קַב
a hollow, i.e. vessel used as a (dry) measure
Definition
The Hebrew noun קַב (qab) refers to a specific unit of dry measure used in ancient Israel. It is a small vessel or container used for measuring quantities of grain or other dry goods. The word literally means 'a hollow' or 'a vessel,' emphasizing its function as a container. This term appears only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 6:25, where it is used to measure a small, expensive amount of dove's dung during a severe famine in Samaria.
Biblical Usage
The word קַב is used only one time in the entire Old Testament, in 2 Kings 6:25. It appears in the historical narrative describing a desperate siege and famine in Samaria. The context is one of extreme scarcity, where a tiny measure (a cab) of an unclean substance (dove's dung, likely used as fuel) was sold for a high price. Its singular usage highlights a moment of profound crisis and deprivation.
Etymology
The noun קַב (qab) is derived from the root verb קָבַב (qāḇaḇ, H6895), which means 'to hollow out' or 'to scoop out.' This root meaning directly informs the noun's sense of a hollow vessel used for measuring. It is a cognate with similar words for vessels or measures in other Semitic languages.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a mundane measurement, its single biblical occurrence in 2 Kings 6:25 carries significant theological weight. It serves as a stark, tangible symbol of God's judgment for covenant disobedience, as described in Deuteronomy 28:53-57. The extreme devaluation of life and the horrific market conditions illustrate the devastating consequences of turning from God. Understanding this specific measure enriches the reading by quantifying the depth of the famine's despair.
In its original setting, a 'cab' (qab) was a very small dry measure, roughly equivalent to about 1.2 liters or one quart. It was part of a larger system of measurements (like the ephah and the homer). The mention of a cab of dove's dung selling for a high price in 2 Kings 6:25 would have immediately communicated to an ancient reader the severity of the famine—where even a minuscule amount of a worthless commodity became extravagantly expensive.
אֵיפָה (ʼêphâh, H374) — a much larger standard unit of dry measure, about ten times the size of a homer. סְאָה (səʼâh, H5429) — another unit of dry measure, larger than a cab, often translated 'measure' or 'seah.'
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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