כֵּרָה
a purchase
Definition
The Hebrew noun כֵּרָה (kêrâh) refers to a purchase or provision, specifically something acquired or prepared for a specific purpose. In its sole biblical occurrence in 2 Kings 6:23, it describes the 'great provision' of food that the king of Israel prepared for the Aramean raiding party after the prophet Elisha had spared them. The word carries the sense of a substantial, deliberate acquisition, often for sustenance or hospitality. It is derived from the verb meaning to dig or prepare, implying something that has been obtained or made ready through effort.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 6:23. It appears in a narrative context following a miraculous event, where the king of Israel, on Elisha's instruction, provides a feast for his captured enemies instead of executing them. The usage highlights a context of unexpected grace and abundant hospitality following conflict, where the 'provision' serves as a tool for peacemaking and covenant restoration.
Etymology
The noun כֵּרָה (kêrâh) is derived from the root verb כָּרָה (kârâh, H3739), which primarily means 'to dig' (e.g., Genesis 26:25) or, by extension, 'to prepare' or 'to plot.' The noun form takes this sense of preparation or acquisition, moving from the physical act of digging to the result: something that has been procured or made ready. Cognates in other Semitic languages also relate to digging or preparing.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word is theologically significant in its narrative context. The 'great provision' in 2 Kings 6:23 is an act of radical grace and covenant hospitality, directly opposing the expected vengeance of warfare. It illustrates God's mercy operating through human obedience, transforming enemies into guests. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the deliberate, costly nature of this peacemaking provision, which points to a theology of unexpected blessing and reconciliation.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, sharing a meal was a powerful act of covenant-making and peace. To provide a 'great provision' for captured enemy soldiers was highly counter-cultural, as the norm was execution or enslavement. This act would have been understood as a formal gesture of forgiveness and the establishment of a non-aggression pact, which the narrative confirms by stating the Aramean raiding parties ceased thereafter.
מַחֲנֶה (machăneh, H4264) — a camp or host; more about a gathered group than a provision. לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — bread/food; a general term for food, not specifically a purchased provision. צֵידָה (tsêdâh, H6720) — provision/supplies for a journey; focuses on travel sustenance.
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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