Strong's Hebrew: 3738. כָּרָה (karah) -- To dig, to excavate, to make a pit

Strong's Lexicon

karah: To dig, to excavate, to make a pit

Original Word: כָּרָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: karah
Pronunciation: kah-RAH
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-raw')
Definition: To dig, to excavate, to make a pit
Meaning: to dig, to plot, to bore, open

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Greek equivalent for "karah," the concept of digging or preparing a trap can be related to Greek words like σκάπτω (skapto - to dig) or παγίς (pagis - a trap).

Usage: The Hebrew verb "karah" primarily means to dig or to excavate. It is often used in the context of digging a pit or a well. The action of digging can be literal, as in the physical act of creating a hole in the ground, or metaphorical, as in setting a trap or preparing a snare for someone.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, digging was a significant activity, especially in arid regions where water was scarce. Wells were essential for survival, providing water for drinking, agriculture, and livestock. Pits were also used for trapping animals or as defensive measures in warfare. The metaphorical use of "karah" to describe setting traps reflects the strategic and sometimes deceitful practices in ancient conflicts and personal disputes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[כאר] see II. כור.

II. [כוּר] verb meaning dubious, perhaps bore, or dig, or hew (Dl^{Prol. 121} compare Assyrian kâru, fell trees (Dl^{HWB 324})) — only

Qal Perfect3plural כארו = כָּארוּ for כָּרוּ Psalm 22:17 (ᵑ0 כָּאֲרִי, see אֲרִי) they have bored (digged, hewn) my hands and my feet (si vera lectio; compare Vrss De Pe Che Bae and others; some, however, deriving from כרה in this sense); hence perhaps following.

I. כָּרָה verb dig (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic כְּרָא, Ethiopic Arabic (with and especially Dozy^{ii. 461}); Syriac is be short, cut off (i.e. rounded off ?), Arabic ball; ᵑ7. כְּרֵי heap Dalm^{Gr. 109}; Syriac Mishna כרי id.; Assyrian karê large vessels for holding corn, etc., Dl^{HWB 353}, compare kirû (dubious) Wkl^{Tel Am. Vocab}.; Ba^{ZMG 1887, 615} conjectures be round as orig √ meaning, and compare Arabic the leg is round); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular כָּרָה2Chronicles 16:14; Psalm 7:16; 2masculine singular כָּרִיתָ Psalm 40:7; 1singular בָּרִיתִי Genesis 50:5; 3plural כָּרוּ Jeremiah 18:20 3t.; sf כָּרוּהָ Numbers 21:18; Imperfect3masculine singular יִכְרֶה Exodus 21:33; 3masculine plural וַיִּכְרוּ Genesis 26:25; Participle כֹּרֶה Proverbs 16:27; Proverbs 26:27; — dig a grave, קֶבֶר Genesis 50:5 (J), compare 2 Chronicles 16:14; a well, בְּאֵר Genesis 26:25 (J), Numbers 21:18 (song in J E); a pit, בּוֺר Exodus 21:33; figurative of plotting against others Psalm 7:16; so followed by שׁוּחָה Jeremiah 18:20,22, followed by שִׁיחָה Jer 57:7; Jer 119:85; followed by שַׁחַת Proverbs 26:27; hence כֹּרֶה רָעָה Proverbs 16:27 one digging a calamity; לִי ׳אָזְנַיִם כ Psalm 40:7 ears hast thou dug (with allusion to the cavity of the ear) for me, thou hast given me the means of hearing and obeying thy will. — On Psalm 22:17 verse. II.כּוּר.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

dig, make a banquet, open

A primitive root; properly, to dig; figuratively, to plot; generally, to bore or open -- dig, X make (a banquet), open.

Forms and Transliterations

וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ וַיִּכְרוּ־ ויכרו־ ותכרו יִכְר֣וּ יִכְרֶ֥ה יִכָּרֶ֖ה יכרה יכרו כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י כָּ֭רָֽה כָּֽרָה־ כָּֽרוּ־ כָּר֙וּהָ֙ כָּר֣וּ כָּרִ֣יתָ כָּרִ֤יתִי כָר֤וּ כָר֥וּ כֹּֽרֶה־ כֹּרֶ֣ה כארי כרה כרה־ כרהש־ כרו כרו־ כרוה כרית כריתי chaRu kā’ărî kā·’ă·rî kā·rāh kā·rāh- kā·rî·ṯā kā·rî·ṯî kā·rū ḵā·rū kā·rū- kā·rū·hā kaaRi karah kārāh kārāh- kaRita kārîṯā kaRiti kārîṯî kaRu kārū ḵārū kārū- kaRuha kārūhā kō·re·hō·ša- kō·reh koReh kōreh kōrehōša- korehoSha vaiyichru vetichRu way·yiḵ·rū- wayyiḵrū- wə·ṯiḵ·rū wəṯiḵrū yichReh yichRu yik·kā·reh yiḵ·reh yiḵ·rū yikkaReh yikkāreh yiḵreh yiḵrū

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Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 26:25
HEB: שָׁ֖ם אָהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּכְרוּ־ שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵי־
NAS: Isaac's servants dug a well.
KJV: servants digged a well.
INT: there his tent dug and there servants

Genesis 50:5
HEB: בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ
NAS: which I dug for myself in the land
KJV: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land
INT: my grave which dug the land of Canaan

Exodus 21:33
HEB: א֠וֹ כִּֽי־ יִכְרֶ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ בֹּ֖ר
NAS: or digs a pit
KJV: or if a man shall dig a pit,
INT: or If digs A man A pit

Numbers 21:18
HEB: חֲפָר֣וּהָ שָׂרִ֗ים כָּר֙וּהָ֙ נְדִיבֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם
NAS: of the people dug, With the scepter
KJV: of the people digged it, by [the direction of] the lawgiver,
INT: sank the leaders dug the nobles of the people

2 Chronicles 16:14
HEB: בְקִבְרֹתָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּֽרָה־ לוֹ֮ בְּעִ֣יר
NAS: which he had cut out for himself in the city
KJV: him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city
INT: tomb which had cut the city of David

Job 6:27
HEB: יָת֥וֹם תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־ רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃
KJV: the fatherless, and ye dig [a pit] for your friend.
INT: the orphans cast dig over your friend

Job 41:6
HEB: יִכְר֣וּ עָ֭לָיו חַבָּרִ֑ים
INT: dig over will the traders

Psalm 7:15
HEB: בּ֣וֹר כָּ֭רָֽה וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל
NAS: He has dug a pit and hollowed
KJV: He made a pit, and digged
INT: A pit has dug and hollowed fallen

Psalm 22:16
HEB: מְ֭רֵעִים הִקִּיפ֑וּנִי כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י יָדַ֥י וְרַגְלָֽי׃
KJV: have inclosed me: they pierced my hands
INT: of evildoers has encompassed dig my hands and my feet

Psalm 40:6
HEB: חָפַ֗צְתָּ אָ֭זְנַיִם כָּרִ֣יתָ לִּ֑י עוֹלָ֥ה
NAS: My ears You have opened; Burnt offering
KJV: mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering
INT: desired my ears have opened Burnt and sin

Psalm 57:6
HEB: כָּפַ֪ף נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כָּר֣וּ לְפָנַ֣י שִׁיחָ֑ה
NAS: is bowed down; They dug a pit
KJV: is bowed down: they have digged a pit
INT: is bowed my soul dug before A pit

Psalm 94:13
HEB: רָ֑ע עַ֤ד יִכָּרֶ֖ה לָרָשָׁ֣ע שָֽׁחַת׃
NAS: Until a pit is dug for the wicked.
KJV: until the pit be digged for the wicked.
INT: of adversity Until is dug the wicked A pit

Psalm 119:85
HEB: כָּֽרוּ־ לִ֣י זֵדִ֣ים
NAS: The arrogant have dug pits
KJV: The proud have digged pits
INT: have dug the arrogant pits

Proverbs 16:27
HEB: אִ֣ישׁ בְּ֭לִיַּעַל כֹּרֶ֣ה רָעָ֑ה וְעַל־
NAS: A worthless man digs up evil, While
KJV: man diggeth up evil:
INT: man A worthless digs evil While

Proverbs 26:27
HEB: כֹּֽרֶה־ שַּׁ֭חַת בָּ֣הּ
NAS: He who digs a pit will fall
KJV: Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall
INT: digs A pit will fall

Jeremiah 18:20
HEB: רָעָ֔ה כִּֽי־ כָר֥וּ שׁוּחָ֖ה לְנַפְשִׁ֑י
NAS: with evil? For they have dug a pit
KJV: for good? for they have digged a pit
INT: shall evil for dig A pit my soul

Jeremiah 18:22
HEB: פִּתְאֹ֑ם כִּֽי־ כָר֤וּ [שִׁיחָה כ]
NAS: raiders upon them; For they have dug a pit
KJV: suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit
INT: suddenly When have dug pit to capture