Lexical Summary
qabats: To gather, collect, assemble
Original Word:קָבַץ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:qabats
Pronunciation:kah-VAHTS
Phonetic Spelling:(kaw-bats')
KJV: assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, X surely, take up
NASB:gather, gathered, assemble, assembled, gathers, collected, brought the together
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to grasp, i.e. collect
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
assemble selves, gather bring together, heap
A primitive root; to grasp, i.e. Collect -- assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, X surely, take up.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto gather, collect
NASB Translationassemble (7), assembled (7), brought the together (1), collect (1), collected (2), gather (52), gathered (45), gathers (4), grown (1), meet (1), rally (1), regather (1), surely gather (1), turn (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
127 (synonym ) (Arabic
grasp, seize; Sabean
harvest, in , attribute of 'Attar, according to Fell
ZMG liv (1900), 237 f.; Ethiopic
is
fail, despair; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew); —
Perfect3masculine singular1 Kings 20:1;Imperfect3masculine singularPsalm 41:7,Genesis 41:48 +, etc.;Imperative masculine singular1 Kings 18:19, masculine plural1 Samuel 7:5 +;Infinitive construct suffixZephaniah 3:8;Participle activeEzekiel 22:19;Proverbs 13:11;passive pluralNehemiah 5:16; —gather, collect:
with accusative of thing, grainGenesis 41:35,48 (E), bootyDeuteronomy 13:17 (+ location), money 2 Chronicles 24:5 (+ person), soEzekiel 16:31 (Gr Toy Krae, reading from , compare . Symm); accusative omittedProverbs 13:11one gathering by degrees; figurativePsalm 41:7his heart gathereth wickedness to itself.
usually with accusative of persongather, assemble, + locative1 Samuel 7:5;1 Samuel 29:1 (for battle); + location1 Kings 18:20;Ezra 8:15;Esther 2:3; + person2 Samuel 3:21;Habakkuk 2:5 (in figurative; "" ); + (= ) person1 Kings 11:24; + person and location1 Kings 18:19; 2Chronicles 32:6; + local 2 Chronicles 23:2, compareEzra 7:28; accusative of person alone1 Kings 22:6 2Chronicles 18:5;2 Kings 10:18;Nehemiah 7:5 (+ infinitive purpose),Joel 2:16 ("" ), 2 Chronicles 15:9; 24:5; 25:5; passive with + of workNehemiah 5:16; for s judgementZephaniah 3:3 ("" ),Ezekiel 22:20 compareEzekiel 22:19 (+ ; figurative of metals into furnace); specifically for war, battle,Judges 12:4;1 Samuel 28:1;2 Samuel 2:30;1 Kings 20:1;2 Kings 6:24; +1 Samuel 28:1 (1 Samuel 29:1 see above).
Perfect3pluralJoshua 10:6 +, etc.;Imperfect2masculine singularEzekiel 29:5; 3masculine plural1 Samuel 7:6 +, etc.;Imperative masculine pluralGenesis 49:2 +;Infinitive constructEzra 10:7 +;Participle pluralJeremiah 40:15, suffixIsaiah 56:8; —
assemble, gather1 Samuel 25:1;Genesis 49:2;Isaiah 45:20;Isaiah 48:14;Isaiah 49:18;Isaiah 60:4; Joel 4:11; 2Chronicles 20:4 (+ infinitive purpose) 2 Chronicles 32:4; for war1 Samuel 28:4;Joshua 10:6 (withagainst); with locative1 Samuel 7:6, accusative of locationEzra 10:7,9; 2Chronicles 15:10; with personuntoJeremiah 40:15;1 Chronicles 13:2;Ezra 10:1;Nehemiah 4:14, compare 2Chronicles 13:7 ( for ); person + locative1 Chronicles 11:1; withHosea 2:2;Isaiah 43:9 ("" ),Psalm 102:23; of birds and beastsIsaiah 34:15 (with ),Ezekiel 39:17.
passivebe gatheredIsaiah 60:7 (of flocks, + person),Esther 2:8 ( + location),Esther 2:19; participle with suffix personIsaiah 56:8;Ezekiel 29:5 ("" ) read Hi (not Sm) Co Berthol Toy Krae.
51 Perfect 3 masculine singular suffixDeuteronomy 30:3 consecutive,Micah 4:12;Psalm 107:3,Isaiah 34:16; 3feminine singularIsaiah 1:7, etc.; ImperfectIsaiah 11:12;Isaiah 40:11, etc.; Imperative, masculine singular suffix1 Chronicles 16:35;Psalm 106:47; Infinitive absoluteMicah 2:12;constructIsaiah 66:13 etc.; ParticipleNahum 3:18 +, etc.; —gather together:
usually of gathering his dispersed people (accusative), sometimes under figure of flock:Micah 2:12 + infinitive absolute ("" ),Micah 4:6;Zephaniah 3:19,20;Jeremiah 31:10;Zechariah 10:8;Isaiah 54:7;Isaiah 56:8a, compare alsoIsaiah 40:11; with accusative + localDeuteronomy 30:3,4;Jeremiah 23:5;Jeremiah 29:14;Jeremiah 31:8;Jeremiah 32:37;Ezekiel 11:17 6t. Ezekiel +Ezekiel 37:21 (),Isaiah 11:12;Isaiah 43:5;Zechariah 10:10;Nehemiah 1:9 Psalm + Neh 106:4, compare ""1 Chronicles 16:35;Psalm 107:3; accusative + personIsaiah 56:8b (compare
Participle); = (gather and) restrainHosea 8:10 (with accusative alone); ofgathering dispersed Egyptians, accusative + localEzekiel 29:13;gathering the nations (accusative) for judgmentMicah 4:12;Isaiah 66:18; Joel 4:2;gathering lovers of Jerusalem (under figure of harlot)Ezekiel 16:37 (twice in verse) ( + personagainst);gathering beasts into EdomIsaiah 34:16.
men subject:Hosea 9:6 (compareEzekiel 29:5
, above),Nehemiah 13:11; with accusative of thingMicah 1:7 (+ ),Isaiah 22:9;Isaiah 62:9;Proverbs 28:8;none that gatherethIsaiah 13:14 (accusative omitted),Nahum 3:18 (id.),Jeremiah 49:5 (followed by, compare near the end).
perhaps (gather and so)take away (= ),Nahum 2:11;Joel 2:6 see .
ParticipleEzekiel 38:8 (with ) of land (for people) of Israel
gather together (intransitive),be gathered together.Perfect3pluralJudges 9:47;1 Samuel 7:7 (+ locative);Imperfect3masculine plural1 Samuel 8:2;1 Samuel 22:2 (+ person),Isaiah 44:11; for battle, war,Imperative masculine pluralJeremiah 49:14;Imperfect alsoJoshua 9:(with , + infinitive purpose), + person2 Samuel 2:25.
Topical Lexicon
Overview of Biblical UsageAt every appearance קָבַץ signals a movement from dispersion to ordered unity. Whether the object is grain, troops, exiles, or the nations, the verb frames the action as purposeful and often under divine direction. Roughly one-third of the occurrences fall in the historical books, another third in the prophets, and the remainder in poetry and the Torah, giving the verb a panoramic role in Scripture’s narrative and prophetic arcs.
Covenant Assemblies in Israel’s History
•Judges 20:11 records how “all the men of Israel gathered together against the city, united as one man,” illustrating קָבַץ as the cohesive force of covenant solidarity.
• In1 Samuel 22:2 those “in distress, indebted, or discontented gathered around” David—an early pattern of God forming a people around His anointed.
•2 Samuel 2:25 shows Benjamin rallying around Abner, a reminder that human leadership can marshal a קָבַץ for either righteousness or rivalry.
•1 Chronicles 11:1 notes that “all Israel gathered to David at Hebron,” marking the transfer of kingship and foreshadowing the Messiah who will gather all tribes permanently.
Mustering for Warfare
The verb frequently introduces military musters:
• Saul, “hearing David’s fame,” “gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa” (1 Samuel 28:4).
• In2 Chronicles 32:6 Hezekiah “appointed military officers over the people and gathered them” to fortify Jerusalem.
Such texts highlight both human responsibility to organize and the greater truth that victory belongs to the LORD (2 Chronicles 32:8).
Harvest and Economic Provision
Where קָבַץ speaks of grain or resources, it depicts faithful stewardship:
•Genesis 41:48: Joseph “collected all the excess food” during the seven plentiful years.
•Ruth 2:7: Ruth requests “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves.”
•Nehemiah 13:11: “Why has the house of God been neglected?”—leading Levites to be gathered back to their posts.
Physical collection mirrors spiritual ingathering: both are acts of preservation for future blessing.
Prophetic Promises of Restoration
The major prophets employ קָבַץ to frame God’s redemptive agenda after exile.
•Isaiah 11:12: “He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the dispersed of Israel.”
•Isaiah 43:5: “I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.”
•Jeremiah 29:14: “I will be found by you… and I will gather you from all the nations.”
•Ezekiel 11:17: “I will gather you from the peoples and give you the land of Israel.”
These promises ground post-exilic hope and anticipate the New Covenant reality of worldwide regathering in Christ.
Inclusivity of the Gentiles
Isaiah 56:8 expands the verb beyond ethnic Israel: “The Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, ‘I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.’” The mission to the nations is not an add-on but embedded in the very grammar of קָבַץ.
Gathering for Worship and Celebration
•Deuteronomy 31:12 commands the leaders, “Assemble the people—men, women, children, and foreigners—that they may hear and learn.”
•2 Chronicles 5:3 describes the nation gathering for the ark’s installation: worship unites the people more deeply than any political agenda.
•Psalm 106:47 prays, “Save us, LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name.” Here gathering is for doxology, not merely rescue.
Divine Gathering for Judgment
The same verb frames the sobering side of God’s sovereignty:
•Joel 3:2: “I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.”
•Zechariah 14:2: “I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war.”
The antithetical uses—gathering to save and gathering to judge—underline that the LORD alone determines the end to which people are assembled.
Psalms and Personal Lament
David pleads inPsalm 27:10, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will gather me up” (literal sense). The verb assures the individual believer that divine care is as intimate as it is cosmic.
Eschatological Horizon
Micah 4:6-7 andZephaniah 3:19-20 intertwine restoration, healing, and kingship: “At that time I will deal with all who afflict you… I will give them praise and renown in every land where they were put to shame… I will gather you.” The final ingathering climaxes in the New Testament vision of the Messiah sending out His angels “and they will gather His elect” (Matthew 24:31), a clear conceptual bridge.
Ministry Implications
1. Intercessory Vision: Pastors and prayer leaders can echoPsalm 106:47, pleading for spiritual ingathering of prodigals and unreached peoples.
2. Missional Outlook:Isaiah 56:8 guards against parochialism; the Church must gather “others” without diluting covenant truth.
3. Discipleship Strategy: Just as Joseph stored grain, congregations are to gather resources—material and spiritual—for seasons of scarcity.
4. Eschatological Sobriety:Joel 3:2 compels proclamation of both salvation and judgment; every gathering has an ultimate accountability before God.
Summary
קָבַץ weaves through Scripture as a theological thread tying creation’s scattering to redemption’s unity. It portrays the LORD who assembles a people for Himself, marshals armies for their protection or discipline, and will finally gather both Israel and the nations for consummate judgment and blessing. Every use, whether mundane or majestic, calls believers to trust the divine Gatherer and to participate in His ongoing work of holy ingathering.
Forms and Transliterations
אֲקַבְּצֵ֑ם אֲקַבְּצֵ֔ם אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃ אֲקַבְּצֶֽךָּ׃ אֲקַבֵּ֑צָה אֲקַבֵּ֔ץ אֲקַבֵּ֣ץ אֲקַבֵּ֥ץ אֲקַבֵּץ֙ אֶקְבֹּץ֙ אקבץ אקבצה אקבצך׃ אקבצם בְּהִקָּבֵ֣ץ בְּקַבְּצִ֣י ׀ בהקבץ בקבצי הִֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ הִֽתְקַבְּצוּ֙ הִקָּבְצ֤וּ הִקָּבְצ֥וּ הִתְקַבְּצ֤וּ הַנִּקְבָּצִ֣ים הנקבצים הקבצו התקבצו וְ֠נִקְבְּצוּ וְאֶקְבְּצָה֩ וְיִקְבְּצ֗וּ וְיִקְבְּצ֣וּ וְיִקָּבְצ֖וּ וְנִקְבָּ֑צוּ וְקִבְצוּ֩ וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ וְקִבַּצְתִּ֣י וְקִבַּצְתִּ֤י וְקִבַּצְתִּ֥י וְקִבַּצְתִּי֙ וְקִבַּצְתִּי֩ וְקִבַּצְתִּים֙ וְקִבַּצְתִּים֮ וְקַבְּצֵ֥נוּ וְקַבְּצֵנוּ֮ וְקֹבֵ֖ץ וַֽתְּקַבְּצ֔וּ וַאֲקַבְּצֵ֖ם וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֤וּ וַיִּקְבְּצ֤וּ וַיִּקְבְּצ֧וּ וַיִּקְבְּצ֨וּ וַיִּקְבְּצֵ֣ם וַיִּקְבֹּ֖ץ וַיִּקְבֹּ֗ץ וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ וַיִּקְבֹּ֞ץ וַיִּקְבֹּ֤ץ וַיִּקְבֹּ֥ץ וַיִּקְבֹּ֨ץ וַיִּקְבֹּץ֮ וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ וַיִּקָּבְצ֤וּ וַיִּקָּבְצ֥וּ וַיִּקָּבְצ֧וּ וָֽאֶ֨קְבְּצֵ֔ם וָֽאֶקְבְּצֵ֗ם וָאֶקְבְּצָ֞ה וָאֶקְבְּצָ֧ה וּֽבְהִקָּבֵ֞ץ וּֽמְקַבְּצָ֥יו וּבְהִקָּבֵ֥ץ ואקבצה ואקבצם ובהקבץ ויקבץ ויקבצו ויקבצם ויתקבצו ומקבציו ונקבצו וקבץ וקבצו וקבצך וקבצנו וקבצתי וקבצתים ותקבצו יְקַבְּצֶ֔נּוּ יְקַבֵּ֔ץ יְקַבֵּ֣ץ יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ יִֽתְקַבְּצ֤וּ יִקְבְּצֶֽנּוּ׃ יִקְבָּץ־ יִקָּ֣בְצוּ יקבץ יקבץ־ יקבצו יקבצך יקבצנו יקבצנו׃ יתקבצו לְהִקָּבֵ֖ץ לְנִקְבָּצָֽיו׃ לְקַבֵּ֥ץ לְקָבְצִ֣י להקבץ לנקבציו׃ לקבץ לקבצי מְקַבְּצָם֙ מְקַבֵּ֑ץ מְקַבֵּ֖ץ מְקַבֵּ֤ץ מְקַבֵּֽץ׃ מְקֻבֶּ֙צֶת֙ מקבץ מקבץ׃ מקבצם מקבצת נִקְבְּצ֣וּ נִקְבְּצ֥וּ נִקְבְּצוּ֩ נקבצו קְבֹ֥ץ קְבוּצִ֥ים קִ֫בְּצָ֥ם קִבְּצ֥וּ קִבְּצָ֖ם קִבְּצָֽן׃ קִבְצ֣וּ קִבְצ֥וּ קִבָּ֔צָה קַבְּצִ֣י קַבֵּ֤ץ קָבַץ֙ קֹבֵ֣ץ קבוצים קבץ קבצה קבצו קבצי קבצם קבצן׃ תְּקַבְּצֵ֖ם תִּקְבֹּץ֮ תִּקָּבְצ֣וּ תִקָּבֵ֑ץ תקבץ תקבצו תקבצם ’ă·qab·bê·ṣāh ’ă·qab·bə·ṣe·kā ’ă·qab·bə·ṣêḵ ’ă·qab·bə·ṣêm ’ă·qab·bêṣ ’ăqabbêṣ ’ăqabbêṣāh ’ăqabbəṣêḵ ’ăqabbəṣekā ’ăqabbəṣêm ’eq·bōṣ ’eqbōṣ akabBetz akabBetzah akabbeTzech akabbeTzeka akabbeTzem bə·hiq·qā·ḇêṣ bə·qab·bə·ṣî behikkaVetz bəhiqqāḇêṣ bekabbeTzi bəqabbəṣî ekBotz han·niq·bā·ṣîm hannikbaTzim hanniqbāṣîm hikkaveTzu hiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū hiqqāḇəṣū hiṯ·qab·bə·ṣū hitkabbeTzu hiṯqabbəṣū kabBetz kabbeTzi kaVatz keVotz kevuTzim kibBatzah kibbeTzam kibbeTzan kibbeTzu kivTzu koVetz lə·hiq·qā·ḇêṣ lə·niq·bā·ṣāw lə·qā·ḇə·ṣî lə·qab·bêṣ lehikkaVetz ləhiqqāḇêṣ lekabBetz lekaveTzi lenikbaTzav ləniqbāṣāw ləqabbêṣ ləqāḇəṣî mə·qab·bə·ṣām mə·qab·bêṣ mə·qub·be·ṣeṯ mekabBetz mekabbeTzam mekubBetzet məqabbêṣ məqabbəṣām məqubbeṣeṯ nikbeTzu niq·bə·ṣū niqbəṣū qā·ḇaṣ qab·bə·ṣî qab·bêṣ qāḇaṣ qabbêṣ qabbəṣî qə·ḇōṣ qə·ḇū·ṣîm qəḇōṣ qəḇūṣîm qib·bā·ṣāh qib·bə·ṣām qib·bə·ṣān qib·bə·ṣū qiḇ·ṣū qibbāṣāh qibbəṣām qibbəṣān qibbəṣū qiḇṣū qō·ḇêṣ qōḇêṣ tə·qab·bə·ṣêm tekabbeTzem təqabbəṣêm tikBotz tikkaVetz tikkaveTzu tiq·bōṣ tiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū ṯiq·qā·ḇêṣ tiqbōṣ ṯiqqāḇêṣ tiqqāḇəṣū ū·ḇə·hiq·qā·ḇêṣ ū·mə·qab·bə·ṣāw ūḇəhiqqāḇêṣ umekabbeTzav ūməqabbəṣāw uvehikkaVetz vaakabbeTzem vaekbeTzah vaekbeTzem vaiyikbeTzem vaiyikbeTzu vaiyikBotz vaiyikkaveTzu vaiyitkabbeTzu vattekabbeTzu veekbeTzah vekabbeTzenu vekibbatzTi vekibbatzTim vekibbetzCha vekivTzu vekoVetz venikBatzu Venikbetzu veyikbeTzu veyikkaveTzu wa’ăqabbəṣêm wā’eqbəṣāh wā’eqbəṣêm wa·’ă·qab·bə·ṣêm wā·’eq·bə·ṣāh wā·’eq·bə·ṣêm wat·tə·qab·bə·ṣū wattəqabbəṣū way·yiq·bə·ṣêm way·yiq·bə·ṣū way·yiq·bōṣ way·yiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū way·yiṯ·qab·bə·ṣū wayyiqbəṣêm wayyiqbəṣū wayyiqbōṣ wayyiqqāḇəṣū wayyiṯqabbəṣū wə’eqbəṣāh wə·’eq·bə·ṣāh wə·niq·bā·ṣū wə·niq·bə·ṣū wə·qab·bə·ṣê·nū wə·qib·baṣ·tî wə·qib·baṣ·tîm wə·qib·beṣ·ḵā wə·qiḇ·ṣū wə·qō·ḇêṣ wə·yiq·bə·ṣū wə·yiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū wəniqbāṣū wəniqbəṣū wəqabbəṣênū wəqibbaṣtî wəqibbaṣtîm wəqibbeṣḵā wəqiḇṣū wəqōḇêṣ wəyiqbəṣū wəyiqqāḇəṣū yə·qab·bə·ṣen·nū yə·qab·bêṣ yə·qab·beṣ·ḵā yekabBetz yekabbetzCha yekabbeTzennu yəqabbêṣ yəqabbəṣennū yəqabbeṣḵā yikbeTzennu yikbotz yikKavetzu yiq·bāṣ- yiq·bə·ṣen·nū yiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū yiqbāṣ- yiqbəṣennū yiqqāḇəṣū yiṯ·qab·bə·ṣū yitkabbeTzu yiṯqabbəṣū
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