כִּבְרָה
properly, length, i.e. a measure (of uncertain dimension)
Definition
The Hebrew noun כִּבְרָה (kibrâh) denotes a measure of distance, specifically a 'length' or 'stretch' of land. Its exact dimension is uncertain, but context suggests it refers to a relatively short distance, perhaps a 'little way' or 'some distance' that could be traveled on foot. In all three biblical occurrences (Genesis 35:16, Genesis 48:7, 2 Kings 5:19), it describes the space between two points, emphasizing a journey's segment rather than a precise, standardized unit.
Biblical Usage
כִּבְרָה is used exclusively to describe a short, unspecified distance in narrative contexts. It appears twice in Genesis, both times in relation to Rachel's journey and death near Ephrath (Bethlehem), marking the final stretch of travel (Genesis 35:16, 48:7). The third use is in 2 Kings 5:19, where Elisha tells Naaman, 'Go in peace,' and Naaman departs from him 'a little way' (כִּבְרָה־אָֽרֶץ). The pattern shows it is a literary device to situate an event just beyond a primary location.
Etymology
The word is the feminine form of the noun כְּבָר (kebar, H3528), which means 'already' or 'length (of time).' This root conveys the sense of extent or duration. כִּבְרָה applies this concept of 'extent' specifically to spatial distance. Cognates in other Semitic languages also relate to measures or lengths.
Semantic Range
While not a theologically loaded term, כִּבְרָה enriches our reading by highlighting the human scale and relational geography in biblical narratives. In Genesis, this 'little distance' is profoundly significant—it is the space where Rachel dies in childbirth, linking Bethlehem to sorrow and later, through prophecy, to hope (Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:18). In 2 Kings 5:19, the distance Naaman travels 'a little way' may subtly foreshadow his subsequent compromise in worship, showing how quickly devotion can falter after a departure from God's prophet. Understanding this term reminds us that small, physical spaces in Scripture often carry great narrative and symbolic weight.
As an imprecise measure of distance, כִּבְרָה reflects an ancient, non-standardized system where travel was measured in day's journeys or relatable stretches of land ('a bowshot,' 'a Sabbath day's journey'). It was a practical term for a distance one could walk in a short time, likely understood by original audiences as 'a bit of land' or 'a short walk,' differing from modern precise metrics like miles or kilometers.
מִדָּה (middah, H4060) — a standard or measured portion, often for construction. פְּרָס (peras, H6536) — a specific measure of land, a 'parasang' (Persian unit).
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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