Hebrew word · H3617

כָּלָה

kalah

consumption

A noun from the verb kālāh, 'to be finished, used up, completed'. It means 'completion' or 'full measure'. It can be used like an adverb, 'completely' (Exod 11:1, Pharaoh will drive you out 'completely').

Appears 21 times in 19 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) completion, termination, full end, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation

1a) completion

1a1) completely, altogether (adv)

1b) complete destruction, consumption, annihilation

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Genesis 18:21

Range of meaning

A noun from the verb kālāh, 'to be finished, used up, completed'. It means 'completion' or 'full measure'. It can be used like an adverb, 'completely' (Exod 11:1, Pharaoh will drive you out 'completely'). Very often it means 'complete destruction, annihilation' (Jer 4:27; 5:10, 18; Nah 1:8–9; Isa 10:23).

Against the English

KJV 'altogether', YLT 'completely' and BSB 'fully justify' all read it as the adverb. No major English version gives the 'destruction' reading in its main text, so English readers never see that another reading exists.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint renders it as a verb, syntelountai, 'they are carrying it through to the end'. Rashi (11th century) takes it as 'destruction': if they persist in their rebellion, I will make a full end of them; if not, I will know what to do, meaning punishment short of annihilation. The vertical stroke the scribes placed between 'they have done' and kālāh gives this reading some formal support, because it separates the two words.

From the study of Ezekiel 11:13

Range of meaning

A noun meaning complete destruction or annihilation, a finishing-off. It comes from the verb kalah, 'to be finished, used up, completed'. It nearly always appears in the fixed phrase 'asah kalah, 'to make a full end', meaning to wipe something out so that nothing is left.

Against the English

KJV, WEB and ESV have 'make a full end', which keeps the idiom. BSB and NASB have 'bring to a complete end'. NIV has 'completely destroy', which says the same thing more plainly. All of them catch the sense of totality.

Used elsewhere in the period

The phrase belongs to the language of the late prophets: Jeremiah 4:27; 5:10, 18; 30:11; 46:28 ('I will not make a full end'), Isaiah 10:23; 28:22, Nahum 1:8–9, Zephaniah 1:18. Ezekiel uses it again in 20:17, where God says 'I did not make a full end of them in the wilderness'. The Septuagint usually renders it eis synteleian, 'to a complete end'.

From the study of Isaiah 28:22

Range of meaning

A full end, complete destruction, annihilation. From kalah, 'to be complete, finished, used up'. It is the end of something, its conclusion.

Against the English

KJV 'consumption' meant 'consuming, using up completely' in 1611. Modern readers hear tuberculosis or consumer spending. BSB, ESV and WEB use 'destruction', which is accurate but loses the sense of finality and 'finishing'.

How it drifted

'Consumption' narrowed in English toward a disease (from the 1600s on) and toward economics (modern). The general sense of 'total using-up' faded.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same pairing, kalah venecheratsah, appears in Isa 10:23, and the phrase is picked up in Dan 9:27 and (with necheratsah) Dan 11:36. Similar phrases about a 'full end' appear in Jer 4:27; 5:10, 18; 30:11 ('I will not make a full end of you'), Ezek 11:13 and Zeph 1:18.

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 18:21 כָּלָ֑ה completion

    I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”

    Here: A noun meaning 'completion' or 'full end'. Most translations read it as an adverb: 'they have done altogether, fully', as in Exodus 11:1. Elsewhere it often means 'annihilation' (Jeremiah 4:27, 'I will not make a full end'). Some Jewish interpreters take it that way here: if the outcry is true, then destruction.

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 11:1 כָּלָ֕ה completely

    Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will drive you out completely.

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 12:12 לְכָלָ֑ה to complete destruction

    Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, and He did not destroy him completely. Indeed, conditions were good in Judah.

    Here: "To a full end." It qualifies the destroying: the damage was real, but it stopped short of wiping them out. The same phrase is used for the destruction God refuses to carry out in Jeremiah ('I will not make a full end').

Nehemiah · 1

  1. Nehemiah 9:31 כָּלָ֖ה complete destruction

    But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

    Here: A finishing-off, total destruction that leaves nothing behind. The words 'make a full end' are the prophets' own phrase (Jeremiah, Ezekiel) for the line God would not cross. He would discipline Israel, even send it into exile, but he would not wipe it out.

Isaiah · 2

  1. Isaiah 10:23 כָלָ֖ה complete destruction

    For the Lord GOD of Hosts will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land.

  2. Isaiah 28:22 כָלָ֨ה complete destruction

    So now, do not mock, or your shackles will become heavier. Indeed, I have heard from the Lord GOD of Hosts a decree of destruction against the whole land.

    Here: 'A finishing, a full end'. It comes from the verb 'to be finished, used up'. It is not slow wasting but a conclusion, the end of the matter.

Jeremiah · 7

  1. Jeremiah 4:27 וְכָלָ֖ה and complete destruction

    For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.

    Here: The joining word 'and' works as a contrast here ('but, yet'). Kalah means finishing something off completely: annihilation with nothing left. It comes before the verb for emphasis: 'a full end, that I will not make.'

  2. Jeremiah 5:10 וְכָלָ֖ה and complete destruction

    Go up through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not finish them off. Strip off her branches, for they do not belong to the LORD.

    Here: 'And a full end', meaning destruction carried through to the finish. The noun is put first for emphasis: 'but a finishing-off, that you must not do.'

  3. Jeremiah 5:18 כָּלָֽה׃ complete destruction

    “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.

  4. Jeremiah 30:11 כָלָ֜ה כָלָ֔ה complete destruction

    For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have scattered you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.”

    Here: A finishing-off: an end with nothing left. The nations that held Israel captive will be wiped out as powers.

  5. Jeremiah 46:28 כָלָ֜ה כָלָ֔ה complete destruction

    And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, for I am with you. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have banished you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.”

    Here: Total finishing-off, with nothing left. A key word in Jeremiah for the line God will not cross with Israel.

Ezekiel · 3

  1. Ezekiel 11:13 כָּלָה֙ complete destruction

    Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, Lord GOD, will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”

    Here: A complete finish, with nothing left over. It comes first in the question for emphasis: 'A total end, is that what you are making?'

  2. Ezekiel 13:13 לְכָלָֽה׃ for complete destruction

    Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: In My wrath I will release a windstorm, and in My anger torrents of rain and hail will fall with destructive fury.

  3. Ezekiel 20:17 כָּלָ֖ה complete destruction

    Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.

Daniel · 2

  1. Daniel 9:27 כָּלָה֙ complete destruction

    And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.”

    Here: 'A full end': complete destruction, finishing something off.

  2. Daniel 11:16 וְכָלָ֥ה and complete destruction

    The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.

Nahum · 2

  1. Nahum 1:8 כָּלָ֖ה complete destruction

    But with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh and pursue His enemies into darkness.

    Here: A finishing-off, total and final. It is placed first in its clause for emphasis, and it supplies the letter kaf in the alphabet pattern (acrostic) that runs through vv. 2–8.

  2. Nahum 1:9 כָּלָ֖ה complete destruction

    Whatever you plot against the LORD, He will bring to an end. Affliction will not rise up a second time.

    Here: A full finishing-off, total destruction. It picks up the same word from verse 8 ('he will make a complete end of her place'), and comes first in the clause for emphasis: 'A full end is what he is making.'

Zephaniah · 1

  1. Zephaniah 1:18 כָלָ֤ה complete destruction

    Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

    Here: "A full end," an annihilation that finishes something off. In Hebrew it comes first in its clause, for emphasis.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.