כַּרְכֹּב
a rim or top margin
Definition
The Hebrew noun כַּרְכֹּב (karkôb) refers to a specific architectural feature: the rim or top margin of an object. In its two biblical occurrences, it describes the upper border or ledge of the bronze altar used in the Tabernacle. This rim was likely a projecting band or molding that ran around the top edge of the altar, serving both a structural and a functional purpose. The word does not appear elsewhere in the Old Testament with a different meaning, so its usage is consistent and specific to this cultic context.
Biblical Usage
כַּרְכֹּב is used exclusively in the descriptions of the Tabernacle's construction in the book of Exodus. It appears twice, in parallel passages detailing the bronze altar: Exodus 27:5 and Exodus 38:4. In both verses, it specifies the placement of a network of bronze grating, which was to be set beneath the כַּרְכֹּב (the rim) of the altar, halfway down its side. This consistent usage in a technical, architectural context within Israel's worship system is its only pattern.
Etymology
The word כַּרְכֹּב is considered an expanded or derived form from a root related to כַּבּוֹן (kabbôn, H3522), which refers to a 'ledge' or 'border.' This connection suggests a core meaning related to a surrounding edge or boundary. The linguistic derivation points to its function as a defined, encircling rim, fitting its description as the top margin of the altar.
Semantic Range
While כַּרְכֹּב itself is a technical term, its theological significance is tied to the precision and holiness of God's instructions for worship. The detailed specification of the altar's rim in Exodus 27:5 and 38:4 underscores that every element of the Tabernacle was designed by God and mattered for proper ritual practice. Understanding this term enriches reading by highlighting the care and intentionality behind Israel's cultic apparatus, pointing to a God who is both transcendent and approachable through prescribed, orderly means.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, altars for sacrifice were common, and specific architectural features often had ritual significance. The כַּרְכֹּב (rim) on the bronze altar may have served a practical function, such as preventing sacrificial items from falling off, or a symbolic one, demarcating the sacred space of the altar's top where offerings were made. This differs from a modern understanding of a simple 'edge,' as it was a deliberately crafted component integral to the altar's holy function.
גָּבוּל (gᵉḇûl, H1366) — a general term for border, territory, or boundary, not a specific architectural feature. שָׂפָה (śāp̄â, H8193) — often means 'lip' or 'edge,' but is used more broadly for the edge of objects, garments, or land, not a crafted rim like כַּרְכֹּב.
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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