קָרָא
qa.ra
to encounter: meet
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Explored# H7122 (קָרָא): Encounter and Meeting in Biblical Hebrew The Hebrew word *qarā* denotes the act of encountering or meeting another person or entity. With 87 occurrences in the Bible, this verb captures the fundamental human experience of coming into contact with another being, whether planned or unexpected. The lexicon classifies it simply as "to encounter: meet," indicating that the word encompasses both the physical act of crossing paths and the relational moment of engagement that follows. The frequency of this term across biblical texts suggests it held practical importance for the ancient Hebrew speakers who used it. Rather than specifying whether a meeting was accidental or intentional, the word provides a neutral term for the basic act of encounter itself. This semantic flexibility allowed biblical writers to describe diverse scenarios—from someone meeting a stranger on a road to confronting an enemy in battle—using a single, straightforward verb. Understanding *qarā* as simply "to encounter" or "to meet" helps readers recognize how biblical narratives constructed human interaction. The word appears neither emotionally laden nor theologically specialized, making it a foundational vocabulary item for describing the ordinary moments when individuals come together in biblical accounts.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
87 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
Job 39:21He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
Psalms 59:4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!
Proverbs 7:10Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
Proverbs 7:15Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
Isaiah 7:3Then Yahweh said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you, and Shearjashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller’s field.
Isaiah 14:9Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the departed spirits for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Isaiah 21:14They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
Jeremiah 51:31One runner will run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter.
Jeremiah 51:31One runner will run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter.
Jeremiah 41:6Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.”
Amos 4:12“Therefore thus I will do to you, Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel.
Zechariah 2:3Behold, the angel who talked with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him,
Genesis 14:17The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
Genesis 18:2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
Genesis 19:1The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,
Genesis 24:17The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
Genesis 24:65She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” She took her veil, and covered herself.
Genesis 29:13When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
Genesis 30:16Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” He lay with her that night.
Genesis 32:6The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
Genesis 33:4Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
Genesis 46:29Joseph prepared his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Exodus 4:14Yahweh’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
Exodus 4:27Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.
Exodus 5:3They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”
Exodus 5:20They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh.
Exodus 7:15Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he is going out to the water. You shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. You shall take the rod which was turned to a serpent in your hand.
Exodus 18:7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
Exodus 19:17Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.
Numbers 22:36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
Numbers 23:3Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went to a bare height.
Numbers 31:13Moses and Eleazar the priest, with all the princes of the congregation, went out to meet them outside of the camp.
Joshua 9:11Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.” ’
Judges 4:18Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid.” He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
Judges 4:22Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” He came to her; and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent peg was in his temples.
Judges 6:35He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
Judges 11:31then it shall be, that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”
Judges 11:34Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
Judges 14:5Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion roared at him.
Judges 19:3Her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him and a couple of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
1 Samuel 10:10When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.
1 Samuel 13:10It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
1 Samuel 13:15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
1 Samuel 15:12Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”
1 Samuel 16:4Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
1 Samuel 17:48When the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
1 Samuel 17:48When the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
1 Samuel 18:6As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
1 Samuel 21:1Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no man with you?”