כְּוִיָּה
a branding
Definition
כְּוִיָּה (kᵉvîyâh) refers specifically to a branding or a burn mark inflicted on the skin. It denotes a physical injury resulting from burning, such as a scar or wound caused by fire or a hot instrument. In its sole biblical occurrence in Exodus 21:25, it is listed among the injuries requiring proportional justice ('burn for burn'), indicating it was considered a serious, deliberate wound. The term does not appear to have a metaphorical sense in the biblical text, remaining strictly literal in its application to bodily harm.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the legal context of the Book of Exodus. It appears in Exodus 21:25 as part of the 'lex talionis' (law of retaliation) principle, which stipulates equivalent punishment for injuries: 'burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.' Its usage is purely descriptive of a specific type of physical injury within a judicial framework, with no other attested occurrences in different contexts or books.
Etymology
The noun כְּוִיָּה (kᵉvîyâh) is derived directly from the root verb כָּוָה (kāvâ, H3554), which means 'to burn' or 'to scorch.' It is a feminine noun formed from this root, concretizing the action into a resultant state or mark—a branding or burn. Cognate words in related Semitic languages carry similar meanings related to burning or branding, confirming its core semantic field.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it contributes to understanding the biblical concept of justice. In Exodus 21:25, it is embedded in the 'eye for an eye' principle, which was not primarily about vengeance but about establishing proportional, equitable justice and limiting retaliation. It underscores the seriousness with which God's law views bodily integrity and personal injury, reflecting a standard of fairness that ultimately points toward a deeper need for grace and restitution beyond mere physical equivalence.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, branding (כְּוִיָּה) could be a method of punishment, a mark of ownership (on slaves or livestock), or a symbol of devotion to a deity. Within the Mosaic Law, its mention specifically as an injury requiring compensation highlights its recognition as a severe, intentional act causing lasting disfigurement. This differs from some modern, more casual understandings of a burn, as it carried significant social and judicial weight, affecting a person's status and requiring formal legal redress.
שְׂרֵפָה (śᵉrēphâ, H8316) — a general term for a burning or conflagration, often of objects or offerings, not specifically a burn on the skin. מִכְוָה (mikhvâ, H4347) — another noun for a burn or burning, also from the root כָּוָה, used in Leviticus 13:23-28 for a burn that becomes a diseased sore.
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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