Hebrew word · H3805

כֹּתֶ֫רֶת

khotarot

capital

The crowning top piece of a column. It is used only for the capitals of the temple's bronze pillars (1 Kgs 7; 2 Kgs 25:17; Jer 52; 2 Chr 3–4). It comes from the root k-t-r, 'to surround' or 'to crown', the same root as keter, 'crown' or 'diadem' (Esth 1:11).

Appears 24 times in 12 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

capital crown, capital of a pillar

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 1 Kings 7:20

Range of meaning

The crowning top piece of a column. It is used only for the capitals of the temple's bronze pillars (1 Kgs 7; 2 Kgs 25:17; Jer 52; 2 Chr 3–4). It comes from the root k-t-r, 'to surround' or 'to crown', the same root as keter, 'crown' or 'diadem' (Esth 1:11).

Against the English

KJV's 'chapiter' is an old architectural word for 'capital'. Modern versions use 'capital'. Both are accurate. Neither English word carries the Hebrew sense of a crown.

How it drifted

No real drift. 'Chapiter' is simply out of date.

Used elsewhere in the period

In 1 Kings 7:16 each capital is 5 cubits high. Verse 19 speaks of a 4-cubit lily-shaped section. 2 Kings 25:17 gives 3 cubits, perhaps measuring only part of it. Bronze or stone capitals with lotus or palm shapes are well known from Phoenician, Syrian and Cypriot buildings of the Iron Age.

From the study of 2 Chronicles 4:12

Range of meaning

The capital, or cast head, of a column. The word appears only in the descriptions of Solomon's pillars and their destruction (1 Kings 7; 2 Kings 25:17; 2 Chronicles 3–4; Jeremiah 52:22). It is related to keter, the royal headdress or crown (Esther 1:11; 2:17; 6:8), and to a root meaning 'to surround'.

Against the English

Modern versions say 'capital'. KJV has 'chapiter', an old architectural word for the same thing that is now obscure. YLT's 'crowns' follows the word's family resemblance but makes a modern reader think of a king's crown.

How it drifted

'Chapiter' fell out of ordinary English. 'Crown' in YLT is a literal rendering, but it moves the reader from a building part to royal regalia.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Kings 7:16 gives each capital a height of 5 cubits. 2 Kings 25:17 gives 3 cubits, a difference that may reflect a different way of measuring or a copying problem. 1 Kings 7:19 and 22 describe 'lily-work' at the top of the capitals, a lotus-like design common in Egyptian and Phoenician art.

From the study of 2 Kings 25:17

Range of meaning

The capital, or crowning top, of a column. Related to keter, 'crown' (Esther 1:11; 2:17), and to a root meaning 'to surround'. In the Bible it is used almost only for the capitals of these two pillars (1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 3–4; Jeremiah 52).

Against the English

KJV's 'chapiter' is an old English word for a capital. Modern versions say 'capital'. Neither keeps the hint of 'crown' in the Hebrew.

How it drifted

'Chapiter' is simply archaic. It does not mislead, but many readers will not know it.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Kings 7:16–20 (five cubits, lily-work, lattice, pomegranates); Jeremiah 52:22; 2 Chronicles 4:12–13. The Greek translation of Kings often just spells out the Hebrew word (chōthar) instead of translating it, which suggests it was a specialist term.

Where it appears

1 Kings · 15

  1. 1 Kings 7:16 כֹתָרֹ֜ת הַכֹּתֶ֣רֶת הַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת capitals, the capital

    He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars, each capital five cubits high.

  2. 1 Kings 7:17 לַכֹּ֣תָרֹ֔ת לַכֹּתֶ֣רֶת לַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת [belonged] to the capitals, for the capital

    For the capitals on top of the pillars he made a network of lattice, with wreaths of chainwork, seven for each capital.

  3. 1 Kings 7:18 הַכֹּֽתָרֹת֙ לַכֹּתֶ֖רֶת the capitals, for the capital

    Likewise, he made the pillars with two rows of pomegranates around each grating to cover each capital atop the pillars.

  4. 1 Kings 7:19 וְכֹֽתָרֹ֗ת and [the] capitals

    And the capitals atop the pillars in the portico were shaped like lilies, four cubits high.

  5. 1 Kings 7:20 וְכֹתָרֹ֗ת הַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת and [the] capitals, the capital

    On the capitals of both pillars, just above the rounded projection next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates in rows encircling each capital.

    Here: The cast-bronze heads set on top of the pillar shafts. The word is related to keter, 'crown', so it pictures a crowning piece. The plural takes up the 'capitals' of verse 19.

  6. 1 Kings 7:31 לַכֹּתֶ֤רֶת to the capital

    The opening to each stand inside the crown at the top was one cubit deep, with a round opening like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half wide. And around its opening were engravings, but the panels of the stands were square, not round.

  7. 1 Kings 7:41 הַכֹּתָרֹ֛ת הַכֹּֽתָרֹ֔ת the capitals

    the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars; the two sets of network covering both bowls of the capitals atop the pillars;

  8. 1 Kings 7:42 הַכֹּֽתָרֹ֔ת the capitals

    the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network covering both the bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars);

2 Kings · 3

  1. 2 Kings 25:17 וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת הַכֹּתֶרֶת֮ הַכֹּתֶ֛רֶת and a capital, the capital

    Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall. The bronze capital atop one pillar was three cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its network, was similar.

    Here: The crowning piece on top of the column. The word is related to keter, 'crown', so it pictures the pillar wearing a crown.

2 Chronicles · 3

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:12 וְהַכֹּתָר֛וֹת הַכֹּֽתָר֔וֹת and the capitals, the capitals

    the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars; the two sets of network covering both bowls of the capitals atop the pillars;

    Here: The large cast-bronze heads set on top of the pillar shafts. The word is related to keter, 'crown' or 'headdress': the part that crowns the column.

  2. 2 Chronicles 4:13 הַכֹּֽתָר֔וֹת the capitals

    the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network covering both the bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars);

Jeremiah · 3

  1. Jeremiah 52:22 וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת הַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת הַכּוֹתֶ֛רֶת and a capital, the capital

    The bronze capital atop one pillar was five cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar.

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