Hebrew · Strong's H3789
כָּתַב
(kah-TAV)
verb
To engrave, inscribe, or set down words or figures, often with the permanence of a written record.
The Hebrew verb כָּתַב (katav) primarily denotes the act of writing, encompassing a broad range of related activities from engraving and inscribing to formally recording information. Its semantic range emphasizes the permanence and authority often associated with written communication in the ancient world. Writing in this sense was not merely transcribing; it involved an act that created a lasting testament, whether on stone tablets, scrolls, or other materials. This permanence gave weight to laws, covenants, historical records, and prophetic utterances. The theological significance of כָּתַב is profound, particularly in relation to the divine act of writing. God is depicted as writing the commandments on stone tablets, indicating the ultimate authority and immutability of His law. This divine act establishes a paradigm for human writing, investing it with a sense of sacred trust and responsibility.
The use of כָּתַב extends beyond literal transcription to include the idea of "prescribing" or "decreeing," where the written word carries the force of a command or an established order. It also appears in contexts of "describing" or "registering," highlighting the ability of writing to delineate boundaries, enumerate people, or depict scenes. The verb emphasizes the deliberate and intentional nature of creating a written record, whether for legal, historical, or instructional purposes. This intentionality underscores the importance of accuracy and faithfulness in preserving information.
In the New Testament, the Greek verb γράφω (graphō) often serves as a counterpart to כָּתַב, carrying similar connotations of writing, recording, and prescribing. Both terms highlight the enduring power of the written word, whether human or divine, to communicate truth, establish authority, and shape human understanding across generations. The concept of writing on hearts, as seen in Jeremiah, further elevates the spiritual significance of inscribing divine law not merely on external tablets, but within the innermost being of individuals.
Common English renderings
- write
- record
- prescribe
- describe
- inscribe
Key verses
"And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark."
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"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
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"Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and there were added besides unto them many like words."
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"And he wrote in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king’s service, bred of the stud:"
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"Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"
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"And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian character, and set forth in the Syrian tongue."
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