קָטָן
qa.tan
small
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredBased on the Hebrew word H6996B, "qa.tan", the primary definition is "small". This word is used a total of 36 times throughout the Bible, indicating its significance in various contexts. The term "qa.tan" appears to describe physical attributes, such as the physical stature of individuals (Jacob being described as small vs. Esau, Genesis 25:26) or the size of objects (the Philistine's spear in Samuel 21:9). It can also be used metaphorically to convey a sense of humility or meekness (Numbers 12:3, where Moses is characterized as "small" in speech). This suggests that the meaning of "qa.tan" encompasses not only physical size but also social status and humility. The frequency and range of usage for "qa.tan" imply that it holds a certain value in ancient Hebrew discourse. The word is not limited to a specific section of the Bible or genre of literature, indicating its importance in describing various aspects of human relationships, actions, and descriptions.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
36 total occurrences across the text
The small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master.
Isaiah 11:6The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.
Isaiah 54:7“For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.
Isaiah 60:22The little one will become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation. I, Yahweh, will do this quickly in its time.”
Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 42:1Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,
Jeremiah 42:8Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
Jeremiah 44:12I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to live there, and they will all be consumed. They will fall in the land of Egypt. They will be consumed by the sword and by the famine. They will die, from the least even to the greatest, by the sword and by the famine. They will be an object of horror, an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
Jeremiah 49:15“For, behold, I have made you small among the nations, and despised among men.
Amos 6:11“For, behold, Yahweh commands, and the great house will be smashed to pieces, and the little house into bits.
Amos 7:2When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord Yahweh, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
Amos 7:5Then I said, “Lord Yahweh, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
Obadiah 1:2Behold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.
1 Chronicles 25:8They cast lots for their offices, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the student.
Genesis 1:16God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
Genesis 19:11They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
Exodus 18:22Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.
Exodus 18:26They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Deuteronomy 1:17You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”
1 Samuel 2:19Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
1 Samuel 15:17Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel;
1 Samuel 20:2He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”
1 Samuel 20:35In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him.
1 Samuel 22:15Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.”
1 Samuel 25:36Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.
1 Samuel 30:2and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.
1 Samuel 30:19There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither plunder, nor anything that they had taken to them. David brought back all.
1 Kings 3:7Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.
1 Kings 8:64The same day the king made the middle of the court holy that was before Yahweh’s house; for there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before Yahweh was too little to receive the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.
1 Kings 22:31Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”
2 Kings 5:14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2 Kings 23:2The king went up to Yahweh’s house, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, with the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in Yahweh’s house.
2 Kings 25:26All the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
1 Chronicles 12:14These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand.
1 Chronicles 26:13They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate.
2 Chronicles 18:30Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”