Lexical Definition

‎כַּף‎ kaph (kaf) palm ^H:N-F
from ‎כָּפַף‎

branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.

• the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree)
• figuratively, power

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)

See Greek: δάκτυλος · ἴχνος · κλάδος · πῆχυς · πλάτος · τρύβλιον · χείρ

Extended Information

• : palm/hand

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎כַּף‎₁₉₂ noun feminine^{1Kgs 8:54} hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic id., Assyrian kappu, hand, pan, kippatu, hollow; Arabic palm, hand) — absolute ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Job 29:9 +, so read probably also Ezek 29:7b for ᵑ0 ‎כָּתֵף‎ (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Sm Co, compare v^a); ‎כָּ֑ף‎ 2Kgs 11:12 +; more often construct ‎כַּף‎ Gen 40:11 +; suffix ‎כַּפִּי‎ Judg 12:3, ‎כַּפְּךָ‎ Job 13:31, etc.; in Ezek 29:7 read ‎כַּף‎ Qr for ‎כפך‎ Kt (so Ew Hi Sm Co Da); dual ‎כַּפַּיִם‎ Isa 49:16 +; construct ‎כַּפֵּי‎ Exod 29:24 (twice in verse) + 3 t.; suffix ‎כַּפַּי‎ Gen 20:5 +, ‎כַּפָּיו‎ Num 24:10 +, ‎כַּפֵּיהֶם‎ Isa 59:6 + 2 t., ‎כַּפֵּימוֺ‎ Job 27:23, etc.; plural ‎כַּפּוֺת‎ (especially of soles, and in metaphor senses) absolute Num 4:7 +; construct 2Kgs 9:35 +, suffix ‎כַּפֹתָיו‎ Exod 25:29; Exod 37:16 —

1. a. of human beings, hollow or flat of hand, palm, (c. 116 t.) 2Kgs 4:34 (twice in verse); ‎׳‎‎נָתַן אֵת הַכּוס עַלכּכַּף פ‎ Gen 40:11; Gen 40:21 (E), set the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh (compare vGen 40:11a ‎וְכוֺס פַּרְעֹה בְּיָדִי‎), similarly Lev 8:27 (twice in verse) (P) +; ‎הַשֶּׁמֶן אֲשֶׁר עַלכּכַּפּוֺ‎ Lev 14:16; Lev 14:17; Lev 14:18; Lev 14:27; Lev 14:28 as distinguished from wrist and arm, Deut 25:12 rarely with ‎ידים‎ (always ‎כַּכּוֺת‎), ‎שְׁתֵּי כַּפּוֺת ידיו‎ 1Sam 5:4 (of Dagon), ‎הַיָּדַיִם‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 2Kgs 9:35, compare Dan 10:10 ‎כַּף הַשְּׂמָאלִית‎ Lev 14:15; Lev 14:26 note especially ‎קֶמַח‎ ‎׳‎‎מְלֹא כ‎ 1Kgs 17:12 a handful of meal (literally palmful), compare Eccl 4:6 (where distinguished from ‎מלא חָפְנַיִם‎ a double fistful; in both these passages of a very small quantity); compare ‎וַיְמַלֵּא כַּפּוֺ מִן‎ Lev 9:17 (reference to ‎מְלֹא קֻמְצוֺ‎ Lev 2:2; Lev 5:12 compare Lev 6:8*). In Exod 4:4 (JE), Prov 31:19; Ezek 21:16*; Ps 129:7, etc., the thought is that of grasping.
b. anthropomorph. of ‎׳‎‎י‎ covering Moses over with his palm, ‎וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי עָלֶיךָ‎ Exod 33:22 (J), and so figurative (with ‎שׁית‎) Ps 139:5 withdrawing ‎( הֵסִירׅ‎ his hand Exod 33:23 (J); removing ‎( הִרְהִּיק ׅ‎ his afficting hand Job 13:21 ‎עַלכּכַּפַּיִם כִּסָּה אוֺר‎ Job 36:32, i.e. he (God) hath filled his palms with light.
c. once of animals, ‎הוֺלֵךְ עַלכּכַּפָּיו‎ Lev 11:27 going upon their palms, i.e. paws (cats, dogs, etc.).
d. phrases are: — (I) ‎הִכָּה כַּף‎ = clap the hands, in applause 2Kgs 11:12 so ‎׳‎‎תָּקַע כ‎ Ps 47:2*, ‎׳‎‎מָחָא כ‎ Isa 55:12 (figurative of trees), Ps 98:8 (figurative of rivers); but especially in scorn, contempt, etc., ‎סָפַק אֶתכַּֿפָּיו‎ Num 24:10 (J), ‎יִשְׂפֹּק עָלֵימוֺ כַפֵּ֑ימוֺ‎ Job 27:23 so ‎תָּקַע כַּף עלֿ‎ Nah 3:19, ‎הִכָּה כַפִּי אֶלֿ‎ Ezek 22:13 (of ‎׳‎‎י‎); absolute, ‎בְכַפְּךָהִכָּה‎ Ezek 6:11 (as ‎מחא יד‎ Ezek 25:6), ‎הִכָּה כַּף אֶלכַּֿף‎ Ezek 21:19*, ‎אַכֶּה כַפִּי אֶלכַּֿפִּי‎ v.Ezek 21:22* (of ‎׳‎‎י‎). (2) ‎תָּפַשׂ בַּכַּף‎ grasp, seize with the hand Ezek 29:7 compare vEzek 29:7 (on text see above) (3) of hand-grasp as pledge ‎לַזָּר כַּפֶּיךָתָּקַעְתָּ‎ Prov 6:1 (if) thou hast smitten thy palms (given a double hand-grasp), for another (so De; || ‎עָרַבְתָּ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ‎); so absolute ‎תקע כף‎ Prov 17:18; Prov 22:26 (compare ‎תקע ליד‎ Job 17:3). (4) often of hand spread out in prayer, as sign of longing to receive, with ‎פָּרַשׂ אֶלֿ‎ Exod 9:29; Exod 9:33 (J), 1Kgs 8:38 = 2Chr 6:29, etc. (see ‎יד‎ Ps 143:6; Lam 1:17 and ‎יָד‎ 1 d, above; also ‎פרשׂ‎, ‎נשׂא‎, ‎שׁטח‎). (5) ‎שׂים כַּף לְפֶה‎, in respectful silence, Job 29:9. (6) figurative ‎בְכַפִּיוָאָשִׂימָה נַפְשִׁי‎ Judg 12:3 = I have taken my life in my hand (i.e. hazarded it), so 1Sam 19:5; 1Sam 28:21; Job 13:14 and (without verb) Ps 119:109. (7) ‎׳‎‎נִקְיֹן כ‎ Gen 20:5 cleanness of palms is figurative for purity of act, compare Ps 26:6, also Job 9:30; Job 22:30; Ps 24:4; Ps 73:13 conversely, ‎( לֹא ) חָמָס בְּכַפָּ֑י‎ Job 16:17; 1Chr 12:18*; Isa 59:6; Jonah 3:8, compare Isa 59:3 (so ‎ידים‎ Isa 1:15), Job 31:7; Ps 7:4*. — In many cases ‎כַּף‎ is not to be distinguished from ‎יָד‎; so in phrase ‎׳‎‎יְגִיעַ כ‎ toil of the hands Gen 31:42; Hag 1:11; Job 10:3; Ps 128:2 ‎׳‎‎פֹּעַל כ‎ Ps 9:17*, ‎׳‎‎חֵפֶץ כ‎ Prov 31:13 ‎׳‎‎תְּבוּנוֺת כ‎ Ps 78:72, ‎׳‎‎פְּרִי כ‎ Prov 31:16 ; compare Mic 7:3.

2. = power (i.e. grasp) of any one, ‎נתן בכף‎ Judg 6:13 = deliver into the power of, so Jer 12:7, compare ‎בּוֺא בכף‎ Prov 6:3 usually ‎הוֺשִׁיעַ‎, ‎פּדָה‎, ‎הִצִּיל‎ etc., with ‎מִכַּף‎ = out of the power of Judg 6:14; 1Sam 4:3; 2Sam 14:16; 2Sam 19:10* (twice in verse); 2Sam 22:1 (twice in verse) = Ps 18:1* (title), 2Kgs 16:7 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 20:6 = Isa 38:6; Mic 4:10; Jer 15:21; 2Chr 30:6; 2Chr 32:11; Ezra 8:31; Ps 71:4 (compare ‎יָד‎ 5 g, p. 391 above)

3. ‎רַגְלָהּכַּף‎, etc., = sole of foot, Gen 8:9 (J), Josh 3:13; Josh 4:18 (both J E), 1Kgs 5:17*; 2Kgs 19:24 = Isa 37:25; Deut 11:24; Deut 28:56; Deut 28:65; Josh 1:3 (D) Ezek 43:7; Mal 3:21* ‎קָדְקֳדוֺמִכַּף רַגְלוֺ וְעַד‎ 2Sam 14:25; Job 2:7, compare Isa 1:6 (figurative); ‎׳‎‎ר‎ ‎׳‎‎מִדְרַךְ כ‎ Deut 2:5 treading-place for the sole of a foot; of the cherubim Ezek 1:7, of a calf, (in simile) vEzek 1:7., (according to MT; compare however Co).

4. of various hollow, bending or bent objects: —
a. hollow (i.e. socket), of the thigh-joint, ‎יָרֵךְ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Gen 32:26* (twice in verse); Gen 32:33* (twice in verse) (J).
b. pan, vessel (as hollow), used in ritual, Exod 25:29; Exod 37:16; Num 5:7; Num 7:14 + 15 t. Num 7; 1Kgs 7:50 = 2Chr 4:22; 2Kgs 25:14 = Jer 52:18; Jer 52:19; 2Chr 24:14.
c. hollow of sling, 1Sam 25:29.
d. ‎כַּפּוֺת תְּמָרִים‎ Lev 23:40 = of huge hand-shaped branches (or fronds) of palm-trees.
e. ‎כַּפּוֺת הַמַּנְעוּל‎ Song 5:5 the (bent) handles of the bolt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References