Lexical Definition

‎כָּתַב‎ kâthab (kaw-thab') to write ^H:V
a primitive root

describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).

• to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)

1) to write, record, enrol
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to write, inscribe, engrave, write in, write on
1a2) to write down, describe in writing
1a3) to register, enrol, record
1a4) to decree
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be written
1b2) to be written down, be recorded, be enrolled
1c) (Piel) to continue writing

See Greek: ἀπογράφω · γράμμα · γραφή · γράφω · γράφω · διαθήκη · δογματίζω · ἐν · ἐπιγράφω · ἔχω · μερίζω

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: ke.tav (‎כ‎ְּ‎ת‎ַ‎ב‎ "to write" כְּתַב)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: כְּתַב
‎כָּתַב‎₂₂₃ verb write (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician ‎כתב‎; Aramaic ‎כְּתַב‎, Nabataean ‎כתב‎, see especially Nö in Eut^{Nab. p. 43}; thence Arabic Ethiopic book, Di^{Lex. 852} (as loan-words, Frä²⁴⁹ DHM^{VOJ i (1887), 29}); MV Buhl compare Arabic draw or sew together, conjoin (letters), etc., compare Fl^{ZMG 1873, 427}) —

Qal Perfect ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Josh 8:32 +, ‎כָּתַבְתָּ‎ Jer 36:6 +, suffix ‎וּכְתַבְתָּם‎ consecutive Deut 6:9; Deut 11:20, etc. (Perfect 27 t.); Imperfect ‎יִכְתֹּב‎ Isa 44:5, ‎וַיִּכְתֹּב‎ Exod 24:4 +, etc. (Imperfect 39 t.); Imperative ‎כְּתֹב‎ Isa 8:1 + 5 t., ‎כְּתָבֿ‎ Exod 34:27 + 2 t.; suffix ‎כָּתְבָהּ‎ Isa 30:8, ‎כָּתְבֵם‎ Prov 3:3; Prov 7:3 plural ‎כִּתְבוּ‎ Deut 31:9 + 3 t .; Infinitive absolute ‎כָּתוֺכ‎ Jer 32:44 cstr ‎כְּתוֺב‎ Ps 87:8, ‎לִכְתֹּב‎ Deut 31:24; Josh 18:8 suffix ‎כָּתְבוֺ‎ Jer 45:1 Participle active ‎כֹּתֵב‎ Jer 36:18, plural ‎כֹּתְבִים‎ Jer 32:12; Neh 10:1* passive (113 t.), ‎כָּתוּב‎ Josh 1:8 +, feminine ‎כְּתוּבָה‎ 2Sam 1:18 +, plural ‎כְּתוּבִים‎ 1Kgs 15:7 +, ‎כְּתֻבִים‎ 1Kgs 11:41 +; feminine plural ‎כְּתוּבוֺת‎ 2Chr 34:24 —

1. write:
a. with accusative, words Exod 34:27, commandments Exod 24:12, etc.; accusative of congnate meaning with verb ‎מכתב‎ Exod 39:30, compare ‎כַּמִּכְתָּב‎ Deut 10:4 with ‎כְּ‎, giving purport of writing, also Esth 8:8 but object also a book, ‎סֵפֶר‎ Exod 32:32; Deut 24:1 ‎מְגִלָּה‎ Jer 38:6, compare participle pass, ‎וְהִיא כְּתוּבָה פָּנִים וְאָחוֺר‎ Ezek 2:10 ( of ‎מגלה‎; i.e. written on both sides); a letter, ‎סֵפָר‎ 2Sam 11:14; 2Kgs 10:1 + 4 t., ‎אִגֶּרֶת‎ 2Chr 30:1 a divorce-certificate ‎סֵפֶר כְּרִיתֻת‎ Deut 24:1, etc.; even ‎לֻחֹת כְּתֻבִים‎ tablets inscribed by the finger of God Exod 31:18 compare Deut 9:10 ‎מִשְּׁנֵי עֶבְרֵיהֶם‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ Exod 32:15 tables inscribed on both sides (compare Ezek 2:10 above) Here belongs (probably) ‎׳‎‎וְזֶה יִכְתֹּב יָדוֺ לי‎ Isa 44:5 and this one shall inscribe his hand, 'Yahweh's', so ᵐ5 Hi Kn Che Br Du Di, Ges Ew De, shall sign (with) his hand unto ‎׳‎‎י‎.
b. more often write something on, or in (‎עַלֿ‎ 85 t., ‎בְ‎ 44 t., ‎אֶלֿ‎ 3 t.) a tablet, roll, book, etc. (object various, as above): — (I) ‎עַלֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ followed by ‎סֵפֶר‎ = book Deut 17:18 + 55 t., especially in phrase ‎׳‎‎כתובים עלסֿפר דברי וגו‎ 1Kgs 11:41 + often Kings Chronicles; ‎עַלמְֿגִּלָּה‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Jer 36:2; Jer 36:28; Jer 36:32; Jer 38:29 ‎עַללֿוּח(ותׅ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Exod 34:1 + 7 t., ‎עַלאֶֿבֶן‎ Deut 27:3 + 2 t., ‎עַלגּֿלָּיוֺן‎ Isa 8:1 ‎עַלמְֿזֻזוֺת בַּיִת‎ Deut 6:9; Deut 11:20 ‎עַלמַֿטֶּה‎ on a rod Num 17:17*; Num 17:18* ‎עַלעֵֿץ‎ Ezek 37:16 (twice in verse), ‎עַלצִֿיץ‎ (high priest's plate) Exod 39:30 even (only Chronicles) ‎עַלֿ‎ followed by name of book or its contents: — ‎עַלדִּֿבְרֵי נָתָן‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 2Chr 9:29 compare 2Chr 33:19 ‎׳‎‎עַלמִֿדְרַשׁ וגו‎ 2Chr 24:27 ‎עַלהַֿקִּינוֺת‎ 2Chr 35:25 figurative, ‎עַללִֿבָּם‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Jer 31:83 I will write them upon their heart; compare ‎עַללֿוּחַ לִבֶּ֑ךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Prov 3:3. (2) ‎אֶלֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ appears for ‎עַלֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ only Jer 36:2 compare Ezek 2:10; Jer 51:60. (3) ‎בְּ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ followed by ‎ספר‎ = book Josh 24:26 (E) + 35 t.; = letter, bill, deed, 1Kgs 21:9 + 5 t.; ‎בִּמְגִלַּת‎ ‎סֵפֶר כָּתוּב עָלָ֑י‎ Ps 40:8* it is prescribed to me, ‎על‎ as 2Kgs 22:13 (N.B. ‎עלֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ not used with ‎סֵפֶר‎ = letter, and ‎בְּ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ not used with ‎לוּחַ‎, ‎אבן‎ or ‎עֵץ‎).
c. other uses of perp. with ‎׳‎‎כ‎ are: — ‎בְּ‎ instrumental, ‎בְּחֶרֶט אֱנוֺשׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Isa 8:1, ‎בְּעֵט בַּרְזֶל‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Jer 17:1 ‎כְּתֻבִים‎ ‎בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים‎ Deut 9:10; Exod 31:18 ‎אֶלֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ unto, of person to whom letter, etc., is addressed 2Sam 11:14; 2Kgs 10:6; Esth 9:13 ‎עַלֿ‎ substantive for ‎אֶלֿ‎ (late) 2Chr 30:1; Ezra 4:7; Esth 8:8 the fuller construction is ‎ספר וישׁלח (אֶלֿׅ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 2Kgs 10:1; Esth 8:10; Esth 9:20 +; ‎אֶלֿ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ write down for the benefit or use of some one, Judg 8:14 ‎לְ‎ to or for, Deut 17:18; Deut 24:1 +; note especially ‎אֶכְתָּו֯בלֿוֺ רֻבֵּו֯ תּוֺרָתִי‎ Hos 8:12, i.e. either, I write (keep writing) for them ever so many (We, ‎רֹב‎, compare Ew and most ‎רִבּוֺ(אׅ‎ a myriad) of my directions, or 'Though I write,' 'Were I to write,' etc.; ‎׳‎‎כ‎ followed by ‎ל‎ with infinitive of purpose 2Chr 32:17; Esth 8:5 with ‎מִן‎ in phrase ‎׳‎‎מִפִּי פ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ write from the mouth of any one i.e. from dictation, Jer 36:2; Jer 36:32; Jer 38:6; Jer 38:17; Jer 38:27; Jer 45:1.

2. = write down describe in writing, ‎אֶתהָֿאָרֶץ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Judg 18:4; Judg 18:6; Judg 18:8 (3 t. in verse); Judg 18:9.

3. = register enroll Isa 10:19 (= record the number), 1Chr 24:6 especially passive ‎הַכְּתוּבִים‎ Num 11:26 those enrolled compare Neh 12:22 ‎בְּשֵׁמוֺת‎ ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ 1Chr 4:41 those recorded by name; in prediction, ‎אֶתהָֿאִישׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ ‎הַזֶּה עֲרִירִי‎ Jer 22:30 register this man as childless; with eschatological reference, ‎כָּלהַֿכָּתוּב לַחַיִּים‎ Isa 4:3 all those enrolled (i.e. appointed) unto life; and, more explicitly, ‎כָּלהַֿנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר‎ Dan 12:1 ‎יִסְפֹּר בִּכְתוֺבּ עַמִּים‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ Ps 87:6 ‎׳‎‎י‎ shall reckon, when he registers (note absence of suffix) the peoples, etc.

4. = decree, ‎תִּכְתֹּב עָלַי מְרֹרוֺת‎ Job 13:26 thou (‎׳‎‎י‎) decrest against me bitter things. Niph`al (chiefly late, especially Esther), Imperfect ‎יִכָּתֵב‎ Esth 1:19 +, 3 feminine singular ‎תִּכָּ֫תֶב זֹאת‎ Ps 102:19* 3 masculine plural ‎יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ‎ Jer 17:13 + 3 t., ‎יִכָּֽתְבוּן‎ Job 19:23 Participle ‎נִכְתָּב‎ Esth 3:12 + 2 t.; —

1. be written, subject words Job 19:23, book Mal 3:16 be written ‎בְּסֵפֶר‎ Esth 2:23; Esth 9:23, in, or among ‎ב‎ the laws Esth 1:19 once, with ‎עַלֿ‎, ‎עַלסִֿפְרְךָ כֻּלָּם יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ‎ Ps 139:16 in thy ‎׳‎‎י‎'s book all of them (my members) are written, i.e. written down, recorded (see below); absolute ‎כְּתָב אֲשֶׁר נִכְתָּב‎ ‎בְּשֵׁם הַמֶּלֶךְ‎ Esth 8:8 a writing which is written in the king's name, compare (impersonal) Esth 3:12 impersonal also ‎וַיִּכָּתֵב כְּכָלאֲֿשֶׁר צִוָּה‎ Esth 3:12; Esth 8:9 ‎׳‎‎יִכָּ‎ followed by ‎לְ‎ = for Ps 102:19* followed by ‎לְ‎ + infinitive (really = a subject-cl., — the contents of the letter) Esth 3:9; Esth 8:5.

2. be written down, recorded, Ezra 8:34 enrolled, ‎בִּכְתָב‎ ‎בית ישׂראל לֹא יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ‎ Ezek 13:9 in the enrolement of the house of Israel they are not enrolled (eschatolog.); ‎וְעִםצַֿדִּיקִים אַליִֿכָּתֵ֑בוּ‎ Ps 69:29* (|| ‎חַיִּים יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר‎) — ‎בָּאָרֶץ יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ‎ Jer 17:13 is difficult; Gie reads, plausibly, ‎מֵאֶרֶץ יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ‎ (compare Ps 34:17*; Ps 101:8, etc.) Pi`el frequently, Perfect and Participle, only ‎כִּתֵּ֑בוּוּמְכַתְּבִים עָמָל‎ Isa 10:1 and busy writers that make a business of writing oppression (i.e. register unjust sentences, compare Qal 4; || ‎הַחֹקֲקִים חִקֲקֵיאָֿוֶן‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References