*כָּרַת vb. cut off, cut down (NH id.; Assyrian karâtu, ii. hew off Dl ³⁵⁷);

Qal Pf. כ׳ Gn 15:18 + 19 t.; 2 ms. כָּרָ֑תָּ Dt 20:20; 1 s. כָּרַתִּי Ex 34:27 + 15 t.;f.; Impf. יִכְרֹת Jb 40:28 + 21 t.; 2 ms. תִּכְרָת־ Is 57:8; 1 s. אֶכְרוֹת Is 61:8 1 S 11:2; אֶכְרְתָה Is 55:3; 3 mpl. יִכְרֹ֑תוּ Ho 12:2 Ps 83:6; 1 pl. נִכְרְתָה Gn 26:28; 31:44; sf. נִכְרְתֶנּוּ Je 11:19; + 31 t. Impf.; Imv. כְּרָת־ 1 S 11:1; כָּרְתָה 2 S 3:12; + 4 t. Imv.; Inf. abs. כָּרֹת Ho 10:4; כָּרוֹת Ne 9:8; cstr. כְּרֹת Je 34:8 + 2 t.; כְּרָת־ Is 44:14 + 2 t.; כְּרוֹת 2 Ch 2:7; 29:10; sf. כָּרְתִי 1 S 24:12; Pt. act. כֹּרֵת Ex 34:10 + 3 t.;t. act.; pass. כָּרוּת Lv 22:24; cstr. כְּרוּת Dt 23:2; pl. כְּרֻת[וֹ]ת 1 K 7:12 + 3 t.;

1. cut off:
a. things: c. acc. foreskin Ex 4:25; privy member Lv 22:24 Dt 23:2; cluster of grapes Nu 13:23, 24; bough of tree Ju 9:48, 49; skirt 1 S 24:5, 6, 12; head of man 1 S 17:51; 31:9 2 S 20:22; garments 2 S 10:4 = 1 Ch 19:4; palms of hands 1 S 5:4; sprigs Is 18:5.
b. persons, c. acc. pers. מִן loc. Je 11:19; 50:16.

2. cut down, c. acc. trees Dt 19:5; 20:19, 20 2 K 19:23 = Is 37:24, Is 44:14 Je 6:6; 10:3; 22:7; 46:23 Ez 31:12; asherim Ex 34:13 Ju 6:25, 26, 30 1 K 15:13 = 2 Ch 15:16; 2 K 18:4; 23:14.

3. hew, timber 1 K 5:20⁽⁺⁾ = 2 Ch 2:7, 15, Is 14:8; כֹּרְתֵי הָעֵצִים hewers of timber 2 Ch 2:9; כְּרֻת(וֹ)ת hewn beams 1 K 6:36; 7:2, 12.

4. כ׳ בְּרִית cut, or make a covenant (because of the cutting up and distribution of the flesh of the victim for eating in the sacrifice of the covenants, see בְּרִית); הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר כ׳ the calf which they cut Je 34:18 (referring to Gn 15:10); עֲלֵי־זֶבַח Ps 50:5; abs. Gn 21:27, 32; 31:44 1 S 18:3 1 K 5:26 Ho 10:4; c. אֶת with Gn 15:18 Ex 34:27 Dt 31:16 Dt 5:3 28:69⁽⁺⁾; 29:13 2 S 3:12, 13, 21 2 K 17:15, 35, 38 Is 28:15 Je 11:10; 31:31, 32, 33; 34:8, 13 Ez 17:13 Zc 11:10 Ps 105:9 = 1 Ch 16:16; c. עִם Gn 26:28 Ex 24:8 Dt 4:23; 5:2; 9:9; 29:11, 24 1 K 8:21 = 2 Ch 6:11 2 Ch 23:3 Ne 9:8 Ho 2:20; 12:2 Jb 40:28; בְּ׳ omitted 1 S 20:16; 22:8 1 K 8:9 = 2 Ch 5:10; c. לְ Ex 23:32; 34:12, 15 Jos 9:6, 7, 11, 15, 16; 24:25 Dt 7:2 Ju 2:2 1 S 11:1 2 S 5:3 1 K 20:34 2 K 11:4 1 Ch 11:3 2 Ch 21:7; 29:10 Ezr 10:3 Is 55:3; 61:8 Je 32:40; 34:18 Ez 34:25; 37:26 Jb 31:1 Ps 89:4; בְּ׳ omitted 1 S 11:2 2 Ch 7:18; נֶגֶד Ex 34:10; לִפְנֵי 1 S 23:18 2 K 23:3 = 2 Ch 34:31 Je 34:15; בֵּין וּבֵין 2 K 11:17; 2 Ch 23:16; c. עַל against, Ps 83:6; אֲמָנָה is used for ברית Ne 10:1; and דָּבָר Hg 2:5.

Note. – וַתִּכְרָת־לָךְ מֵהֶם Is 57:8 is usually rendered as RV made for thee a covenant with them, with ellipsis of בּ׳ as above. But מִן is not used in such a construction. Gr emends עִמָּהֶם for מֵהֶם, this is easiest and gives the usual construction; Du, followed by Buhl, reads וַתִּכְרִי after Ho 3:2.

Niph. Pf. 3 ms. נכרת Jo 1:5 + 5 t.; נִכְרָ֑ת Jo 1:16 + 2 t.; 3 fs. נִכְרְתָה Gn 17:14 + 16 t.; נִכְרָ֑תָה Ps 37:38; 2 ms. נִכְרַתָּ Ob 1:10;f.; Impf. יִכָּרֵת Gn 9:11 + 21 t.; יִכָּֽרֶת־ Ob 1:9; 3 mpl. יִכָּֽרְתוּ Zc 13:8; יִכָּרֵת֑וּן Jos 3:13 Ps 37:9; + 9 t. Impf.; Inf. הִכָּרֵת Nu 15:31 Ps 37:34.

1. be cut off:
a. of things, froward tongue Pr 10:31; burden from a nail Is 22:25; chariots Zc 9:10; dwelling Zp 3:7.
b. of persons, the people of the land by a famine (בְּ) Gn 41:36; all flesh by waters of deluge (מִמֵּי) Gn 9:11; the anointed Dn 9:26; enemies Is 11:13 Mi 5:8; the wicked Is 29:20 Ho 8:4 Na 2:1 Ps 37:9, 22, 28, 34, 38 Pr 2:22; others Ob 1:9, 10 Zp 1:11 Zc 13:8; 14:2.
c. in the technical phrases וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ ההיא that person shall be cut off (by death penalty) מֵעַמֶּיהָ Gn 17:14 Lv 7:20, 21, 25, 27 Nu 9:13 Lv 19:8; מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Ex 12:15 Nu 19:13; מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל Ex 12:19; מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ Ex 31:14 Nu 15:30 (עַמָּהּ); מִלְּפָנַי Lv 22:3; מִתּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל Nu 19:20; similarly with variation of subject Ex 30:33, 38 Lv 17:4, 9; 18:29; 20:18; 23:29, and with omission of word with מִן Lv 17:14; 20:17 Nu 15:31⁽⁺⁾.

2. be cut down, a tree Jb 14:7.

3. be chewed between the teeth Nu 11:33.

4. be cut off, in a more general sense, fail: of waters Jos 3:13, 16 4:7⁽⁺⁾; new wine Jo 1:5; meat v 16; hope Pr 23:18; 24:14; a name Is 48:19; 56:5 Ru 4:10; a sign Is 55:13; faithfulness Je 7:28; לֹא יִכָּרֵת לְ׳ אִישׁ there shall not fail thee a man 1 K 2:4; 8:25 = 2 Ch 6:16, 1 K 9:5 = 2 Ch 7:18, Je 33:17, 18; 35:19; לא יכרת מן there shall not fail of Jos 9:23 2 S 3:29.

Pual Pf. כָּרַּת Ez 16:4; 3 fs. כֹּרָ֑תָה Ju 6:28;

1. be cut off, navel string Ez 16:4.

2. be cut down, Asherah Ju 6:28.

Hiph. Pf. הִכְרִית 1 S 28:9 1 K 11:16; 3 fs. הִכְרִיתָה Lv 26:22; 1 s. הִכְרַתִּי Jos 23:4 + 32 t.;f.; Impf. יַכְרִית Dt 12:29 + 2 t.; juss. יַכְרֵת Ps 12:4 + 4 t.; 1 s. וָֽאַכְרִ֫תָה 2 S 7:9; 1 pl. sf. וְנַכְרִיתֶנָּה Je 48:2; + 9 t. Impf.; Inf. הַכְרִית Je 44:8 + 15 t.; הַכְרִת 1 S 20:15; + sf. 2 t.

1. cut off, flattering lips Ps 12:4.

2. cut off, destroy the life of:
a. animals c. acc., cattle Lv 26:22; c. acc. and מִן frogs Ex 8:5; horses Mi 5:9 Zc 9:10.
b. of men abs. Ps 109:13, by men, c. acc. enemies Ju 4:24 1 S 24:22 1 K 11:16; 14:14; 18:4 2 Ch 22:7 Is 10:7 Ez 17:17 Ob 1:14; c. acc. and מִן enemies Jos 11:21 Je 48:2; the wicked Ps 101:8; a clan Nu 4:18; young men by death Je 9:20; people by the sword Na 3:15; necromancers 1 S 28:9; the name Jos 7:9.
c. of men, by God c. acc. (הַ)גּוֹיִם Dt 19:1 Jos 23:4 Zp 3:6; various persons and things Is 48:9 Je 44:11; 51:62 Ez 25:16; 30:15 Zc 9:6; c. acc. and מִן Ez 25:7 Am 1:5, 8; 2:3; מֵאֶרֶץ Na 2:14 Ps 34:17 = 109:15; מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Is 9:13; מִיַּד Mi 5:11; מִפָּנֶיךָ Dt 12:29 2 S 7:9 = 1 Ch 17:8; מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה 1 S 20:15 1 K 9:7 Zp 1:3; מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ Lv 17:10; 20:3, 5, 6; מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי Ez 14:8; Ez says also הכ׳ מִן … אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה 14:13, 17, 19, 21; 25:13; 29:8; צדיק ורשׁע 21:8, 9; עבר ושׁב 35:7; c. acc. and לְ, cut off, to, or from Is 14:22 Je 44:7, 8; 47:4; כ׳ לְ׳ מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר 1 K 14:10; 21:21 2 K 9:8; כ׳ ל׳ מעם מזבח 1 S 2:33; יַכְרֵת י׳ לָאִישׁ מֵאָֽהֳלֵי יַעֲקֹב Mal 2:12 may Yahweh cut off to the man – from the tents of Jacob.

3. cut down, destroy, cities Mi 5:10, sun-pillars Lv 26:30; and other things used in idolatry Na 1:14 Zp 1:4; מן הארץ Zc 13:2; מִקֶּרֶב Mi 5:12.

4. take away, חֶסֶד מֵעִם kindness from 1 S 20:15.

5. permit to perish, מֵהַבְּהֵמָה (some) of the cattle 1 K 18:5.

Hoph. Pf. הָכְרַת מִנְחָה וָנֶסֶךְ מִבֵּית י׳ Jo 1:9.

This dictionary is a modified version of: F. Brown, S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford, 1906). Comments and corrections can be sent to us at: support@alhatorah.org