קָלָה

From the study of Deuteronomy 27:16

Range of meaning

The root idea is 'to be light, slight, of little weight.' In the causative stem used here it means 'to make light of, treat with contempt, regard as insignificant, degrade.' Lexicons such as HALOT and BDB treat qālāh as a by-form (a variant spelling of the same root) of qālal, 'to be light, trifling.' In its intensive form qālal means 'to curse, revile.' Its moral opposite is kāvēd, 'to be heavy,' which gives kāvôd, 'weight, glory, honor.'

Against the English

'Dishonors' (BSB, WEB and most modern versions) is accurate, but it loses the picture of weight. To many modern ears it also suggests a single public insult or embarrassment. KJV 'setteth light by' and YLT 'making light of' keep the image exactly: the parents are treated as lightweight.

How it drifted

English 'dishonor' has become abstract and is often heard narrowly as 'insult' or 'disobey.' The Hebrew picture is a whole stance of treating someone as worthless. That can show in words, in neglect, or in refusing them what they are owed.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Deut 25:3 the same root is used for a flogged brother 'degraded' (niqlāh) before your eyes. Isa 3:5 sets nəqleh 'the lightly-esteemed/base' against nikbād 'the honored.' In Prov 12:9, nikleh is 'one of no account.' Exod 21:17 and Lev 20:9 make the related verb məqallēl, 'one who reviles/curses' father or mother, a capital crime. Ezek 22:7 lists among Jerusalem's sins that 'father and mother are treated with contempt' (hēqallû). The weight-versus-light wordplay runs through the whole Bible: God's kāvôd is his 'weightiness.'

From the study of Isaiah 3:5

Range of meaning

Lightly regarded, of little account, or degraded in status. The root is close to the Hebrew idea of being 'light' and is the opposite of being 'heavy' with honor. The word describes how someone is valued socially, whether fairly or not.

Against the English

BSB and KJV: 'the base'. WEB: 'the wicked'. ESV: 'the despised'. NASB: 'the inferior'. NIV: 'the nobody'. YLT's 'lightly esteemed' is the most exact. WEB's 'wicked' adds a moral judgment the word does not make.

How it drifted

In 1611 'base' still meant low-born or low-ranking. Over time it came to mean morally vile, so the KJV wording now says something different than it first did.

Used elsewhere in the period

David calls himself a 'poor man and lightly esteemed' in 1 Samuel 18:23, which plainly makes no moral charge against himself. Proverbs 12:9 says it is better to be lightly esteemed and have a servant than to play the big man and lack bread. Deuteronomy 25:3 warns against degrading a fellow Israelite by excessive flogging. Deuteronomy 27:16 curses one who dishonors (maqleh) father or mother. The Greek translation of Isaiah gives atimos, 'without honor', a status word.

From the study of Proverbs 12:9

Range of meaning

The root קלה / קלל is about being 'light': being slight, of little account, treated with contempt or disregard. The passive (Niphal) form means 'be made light, be lightly esteemed, be degraded'. It describes low social standing rather than active hatred.

Against the English

KJV 'despised' and some modern 'despised' renderings sound like active scorn or loathing. BSB/YLT 'lightly esteemed', WEB 'little known', ESV 'lowly' and NIV 'a nobody' are closer: a person who doesn't count for much in public opinion.

How it drifted

In 1611 'despise' could still mean 'look down on, think little of'. Today it mostly means 'hate intensely', which makes the poor man sound like a target of hostility instead of simply unimportant.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Samuel 18:23: David calls himself 'a poor man and lightly esteemed' (ʾîš rāš wənִqleh), meaning too low in rank to marry the king's daughter. Isaiah 3:5 sets 'the lightly esteemed against the honoured' (hanniqleh bannikbād), putting this exact word against the same 'heavy / honoured' root that appears later in our verse. Deuteronomy 25:3 uses it for a brother being 'degraded' by too many lashes.