of true understanding before God. This connects to broader biblical themes about the power and peril of the tongue (Proverbs 10:19, James 3:5-6) and the humility required in theological discourse. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Job by sharpening the critique against verbose but misguided attempts to justify oneself before the Almighty.
In ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, of which Job is a part, lengthy disputations and rhetorical skill were highly valued. Elihu's charge that Job 'multiplies words' taps into this cultural context, accusing him of using traditional rhetorical abundance improperly—without the foundational knowledge of God's transcendent nature. The critique is not merely against talking a lot, but against a culturally recognized form of debate that has become disconnected from truth.
רָבָה (rāḇâ, H7235) — a more common verb for increase/multiply, often used of population growth (Genesis 1:22). כָּבַר implies a resultant greatness or heaviness, while רָבָה focuses on the process of becoming many. עָצַם (ʿāṣam, H6105) — to be vast, mighty, or numerous, often with a connotation of powerful strength (Genesis 26:16).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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