Lexical Definition

‎קָשָׁה‎ qâshâh (kaw-shaw') to harden ^H:V
a primitive root

be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ((ask a), be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en, (labour), -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en, (-necked)).

• properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications)

1) to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be hard, be difficult
1a2) to be hard, be severe
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be ill-treated
1b2) to be hard pressed
1c) (Piel) to have severe labour (of women)
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to make difficult, make difficulty
1d2) to make severe, make burdensome
1d3) to make hard, make stiff, make stubborn
1d3a) of obstinacy (fig)
1d4) to show stubbornness

See Greek: σκληρός · σκληρός · σκληρός · σκληρύνω · ὑπέρογκος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [‎קָשָׁה‎] verb be hard, severe, fierce (Late Hebrew ‎קָשָׁה‎ be severe; Arabic () be hard, dry, III. endure, struggle against, severity; Aramaic ‎קְשָׁא‎, be hard, difficult; Jewish-Aramaic ‎קְשִׁי‎, ‎קַשְׁיָה‎ adjective hard); —

Qal Perfect 3 feminine singular ‎קָֽשְׁתָה‎ 1Sam 5:7, ‎קָשָׁ֑תָה‎ Gen 49:7 Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִקְשֶׁה‎ Deut 1:17; Deut 15:18, ‎וַיִּ֫קֶשׁ‎ 2Sam 19:44* —

1. be hard, difficult Deut 1:17 (of a legal case; ‎מִן‎ comparative).

2. be hard, severe, ‎יָדוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎ק‎ ‎עָלֵינוּ‎1Sam 5:7 (of ‎׳‎‎י‎, in judgement); ‎בְעֵינֶ֑ךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎יִק‎. Deut 15:18 it shall not be hard in thine eyes (seem a severe trial, an injustice); of wrath Gen 49:7 (poem in J; || ‎עָ֑ז‎); of fierce words 2Sam 19:44*. Niph`al Participle ‎נִקְשֶׁה‎ Isa 8:21 hardly bestead, hard pressed. Pi`el Imperfect 3 feminine singular ‎וַתְּקַשׁ בְּלִדְתָּהּ‎ Gen 35:16 (E) she made hard in her bearing (had severe labour). Hiph`il Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎הִקְשָׁה‎ Exod 13:15 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎וַיֶּקֶשׁ‎ 2Chr 36:13 3 masculine plural ‎וַיַּקְשׁוּ‎ Jer 7:26 +, etc.; Infinitive construct suffix ‎בְּהַקְשֹׁתָהּ‎ Gen 35:17 Participle ‎מַקְשֶׁה‎ Prov 28:14; Prov 29:1 —

1. make difficult, difficulty: ‎הִקְשָׁה לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ‎ Exod 13:15 Pharaoh made difficulty about sending us away; of travail Gen 35:17 (E; as Pi`el); ‎הִקְשִׁיתָ‎ ‎לִשְׁאוֺל‎ 2Kgs 2:10 thou hast made hard to ask, asked a hard thing.

2. make severe, burdensome, yoke imposed by king 1Kgs 12:4 = 2Chr 10:4.

3. a. make hard, stiff, stubborn, figurative of obstinacy: ‎וַיַּקְשׁוּ אֶתעָֿרְפָּם‎ 2Kgs 17:14 they stiffened their neck, so Jer 7:26; Jer 17:23; Jer 19:15; Deut 10:16; 2Chr 30:8; 2Chr 36:13; Neh 9:16; Neh 9:17; Neh 9:29; Prov 29:1 ‎אַלתַּֿקְשׁוּ לְבַבְכֶם‎ Ps 95:8, compare Prov 28:14 subject ‎׳‎‎י‎, ‎׳‎‎אַקְשֶׁה אֶתלֵֿב פ‎ Exod 7:3 (P), accusative ‎אֶתרֿוחוֺ‎ Deut 2:30,
b. shew stubborness Job 9:4 (with ‎אֶל‎ person [‎׳‎‎י‎]).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References