A primitive root; to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe) -- describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).
H3789. kathab
כָּתַב223 verb write (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician כתב; Aramaic כְּתַב, Nabataean כתב, see especially Nö in EutNab. p. 43; thence Arabic Ethiopic book, DiLex. 852 (as loan-words, Frä249 DHMVOJ i (1887), 29); MV Buhl compare Arabic draw or sew together, conjoin (letters), etc., compare FlZMG 1873, 427) —
Qal Perfect ׳כ Joshua 8:32 +, כָּתַבְתָּ Jeremiah 36:6 +, suffix וּכְתַבְתָּם consecutive Deuteronomy 6:9; 11:20, etc. (Perfect 27 t.); Imperfect יִכְתֹּב Isaiah 44:5, וַיִּכְתֹּב Exodus 24:4 +, etc. (Imperfect 39 t.); Imperative כְּתֹב Isaiah 8:1 5t., כְּתָבֿ Exodus 34:27 2t.; suffix כָּתְבָהּ Isaiah 30:8, כָּתְבֵם Proverbs 3:3; 7:3; plural כִּתְבוּ Deuteronomy 31:9 3t .; Infinitive absolute כָּתוֺכ Jeremiah 32:44; cstr כְּתוֺב Psalm 87:8, לִכְתֹּב Deuteronomy 31:24; Joshua 18:8; suffix כָּתְבוֺ Jeremiah 45:1; Participle active כֹּתֵב 36:18, plural כֹּתְבִים 32:12; Nehemiah 10:1; passive (113 t.), כָּתוּב Joshua 1:8 +, feminine כְּתוּבָה 2 Samuel 1:18 +, plural כְּתוּבִים 1 Kings 15:7 +, כְּתֻבִים 11:41 +; feminine plural כְּתוּבוֺת2 Chronicles 34:24; —
1 write:
a. with accusative, words Exodus 34:27, commandments 24:12, etc.; accusative of congnate meaning with verb מכתב 39:30, compare כַּמִּכְתָּב Deuteronomy 10:4; with כְּ, giving purport of writing, also Esther 8:8; but object also a book, סֵפֶר Exodus 32:32; Deuteronomy 24:1; מְגִלָּה Jeremiah 38:6, compare participle pass, וְאָחוֺר מָּנִים כְּתוּבָה וְהִיא Ezekiel 2:10 ( of מגלה; i.e. written on both sides); a letter, סֵפָר 2 Samuel 11:14; 2 Kings 10:1 4t., אִגֶּרֶת2 Chronicles 30:1; a divorce-certificate כְּרִיתֻת סֵפֶר Deuteronomy 24:1, etc.; even כְּתֻבִים לֻחֹת tablets inscribed by the finger of God Exodus 31:18 compare Deuteronomy 9:10; ׳ל ׳כ עֶבְרֵיהֶם מִשְּׁנֵי Exodus 32:15 tables inscribed on both sides (compare Ezekiel 2:10 above) Here belongs (probably) לי יָדוֺ יִכְתֹּב ׳וְזֶה Isaiah 44:5 and this one shall inscribe his hand, 'Yahweh's', so ᵐ5 Hi Kn Che Br Du Di, Ges Ew De, shall sign (with) his hand unto ׳י.
b. more often write something on, or in (עַלֿ85t., בְ44t., אֶלֿ3t.) a tablet, roll, book, etc. (object various, as above): — (I) ׳כ עַלֿ followed by סֵפֶר = book Deuteronomy 17:18 55t., especially in phrase וגו דברי עלסֿפר ׳כתובים 1 Kings 11:41 + often Kings Chronicles; ׳כ עַלמְֿגִּלָּה Jeremiah 36:2; 36:28; 36:32; Jeremiah 38:29; ׳כ עַללֿוּח(ותׅ Exodus 34:1 7t., עַלאֶֿבֶן Deuteronomy 27:3 2t., עַלגּֿלָּיוֺן Isaiah 8:1; בַּיִת עַלמְֿזֻזוֺת Deuteronomy 6:9; 11:20; עַלמַֿטֶּה on a rod Numbers 17:17; Numbers 17:18; עַלעֵֿץ Ezekiel 37:16 (twice in verse), עַלצִֿיץ (high priest's plate) Exodus 39:30; even (only Chronicles) עַלֿ followed by name of book or its contents: — ׳כ נָתָן עַלדִּֿבְרֵי2 Chronicles 9:29; compare 33:19; וגו ׳עַלמִֿדְרַשׁ24:27; עַלהַֿקִּינוֺת35:25; figurative, ׳כ עַללִֿבָּם Jeremiah 31:83 I will write them upon their heart; compare ׳כ לִבֶּ֑ךָ עַללֿוּחַ Proverbs 3:3. (2) ׳כ אֶלֿ appears for ׳כ עַלֿ only Jeremiah 36:2 compare Ezekiel 2:10; Jeremiah 51:60. (3) ׳כ בְּ followed by ספר = book Joshua 24:26 (E) + 35 t.; = letter, bill, deed, 1 Kings 21:9 5t.; עָלָ֑י כָּתוּב סֵפֶר בִּמְגִלַּת Psalm 40:8 it is prescribed to me, על as 2 Kings 22:13 (N.B. ׳כ עלֿ not used with סֵפֶר = letter, and ׳כ בְּ not used with אבן לוּחַ, or עֵץ).
c. other uses of perp. with ׳כ are: — בְּ instrumental, ׳כ אֱנוֺשׁ בְּחֶרֶט Isaiah 8:1, ׳כ בַּרְזֶל בְּעֵט Jeremiah 17:1; אֱלֹהִים בְּאֶצְבַּע כְּתֻבִים Deuteronomy 9:10; Exodus 31:18; ׳כ אֶלֿ unto, of person to whom letter, etc., is addressed 2 Samuel 11:14; 2 Kings 10:6; Esther 9:13; עַלֿ substantive for אֶלֿ (late) 2 Chronicles 30:1; Ezra 4:7; Esther 8:8; the fuller construction is ׳כ (אֶלֿׅ וישׁלח ספר 2 Kings 10:1; Esther 8:10; 9:20 +; ׳כ אֶלֿ write down for the benefit or use of some one, Judges 8:14; לְ to or for, Deuteronomy 17:18; 24:1 +; note especially תּוֺרָתִי רֻבֵּו֯ אֶכְתָּו֯בלֿוֺ Hosea 8:12, i.e. either, I write (keep writing) for them ever so many (We, רֹב, compare Ew and most רִבּוֺ(אׅ a myriad) of my directions, or 'Though I write,' 'Were I to write,' etc.; ׳כ followed by ל with infinitive of purpose 2 Chronicles 32:17; Esther 8:5; with מִן in phrase ׳כ פ ׳מִמִּי write from the mouth of any one i.e. from dictation, Jeremiah 36:2, 32; 38:6, 17, 27; 45:1.
2 = write down describe in writing, ׳כ אֶתהָֿאָרֶץ Judges 18:4, 6, 8 (3 t. in verse); 18:9.
3 = register enroll Isaiah 10:19 (= record the number), 1 Chronicles 24:6; especially passive הַכְּתוּבִים Numbers 11:26 those enrolled compare Nehemiah 12:22; ׳הַכּ בְּשֵׁמוֺת 1 Chronicles 4:41 those recorded by name; in prediction, עֲרִירִי הַזֶּה ׳כ אֶתהָֿאִישׁ Jeremiah 22:30 register this man as childless; with eschatological reference, לַחַיִּים כָּלהַֿכָּתוּב Isaiah 4:3 all those enrolled (i.e. appointed) unto life; and, more explicitly, בַּסֵּפֶר כָּתוּב כָּלהַֿנִּמְצָא Daniel 12:1; ׳י עַמִּים בִּכְתוֺבּ יִסְמֹּר Psalm 87:6 ׳י shall reckon, when he registers (note absence of suffix) the peoples, etc.
4 = decree, מְרֹרוֺת עָלַי תִּכְתֹּב Job 13:26 thou (׳י) decrest against me bitter things.
Niph`al (chiefly late, especially Esther), Imperfect יִכָּתֵב Esther 1:19 +, 3 feminine singular זֹאת תִּכָּ֫תֶב Psalm 102:19; 3masculine plural יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ Jeremiah 17:13 3t., יִכָּֽתְבוּן Job 19:23; Participle נִכְתָּב Esther 3:12 2t.; —
1 be written, subject words Job 19:23, book Malachi 3:16; be written בְּסֵפֶר Esther 2:23; 9:23, in, or among ב the laws 1:19; once, with יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ כֻּלָּם עַלסִֿפְרְךָ עַלֿ, Psalm 139:16 in thy ׳י's book all of them (my members) are written, i.e. written down, recorded (see below); absolute הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֵׁם נִכְתָּב אֲשֶׁר כְּתָב Esther 8:8 a writing which is written in the king's name, compare (impersonal) 3:12; impersonal also צִוָּה כְּכָלאֲֿשֶׁר וַיִּכָּתֵב 3:12; 8:9; ׳יִכָּ followed by לְ = for Psalm 102:19; followed by לְ + infinitive (really = a subject-cl., — the contents of the letter) Esther 3:9; 8:5.
2 be written down, recorded, Ezra 8:34; enrolled, יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ לֹא ישׂראל בית בִּכְתָב Ezekiel 13:9 in the enrolement of the house of Israel they are not enrolled (eschatolog.); אַליִֿכָּתֵ֑בוּ וְעִםצַֿדִּיקִים Psalm 69:29 ("" מִסֵּפֶר יִמָּחוּ חַיִּים) — יִכָּתֵ֑בוּ בָּאָרֶץ Jeremiah 17:13 is difficult; Gie reads, plausibly, יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ מֵאֶרֶץ (compare Psalm 34:17; 101:8, etc.)
Pi`el frequently, Perfect and Participle, only עָמָל כִּתֵּ֑בוּוּמְכַתְּבִים Isaiah 10:1 and busy writers that make a business of writing oppression (i.e. register unjust sentences, compare Qal 4; "" חִקֲקֵיאָֿוֶן הַחֹקֲקִים).
כְּתַב verb write (see Biblical Hebrew); —
Pe`al Perfect3masculine singular ׳כ Daniel 6:26 ל person + oratio recta [direct speech], 7:1 accusative of thing; 3 masculine plural כְּתַ֫בוּ Ezra 4:8 accusative אִגְּרָה; 1 plural נִכְתּוּב 5:10, accusative of thing; Participle active absolute feminine singular כָּֽתְבָה Daniel 5:5, subject יְדָא, feminine plural כָּֽתְבָן 5:5, subject אֶצְבְּעָן.
Pe`il (WCG 224) Perfect3masculine singular תִּיב כְּ כִּדְנָהEzra 5:7 thus (it) was written, so כ ׳כֵּן 6:2.