Hebrew word · H3791

כְּתָב

khetav

writing

kᵊtāb means writing, script, a written document, an official register or edict (Esther 1:22; 3:14; Ezra 2:62; Neh 7:64). ʾĕmet means firmness, reliability or faithfulness, and so truth: something that holds and can be relied on.

Appears 17 times in 16 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) a writing, document, edict

1a) register, enrolment, roll

1b) mode of writing, character, letter

1c) letter, document, a writing

1d) a written edict

1d1) of royal enactment

1d2) of divine authority

Aramaic equivalent: ke.tav (כְּתָב "inscription" H3792)

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 Daniel 10:21

Range of meaning

kᵊtāb means writing, script, a written document, an official register or edict (Esther 1:22; 3:14; Ezra 2:62; Neh 7:64). ʾĕmet means firmness, reliability or faithfulness, and so truth: something that holds and can be relied on.

Against the English

KJV has 'scripture of truth', and a modern reader hears 'the Bible' or 'Holy Scripture'. BSB and NIV capitalise it as 'the Book of Truth', which marks it as a particular document. WEB and NASB have 'writing of truth', closest to the Hebrew.

How it drifted

In 1611 'scripture' could still simply mean 'a writing'. Since then the English word has come to mean almost only the Bible, so the KJV wording now suggests a collection of sacred writings that is not meant here.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Bible mentions other heavenly writings: Moses' 'your book' (Exod 32:32–33), the book in which all of the psalmist's days were written (Ps 139:16), the 'book of remembrance' (Mal 3:16), the books opened at the divine court (Dan 7:10), and the book in which the delivered are written (Dan 12:1). In Second Temple Jewish writings, 1 Enoch speaks of 'heavenly tablets' holding the deeds and destiny of humanity (1 En. 81:1–2; 93:2), and Jubilees often refers to the 'heavenly tablets'. Further back, Mesopotamia had the idea of the Tablet of Destinies held by the ruling god.

From the study of Ezekiel 13:9

Range of meaning

Writing, script, a written document, and especially an official list or register. A late-biblical word, common in Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and Chronicles.

Against the English

KJV and WEB keep the literal 'writing of the house of Israel', which sounds vague or even like scripture. 'Register' or 'records' (BSB, ESV, NASB, NIV) gives the real picture: a roll of members.

How it drifted

KJV's 'writing' can be heard as 'the Scriptures of Israel', which is not the sense.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ezra 2:62 and Neh 7:64 tell of returnees who 'searched for their ketav (register) of genealogy' and, not finding it, were excluded from the priesthood. Neh 7:5 mentions 'the book of the genealogy' of the first returnees. Alongside these earthly lists runs the image of God's own book: Exod 32:32-33; Ps 69:28; Isa 4:3 ('everyone written for life in Jerusalem'); later Dan 12:1 and Mal 3:16.

From the study of Esther 3:12

Range of meaning

A late Hebrew and Aramaic word for 'writing, script, written document, register'. Here it means a writing system, paired with lāšôn, 'tongue, language'.

Against the English

BSB and ESV use 'script', which is clear. KJV/WEB 'according to the writing thereof/its writing' is vague. Some versions blend script and language into one idea and lose the doubled precision.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same formula, 'to every province in its script and to every people in its language', appears in the king's first edict (1:22) and in Mordecai's counter-edict (8:9), which adds pointedly 'and to the Jews in their script and language'. Darius's Behistun inscription was carved in Old Persian, Elamite and Akkadian, and an Aramaic copy turned up at Elephantine in Egypt. Its text says copies were sent throughout the provinces (§70).

Where it appears

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 28:19 בִּכְתָ֛ב in writing

    “All this,” said David, “all the details of this plan, the LORD has made clear to me in writing by His hand upon me.”

2 Chronicles · 2

  1. 2 Chronicles 2:11 בִּכְתָ֔ב in a document

    Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.”

  2. 2 Chronicles 35:4 בִּכְתָ֗ב by [the] writing of

    Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and Solomon his son.

Ezra · 2

  1. Ezra 2:62 כְתָבָ֛ם document[s] their

    These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

  2. Ezra 4:7 וּכְתָב֙ and [the] writing of

    And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.

Nehemiah · 1

  1. Nehemiah 7:64 כְתָבָ֛ם document their

    These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

    Here: 'Their writing,' meaning their written entry in an official register. It is a late Hebrew word, used for royal edicts and registers. Here it means the documented record that would prove their descent.

Esther · 9

  1. Esther 1:22 כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ according to writing its

    He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.

  2. Esther 3:12 כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ according to writing its

    On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.

    Here: 'In its own writing system' (Aramaic letters, cuneiform, Greek and so on). The script, not only the language, is matched to each region.

  3. Esther 3:14 הַכְּתָ֗ב the writing

    A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that they would be ready on that day.

  4. Esther 4:8 כְּתָֽב־ [the] writing of

    Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.

  5. Esther 8:8 כְתָ֞ב a writing

    Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”

  6. Esther 8:9 כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ כִּכְתָבָ֖ם according to writing its, according to writing their

    At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush—writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

  7. Esther 8:13 הַכְּתָ֗ב the writing

    A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

  8. Esther 9:27 כִּכְתָבָ֖ם according to writing their

    the Jews bound themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should not fail to celebrate these two days at the appointed time each and every year, according to their regulation.

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 13:9 וּבִכְתָ֤ב and in [the] register of

    My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of My people or be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.

    Here: A written record. Here it means the official list of members of Israel, like the genealogical registers used to decide who belonged to the returning community (Ezra 2:62; Neh 7:5, 64).

Daniel · 1

  1. Daniel 10:21 בִּכְתָ֖ב in writing of

    But first I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. Yet no one has the courage to support me against these, except Michael your prince.

    Here: 'In a writing of', meaning a written document. Here it is a document kept in heaven, not a book of the Bible. The word is common in late Hebrew and Aramaic for official records and edicts.

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