Lexical Summary
kalil: Whole, entire, complete, perfect
Original Word:כָּלִיל
Part of Speech:Adjective; substantive; Adjective; substantive
Transliteration:kaliyl
Pronunciation:kah-LEEL
Phonetic Spelling:(kaw-leel')
KJV: all, every whit, flame, perfect(-ion), utterly, whole burnt offering (sacrifice), wholly
NASB:perfect, all, whole, whole burnt offering, burned entirely, completely, entirely
Word Origin:[fromH3634 (כָּלַל - perfected)]
1. complete
2. as noun, the whole (specifically, a sacrifice entirely consumed)
3. as adverb, fully
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
all, every whit, flame, perfection, utterly, whole burnt offering sacrifice, wholly
Fromkalal; complete; as noun, the whole (specifically, a sacrifice entirely consumed); as adverb, fully -- all, every whit, flame, perfect(-ion), utterly, whole burnt offering (sacrifice), wholly.
see HEBREWkalal
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
kalalDefinitionentire, whole, a holocaust
NASB Translationall (2), burned entirely (1), completely (1), entirely (1), perfect (3), perfection (1), pure (1), whole (2), whole burnt offering (2), whole burnt offerings (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
and , construct , feminine construction : —
Ezekiel 16:14 (of Jerusalem) the report ,Ezekiel 28:12 (of the king of Tyre)entire, perfect in beauty;Ezekiel 27:3 (of Tyre),Lamentations 2:15 (of Jerusalem) .
entirety, whole,Exodus 28:31 thou shalt make the robe of the ephod awhole of purple (i.e. wholly purple); soExodus 39:22;Numbers 4:6 ;Judges 20:40 thewhole of the city (perhaps with allusion to meaning
); as adverb accusative,Isaiah 2:18 will pass awayin entirety, wholly.
as a sacrificial term,entire- orwhole-offering,holocaust, of a sacrifice consumedwholly on the altar (compare Phoenician CISI. i, 165, 167; RSRel. Semitic 237), usually a descriptive synonym of :Deuteronomy 33:10 ,Psalm 51:21 , in app.1 Samuel 7:9 ; of the priests' ,Leviticus 6:15 ,Leviticus 6:16 ; fig,Deuteronomy 13:17 (of idolatrous city) and thou shalt burn the city and all its spoil asa whole-offering to .
Topical Lexicon
Overview of UsageThe Hebrew adjective כָּלִיל (kalil) is encountered fifteen times across eight canonical books. Its core sense of completeness colors every context—liturgical, judicial, prophetic, and poetic—linking each occurrence to the biblical theme of total devotion or utter finality.
Wholeness in Priestly Garments (Exodus 28:31; 39:22)
When the robe of the high priest is described as “entirely of blue cloth” (Exodus 28:31), kalil underscores undivided uniformity. The garment’s single hue visually proclaims the priest’s singular allegiance to the LORD, foreshadowing the integrity required of all who intercede on behalf of the people.
Totality of Dedication in Offerings (Leviticus 6:22–23;Deuteronomy 33:10;1 Samuel 7:9;Psalm 51:19)
In the Levitical grain offering for the high priest, “The whole of it shall be burned” (Leviticus 6:22). Likewise, Samuel “offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD” (1 Samuel 7:9). Kalil joined to the burnt offering (‘olah) signifies absolute surrender—nothing held back for human consumption.Psalm 51:19 looks ahead to restored worship: “Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings.” Such offerings anticipate Christ, whose sacrifice was not partial but complete, satisfying divine justice wholly and forever.
Complete Destruction in Judgment (Numbers 4:6;Deuteronomy 13:16;Judges 20:40)
Kalil can denote total ruin when rebellion reaches its fullness. The doomed idolatrous city “burned … completely for the LORD” (Deuteronomy 13:16). InJudges 20:40 the rising “column of smoke” depicts Benjamin’s city going up “as a whole” (kalil), warning that sin left unchecked invites exhaustive judgment.
Perfect Beauty—Bestowed and Lost (Lamentations 2:15;Ezekiel 16:14; 27:3; 28:12)
Zion was once “the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth” (Lamentations 2:15). Tyre boasted, “I am perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 27:3), and its king is lamented as “the seal of perfection” (Ezekiel 28:12). In each case kalil attributes ideal splendor granted by God yet forfeited through pride.Ezekiel 16:14 reminds Israel that her beauty “was perfect because of the splendor that I bestowed on you.” The term thus exposes the fragility of human glory apart from ongoing covenant faithfulness.
Idolatry Removed Without Remainder (Isaiah 2:18)
In the eschatological Day of the LORD, “the idols will vanish completely” (Isaiah 2:18). Kalil here celebrates the coming age when false worship will be eradicated without residue, leaving undivided honor for the true God.
Ministry Implications
1. Worship: True offering involves the whole self (Romans 12:1 echoes the kalil principle).
2. Holiness: Priestly integrity must be uncompromised, like the robe “entirely blue.”
3. Warning: Judgment may be total; sin should be addressed before it reaches full measure.
4. Humility: Any perfection of beauty is derivative; boasting leads to loss of the very glory God bestows.
5. Hope: The promised complete removal of idols assures believers that the kingdom will culminate in pure worship.
Key References at a Glance
Exodus 28:31;Exodus 39:22
Leviticus 6:22–23
Numbers 4:6
Deuteronomy 13:16;Deuteronomy 33:10
Judges 20:40
1 Samuel 7:9
Psalm 51:19
Isaiah 2:18
Lamentations 2:15
Ezekiel 16:14;Ezekiel 27:3;Ezekiel 28:12
Forms and Transliterations
וְכָלִ֑יל וְכָלִ֖יל וּכְלִ֥יל וכליל כְּלִ֖יל כְּלִ֛יל כְּלִ֣ילַת כְּלִ֥יל כְּלִ֥ילַת כְלִיל־ כָּלִ֔יל כָּלִ֖יל כָּלִ֣יל כָּלִ֥יל כליל כליל־ כלילת chelil kā·lîl kaLil kālîl kə·lî·laṯ kə·lîl ḵə·lîl- keLil kəlîl ḵəlîl- keLilat kəlîlaṯ ū·ḵə·lîl ucheLil ūḵəlîl vechaLil wə·ḵā·lîl wəḵālîl
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