כְּבָרָה
a sieve (as netted)
Definition
The Hebrew noun כְּבָרָה (kᵉbârâh) refers specifically to a sieve, a tool used for sifting or straining. It is derived from the root meaning 'to weave' or 'to interlace,' indicating its construction as a netted or perforated implement. In its sole biblical occurrence in Amos 9:9, it is used metaphorically by God to describe His act of sifting the house of Israel among the nations, allowing the righteous to pass through while retaining the wicked for judgment. This singular usage gives the word a strong figurative sense of divine scrutiny and separation.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Amos 9:9. It is used in a prophetic, judicial context where God declares He will command the sifting of Israel through the nations as one shakes grain in a sieve. The usage is entirely metaphorical, transforming a common agricultural tool into a powerful image of God's discriminating judgment, separating the faithful from the unfaithful among His people.
Etymology
The noun כְּבָרָה (kᵉbârâh) is derived from the root כָּבַר (kāḇar, H3527), which in its original sense means 'to weave' or 'to plait.' This root meaning points directly to the construction of a sieve as a woven, netted instrument. The development from 'to weave' to 'sieve' is straightforward, as sieves were typically made by weaving fibers or perforating materials to create a mesh for sifting.
Semantic Range
Though a simple object, its use in Amos 9:9 gives it profound theological weight. It illustrates God's active role in judging and purifying His covenant people. The sieve metaphor emphasizes both the thoroughness of divine judgment—nothing is hidden—and its purpose: not utter destruction, but the preservation of a faithful remnant (the grain that falls through). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Amos by grounding a grand theological theme of judgment and grace in a tangible, everyday object familiar to an agrarian society.
In ancient Israelite culture, a sieve was a vital agricultural tool for separating grain from chaff, pebbles, and other impurities after threshing. Typically made of woven cords or perforated leather/wood, it was shaken vigorously to allow the desired grain to fall through while retaining unwanted material. This universal farming practice makes the metaphor in Amos 9:9 immediately understandable to the original audience, contrasting the mundane act of sifting grain with the cosmic act of God sifting a nation.
נָפָה (nāp̄âh, H5299) — another word for sieve or winnowing shovel, often used in the process of winnowing grain (as in Isaiah 30:24).
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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