Biblica Analytica
H3802 Hebrew

כָּתֵף

ka.teph

shoulder

Lexicon Entry

Definition
shoulder
Transliteration
ka.teph
Strong's Number
H3802
Occurrences
67
Semantic Domain
Body & Health

Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

What Original Readers Understood

Explored

The Hebrew word "ka.teph" (H3802) is defined as "shoulder." This term is part of the semantic domain of "Body & Health," indicating its connection to the physical body. Its 67 occurrences in the Bible suggest a significant presence in the text, highlighting its importance in various contexts. The word "ka.teph" is used to describe both literal and figurative shoulders. In some instances, it refers to the physical shoulder joint, such as when a person carries a load or is burdened by a weight. In other cases, it is used metaphorically to convey support, protection, or responsibility, such as when one person bears the weight of another's troubles. This range of usage demonstrates the versatility of the term and its ability to convey complex ideas through a simple yet powerful concept. The significance of "ka.teph" lies in its ability to represent both physical and emotional burdens. By using this term, the biblical authors convey the idea that our shoulders can be both strong and weak, capable of carrying heavy loads or buckling under the weight of responsibility. This nuanced understanding of the human experience highlights the importance of acknowledging and addressing our physical and emotional burdens, rather than trying to ignore or deny them.

Source data & methodology
Strong's
H3802
Lemma
כָּתֵף
Transliteration
ka.teph
Definition
shoulder
Occurrences
67
Model
workers-ai
Prompt version
1

AI synthesis uses only the lexicon data above as context — never training knowledge.

Occurrences in Scripture

67 total occurrences across the text — showing 50

2 Chronicles 23:10

He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, near the altar and the house, around the king.

2 Chronicles 23:10

He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, near the altar and the house, around the king.

2 Chronicles 35:3

He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. It will no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God, and his people Israel.

Nehemiah 9:29

and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.

Job 31:22

then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

Isaiah 11:14

They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them.

Isaiah 30:6

The burden of the animals of the South. Through the land of trouble and anguish, of the lioness and the lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to an unprofitable people.

Isaiah 46:7

They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble.

Isaiah 49:22

The Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and lift up my banner to the peoples. They shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.

Ezekiel 12:6

In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you don’t see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.”

Ezekiel 12:7

I did so as I was commanded. I brought out my stuff by day, as stuff for moving, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought it out in the dark, and bore it on my shoulder in their sight.

Ezekiel 24:4

Gather its pieces into it, even every good piece: the thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with the choice bones.

Ezekiel 25:9

therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim,

Ezekiel 29:7

When they took hold of you by your hand, you broke, and tore all their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke, and paralyzed all of their thighs.”

Ezekiel 29:18

“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet he had no wages, nor did his army, from Tyre, for the service that he had served against it.

Ezekiel 34:21

Because you thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad;

Ezekiel 40:18

The pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.

Ezekiel 40:40

On the one side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.

Ezekiel 40:40

On the one side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.

Ezekiel 40:41

Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate: eight tables, on which they killed the sacrifices.

Ezekiel 40:44

Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate. They faced toward the south. One at the side of the east gate faced toward the north.

Ezekiel 40:44

Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate. They faced toward the south. One at the side of the east gate faced toward the north.

Ezekiel 41:2

The width of the entrance was ten cubits; and the sides of the entrance were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side. He measured its length, forty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits.

Ezekiel 41:26

There were closed windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch. This is how the side rooms of the house and the thresholds were arranged.

Ezekiel 46:19

Then he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy rooms for the priests, which looked toward the north. Behold, there was a place on the back part westward.

Ezekiel 47:1

He brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar.

Ezekiel 47:2

Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side.

Zechariah 7:11

But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

Ezekiel 12:12

“ ‘The prince who is among them will bear on his shoulder in the dark, and will go out. They will dig through the wall to carry things out that way. He will cover his face, because he will not see the land with his eyes.

Exodus 38:14

the hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;

Exodus 38:15

and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

Exodus 27:14

The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

Exodus 27:15

For the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.

Exodus 28:7

It shall have two shoulder straps joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together.

Exodus 28:12

You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.

Exodus 28:12

You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.

Exodus 28:25

The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in its forepart.

Exodus 28:27

You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.

Exodus 39:4

They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. It was joined together at the two ends.

Exodus 39:7

He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Exodus 39:18

The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front.

Exodus 39:20

They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.

Numbers 7:9

But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them; they carried it on their shoulders.

Numbers 34:11

The border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain. The border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward.

Joshua 15:11

and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.

Deuteronomy 33:12

About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”

Joshua 15:8

The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.

Joshua 15:10

and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim (also called Chesalon) on the north, and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed along by Timnah;

Joshua 18:12

Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan. The border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward. It ended at the wilderness of Beth Aven.

Joshua 18:13

The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (also called Bethel), southward. The border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower.