קָפַד
to contract, i.e. roll together
Definition
The Hebrew verb קָפַד (qâphad) fundamentally means 'to contract' or 'to draw together,' often describing the physical act of rolling or folding something up. In its sole biblical occurrence in Isaiah 38:12, it is used metaphorically to describe God 'cutting off' or 'rolling up' the life of King Hezekiah like a shepherd's tent, emphasizing a swift and decisive end. This imagery conveys the termination of life as a deliberate, completed action, similar to taking down a temporary dwelling. The sense is one of finality and divine control over the span of human existence.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 38:12, within King Hezekiah's poetic lament after his recovery from illness. It appears in a vivid metaphorical comparison, where Hezekiah says God has 'cut me off from the loom' or, as understood from the imagery, 'rolled up my life.' The context is a reflection on mortality and God's sovereign power over life and death, using the concrete action of folding a tent to abstractly describe the ending of a life.
Etymology
קָפַד is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to contracting, drawing together, or coiling. Cognates in other Semitic languages support the idea of binding or gathering. The development from the physical action ('to roll up') to the metaphorical sense ('to cut off' a life) is a natural semantic extension, where the finishing of a task (like folding a tent) symbolizes completion or termination.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it provides a powerful metaphor for God's sovereignty over human life. In Isaiah 38:12, it underscores that life is in God's hands—He can 'roll it up' at His appointed time. This enriches the reading of Hezekiah's prayer, highlighting themes of human frailty, divine mercy in granting extended life, and the ultimate dependence of all creation on the Creator. It connects to the doctrine of God's providence and the finite nature of earthly existence.
The metaphor draws directly from ancient Near Eastern nomadic and pastoral life. Tents were central to the lifestyle of shepherds and travelers; rolling up a tent was a familiar, final act when breaking camp. This cultural reference made the concept of a suddenly ended life immediately understandable to the original audience, contrasting the permanence of God with the temporary, portable nature of human life.
כָּרַת (karath, H3772) — to cut off or make a covenant, often more general and less metaphorical. גָּזַר (gazar, H1504) — to cut, decree, or divide, focusing on the act of separation. תָּמַם (tamam, H8552) — to be complete, finished, or consumed, emphasizing a state of completion rather than the action.
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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