Hebrew word · H7128

קְרָב

kerav

battle

Battle, war, combat. About nine occurrences, all in poetic or elevated texts (2 Sam 17:11; Job 38:23; Ps 55:21; 68:30; 78:9; Eccl 9:18; Zech 14:3). The word is much more common in Aramaic. Its root qrb means "approach, draw near", so it may originally picture the moment armies close in.

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

battle, war

Aramaic equivalent: qe.rav (קְרָב "war" H7129)

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 Psalm 144:1

Range of meaning

Battle, war, combat. About nine occurrences, all in poetic or elevated texts (2 Sam 17:11; Job 38:23; Ps 55:21; 68:30; 78:9; Eccl 9:18; Zech 14:3). The word is much more common in Aramaic. Its root qrb means "approach, draw near", so it may originally picture the moment armies close in. In use, though, it is simply a synonym of milchamah.

Against the English

English versions use "war" or "battle" for one noun and the other word for the second. No translation can easily show that the poet paired a rare, elevated word with the ordinary one.

Used elsewhere in the period

The parallel in Psalm 18:34 has the ordinary milchamah. Psalm 144 replaces it with qerav in the first line and keeps milchamah for the second. The psalm has other Aramaic-flavoured features (e.g. the verb petseni, "rescue me", in vv. 7, 11), and scholars have used them in dating debates.

From the study of Psalm 55:18

Range of meaning

Battle, war, fighting. It is a rare, poetic word, possibly borrowed from Aramaic, and appears mostly in poetry and late books (Ps 68:30; 78:9; 144:1; Job 38:23; Zech 14:3; Eccl 9:18). It comes from the same root as "approach, draw near," because closing in on an enemy is how a battle begins.

Against the English

Most versions have "battle." YLT's "from him who is near to me" reads the same consonants as "near" (qarov), following the line of the Septuagint and the Vulgate.

Used elsewhere in the period

Septuagint Ps 54:19: apo tōn engizontōn moi, "from those who draw near to me." Vulgate: ab his qui appropinquant mihi. The Hebrew vowel tradition (the Masoretic Text) reads qᵉrav, "battle."

From the study of Psalm 55:21

Range of meaning

Battle, war, hostile encounter. It is a rare poetic word, related to the verb qārab, 'to approach, draw near' (armies 'close in' on each other), and common in Aramaic.

Against the English

Most versions say 'war is in his heart'. The Hebrew has no 'in'. It sets two nouns side by side: 'war, his heart', so his heart is war (NASB and WEB keep this). It is a stronger statement than a hidden hostile feeling.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ps 55:18 (Heb. v.19), 'from the battle against me'; Ps 68:30; 78:9; 144:1 ('trains my fingers for battle'); Job 38:23; Zech 14:3; Eccl 9:18. The Septuagint read the consonants as the verb, 'his heart drew near'.

Where it appears

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 17:11 בַּקְרָֽב׃ in the battle

    Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.

Job · 1

  1. Job 38:23 קְ֝רָ֗ב battle

    which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

    Here: A rare, poetic word for battle, from the root "to come near". The picture is armies closing with each other. It is common in Aramaic (Dan 7:21) and fits the elevated, somewhat Aramaic-coloured poetry of Job.

Psalms · 5

  1. Psalm 55:18 מִקֲּרָב־ from battle

    He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.

    Here: "Out of the battle." Qᵉrav is a rare poetic word for war or combat. It comes back in v.21, where the traitor's "heart is war."

  2. Psalm 55:21 וּֽקֲרָב־ and [was] war

    His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.

    Here: 'And war.' This is a rare, poetic word for armed conflict. It already appeared in v. 18 ('the battle against me'), so the war the psalmist was rescued from turns out to be planned in his friend's heart.

  3. Psalm 68:30 קְרָב֥וֹת [which] wars

    Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

    Here: 'Battles, wars'. A rare and poetic word (normal prose uses milchamah). The plural pictures warfare as something these nations keep coming back to.

  4. Psalm 78:9 קְרָֽב׃ battle

    The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle.

  5. Psalm 144:1 לַקְרָ֑ב for <the> war

    Of David. Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

    Here: A rare, poetic word for battle, much more common in Aramaic. Its root means "draw near", which may suggest armies closing on each other, though in actual use it simply means combat.

Ecclesiastes · 1

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:18 קְרָ֑ב war

    Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

    Here: Battle as actual fighting, from the root 'draw near', so close combat. 'Gear of battle' means military hardware.

Zechariah · 1

  1. Zechariah 14:3 קְרָֽב׃ battle

    Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.

    Here: A rare, poetic word for battle or close combat. It comes from a root meaning 'to draw near', so the picture is of armies closing to engage. Using a poetic word instead of the everyday word for war (milchamah, used in v. 2) raises the tone to that of old war hymns.

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