כָּשָׂה
to grow fat (i.e. be covered with flesh)
Definition
The Hebrew verb כָּשָׂה (kâsâh) means 'to grow fat' or 'to become covered with flesh,' describing a state of physical plumpness or fatness. In its sole biblical occurrence in Deuteronomy 32:15, it is used metaphorically to describe the nation of Israel growing fat, sleek, and prosperous, which then led to spiritual rebellion and apostasy. The term carries a negative connotation of excess and complacency that results from material blessing, rather than a positive description of health or wealth.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 32:15, within the Song of Moses. It appears in a poetic and prophetic context, describing Israel's future moral decline after entering the Promised Land and experiencing God's provision. The usage is entirely metaphorical, linking physical prosperity ('Jeshurun grew fat') to spiritual corruption ('kicked' and 'forsook God').
Etymology
כָּשָׂה is a primitive root verb. It is closely related to, and sometimes confused with, the more common verb כָּסָה (kâsâh, H3680), which means 'to cover' or 'to conceal.' While כָּשָׂה specifically denotes being covered *with flesh* (i.e., becoming fat), כָּסָה has a broader semantic range of covering objects or hiding things. The connection suggests the idea of being overlaid or enveloped by fat.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it illustrates a common biblical warning: material prosperity and comfort can lead to spiritual pride and forgetfulness of God. In Deuteronomy 32:15, Israel's 'fatness' symbolizes the dangerous outcome of God's blessing when it is not met with grateful obedience. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of this key passage by highlighting the direct, causal link Moses prophesies between physical abundance and moral decay, a theme echoed in other warnings (e.g., Hosea 13:6).
In ancient Near Eastern culture, fatness was often a sign of wealth, success, and divine favor, as it indicated abundant food and lack of hardship. However, the biblical perspective frequently subverts this, viewing excessive fatness as a symbol of self-sufficiency, laziness, and rebellion against God (cf. Proverbs 23:20-21). The metaphor would have been powerfully understood by an agrarian society familiar with the image of a well-fed animal becoming stubborn and unmanageable.
דָּשֵׁן (dâshên, H1878) — to be or become fat, rich, or robust; often used literally for animals and metaphorically for spiritual blessing or, conversely, for rebellion stemming from prosperity. שָׁמַן (shâman, H8080) — to grow fat or sleek; used similarly for physical fatness leading to moral neglect (Deuteronomy 31:20, Nehemiah 9:25).
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.
Full methodology & sources →