Lexical Summary
qabar: To bury, to inter
Original Word:קָבַר
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:qabar
Pronunciation:kah-VAHR
Phonetic Spelling:(kaw-bar')
KJV: X in any wise, bury(-ier)
NASB:buried, bury, burying, burial, buriers have buried, surely bury
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to inter
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
in any wise
A primitive root; to inter -- X in any wise, bury(-ier).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto bury
NASB Translationburial (1), buried (93), buriers have buried (1), bury (30), burying (5), surely bury (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
132 (Late Hebrew
id.; Phoenician ,
bury,
tomb; Arabic
, Assyrian‡ibiru, Aramaic ,
, Nabataean , allbury; Palmyrene Nabataeantomb, so Sabean HomChrest. 126, Lihyanianbury, DHMEpigr. Denkm. No, 35, 2, 3, compareburial- place CISiv,No, 20,1.2,4); —86Perfect3masculine singularGenesis 23:19; 2masculine singular Sf. consecutiveGenesis 47:30, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularDeuteronomy 34:6;2 Kings 21:26, etc.;ImperativeGenesis 23:6 +, etc.;Infinitive absoluteDeuteronomy 21:23;constructJeremiah 19:11 +, etc.;Participle active2 Kings 9:10 +, etc.;pass.1 Kings 13:31, pluralEcclesiastes 8:10bury, acc. person, bones, etc., usually with location,2 Samuel 2:32;1 Kings 13:31 (twice in verse);Genesis 23:6;Joshua 24:30,32 (twice in verse);Judges 2:9 33t.; with location 2 Chronicles 33:20 ( ""2 Kings 21:18, also1 Samuel 25:1;1 Kings 2:34); withNumbers 11:34,1 Samuel 31:13 =1 Chronicles 10:12; pregnantly with locationGenesis 23:19;Genesis 25:9;Ezekiel 39:15;Genesis 49:29; compare2 Kings 12:22;2 Kings 15:7; 2Chronicles 25:28; 26:23 (see also
, andGenesis 15:15); withGenesis 23:13;Genesis 49:31 (3 t. in verse);Genesis 50:5; with accusative of person Alone2 Samuel 2:4,5 22t.; +Genesis 23:4,8; passiveEcclesiastes 8:10; accusative omitted2 Kings 9:10 3t. + (with )2 Samuel 4:12.
30Imperfect3masculine singularJeremiah 22:19, etc.; —be buriedGenesis 15:15JerGenesis 8:2;Genesis 16:4,5;Genesis 25:33 (+ ), so read perhapsEzekiel 29:5 for (+id.);Jeremiah 22:19; usually with locationGenesis 35:19;Judges 8:32 6t. Judges;2 Samuel 17:23;1 Kings 2:10,34 16t. Kings Chronicles (+1 Kings 14:31;1 Kings 15:24 6t.;2 Kings 13:13;2 Kings 14:16); withNumbers 20:1 3t.; with ,Genesis 35:8.
bury (in masses), with accusative:Imperfect3feminine singular suffixHosea 9:6;Infinitive construct1 Kings 11:15;Participle pluralNumbers 33:4;Ezekiel 39:14; as intensive noun, of office,burier, singularJeremiah 14:16, pluralEzekiel 39:15.
Perfect3masculine singularGenesis 25:10.
Topical Lexicon
Overview and Fundamental Ideaקָבַר (qabar) conveys the act of placing a deceased person in the earth or a tomb. While the verb itself is straightforward—“to bury”—its occurrences span a rich spectrum of covenantal promise, family duty, honor, warning, and eschatological hope.
Patterns of Usage in Scripture
1. Ordinary family burials (Genesis 23:19;Genesis 25:9).
2. National or royal interments (1 Kings 2:10;2 Chronicles 16:14).
3. Immediate, even hurried burials to avoid defilement of the land (Deuteronomy 21:23).
4. Prophetic judgments that deny burial as the ultimate disgrace (Jeremiah 22:19;Ezekiel 29:5).
5. Acts of covenant kindness—“lovingkindness and truth” shown by burying the dead (2 Samuel 2:5–6).
6. Figurative usage describing removal of idols or sin “from sight” (Isaiah 2:18, a parallel idea).
Covenantal and Theological Dimensions
• The first land transaction in Scripture is Abraham’s purchase of the cave of Machpelah “as a burial site” (Genesis 23). Burial grounds became down payments on the promised inheritance, anchoring the hope of resurrection in a specific geography.
• Jacob’s charge, “Bury me with my fathers” (Genesis 49:29), and Joseph’s oath-secured request (Genesis 50:25) tie burial to faith in God’s future acts.Hebrews 11:22 highlights Joseph’s command about his bones as an act of faith.
• The Mosaic Law upholds burial as a mercy even toward executed criminals: “You must bury him the same day” (Deuteronomy 21:23). Paul later cites this verse regarding Christ’s crucifixion (Galatians 3:13), showing continuity between burial practice and redemptive fulfillment.
• Proper burial anticipates the resurrection.Daniel 12:2 speaks of “many who sleep in the dust of the earth,” an implicit assurance that those respectfully laid to rest will rise.
Ritual and Cultural Practices
• Burials usually occurred on the day of death (Genesis 25:10;Acts 5:6 for the later Jewish custom). Delayed burials were exceptional and often tied to state funerals (2 Chronicles 16:14) or covenant fulfillment (Exodus 13:19).
• Family tombs or ancestral plots reinforced clan cohesion (Judges 8:32). Tombs cut in rock (Isaiah 22:16) and caves (Genesis 49:31) were typical.
• Spices, perfumes, and professional mourners emphasized honor (2 Chronicles 16:14;John 19:39 shows the continuity into the Second Temple era).
Burial as Gesture of Honor or Disgrace
Honor:
• David honors Saul and Jonathan by gathering their bones for burial (2 Samuel 21:12–14).
Disgrace:
• “They will not be lamented or buried; they will be like manure on the surface of the ground” (Jeremiah 8:2).
• Being “left for the birds of the air” (1 Samuel 17:44) or cast beyond the city (Ezekiel 29:5) embodies covenant curse.
Burial Sites and Redemptive Geography
• Machpelah near Hebron: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Leah.
• Bethel and Ramah: Rachel’s road-side tomb (Genesis 35:19).
• Kidron Valley: Asa’s burial in a tomb he had cut for himself (2 Chronicles 16:14).
• Valley of Megiddo: Josiah’s lamented burial (2 Chronicles 35:24–25).
Each site becomes a theological waypoint, reminding Israel of promises, failures, and future hope.
Prophetic and Eschatological Themes
• Mass graves in judgment and restoration: “They will bury Gog for seven months” (Ezekiel 39:11–13). The vast burial points both to divine wrath and to a cleansed land prepared for renewed glory.
• Resurrection hope:Isaiah 26:19—“Your dead will live; their bodies will rise.” Burial sets the stage for God’s vindication.
Pastoral and Ministry Implications Today
1. Burial underscores human dignity rooted in the imago Dei.
2. Christian funerals echo Old Testament precedent while proclaiming the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:4).
3. Honoring the deceased witnesses to the gospel’s claim over body and soul; burial liturgies anticipate bodily resurrection.
4. Caring for the bereaved emulates the covenant faithfulness modeled by Abraham, Joseph of Arimathea, and the women at the tomb.
Representative Scriptural References
Genesis 15:15; 23:4, 19; 25:8–10; 35:8; 49:29–33; 50:5–14
Exodus 13:19
Deuteronomy 21:23; 34:6
Joshua 24:30–33
Judges 8:32; 16:31
1 Samuel 25:1; 31:11–13
2 Samuel 2:4–6; 3:32; 21:12–14
1 Kings 2:10; 13:30; 14:18
2 Kings 9:28; 13:20; 23:30
1 Chronicles 10:12; 29:28
2 Chronicles 16:14; 21:20; 24:16; 35:24–25
Job 27:15
Psalm 79:3
Ecclesiastes 6:3; 9:10
Isaiah 14:19–20; 22:16; 53:9
Jeremiah 8:1–2; 22:19; 26:23
Ezekiel 29:5; 39:11–13
Daniel 12:2
Amos 6:10
Forms and Transliterations
אֶקָּבֵ֑ר אקבר הַֽמְקַבְּרִ֔ים המקברים וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה וְקִבְר֔וּהָ וְקָ֣בְרוּ וְקָֽבְרוּ֙ וְקָבְר֣וּ וְקָבְר֥וּ וַֽיִּקְבְּר֥וּ וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֑הוּ וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֔הוּ וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֙הוּ֙ וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֤הוּ וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ֮ וַֽתִּקְבְּר֖וּ וַיִּ֨קָּבֵ֔ר וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ וַיִּקְבְּר֤וּ וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֣הוּ וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ וַיִּקְבֹּ֥ר וַיִּקְבֹּ֨ר וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר וַיִּקָּבֵ֗ר וַיִּקָּבֵ֣ר וַיִּקָּבֵ֤ר וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר וַיִּקָּבֵ֧ר וַיִּקָּבֵר֙ וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר וַתִּקָּבֵ֛ר וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ וָאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָ וּלְקָבְרֽוֹ׃ וּקְבַרְתֶּ֣ם וּקְבַרְתַּ֖נִי וּקְבַרְתּ֑וֹ וּקְבָרוּם֙ וּקְבֹ֥ר ואקברה ויקבר ויקברהו ויקברו ולקברו׃ וקבר וקברו וקברוה וקברום וקברתו וקברתם וקברתני ותקבר ותקברו יִקְבְּר֔וּ יִקָּבֵ֑ר יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ יִקָּבֵ֔רוּ יקבר יקברו לְקַבֵּ֖ר לְקָבְרָ֑הּ לִקְבֹּ֣ר לִקְבֹּ֤ר לִקְבּֽוֹר׃ לקבור׃ לקבר לקברה מְקַבְּרִ֗ים מְקַבְּרִ֣ים מְקַבֵּר֙ מִקְּבֹ֥ר מקבר מקברים קְבָרֻ֖הוּ קְבֹ֖ר קְבֹ֥ר קְבֹֽר׃ קְבֻרִ֜ים קִבְר֥וּ קָֽבְר֔וּ קָֽבְר֞וּ קָב֣וּר קָב֤וֹר קָבְר֖וּ קָבְר֣וֹ קָבְר֣וּ קָבְר֤וּ קָבַ֖רְתִּי קָבַ֨ר קֹבְרִ֣ים קֹבֵ֑ר קֻבַּ֥ר קבור קבר קבר׃ קברהו קברו קברים קברתי קוֹבֵֽר׃ קובר׃ תְּקַבְּרֵ֑ם תִּקְבְּרֵ֑נִי תִּקְבְּרֶ֙נּוּ֙ תִּקָּבֵ֔ר תִּקָּבֵ֖ר תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי תקבר תקברם תקברנו תקברני ’eq·qā·ḇêr ’eqqāḇêr ekkaVer ham·qab·bə·rîm hamkabbeRim hamqabbərîm kaVar kaVarti kaveRo kaveRu kaVor kaVur kevaRuhu keVor kevuRim kivRu koeRim koVer kubBar lə·qā·ḇə·rāh lə·qab·bêr lekabBer lekaveRah ləqabbêr ləqāḇərāh likBor liq·bō·wr liq·bōr liqbōr liqbōwr mə·qab·bə·rîm mə·qab·bêr mekabBer mekabbeRim məqabbêr məqabbərîm mikkeVor miq·qə·ḇōr miqqəḇōr qā·ḇar qā·ḇar·tî qā·ḇə·rōw qā·ḇə·rū qā·ḇō·wr qā·ḇūr qāḇar qāḇartî qāḇərōw qāḇərū qāḇōwr qāḇūr qə·ḇā·ru·hū qə·ḇōr qə·ḇu·rîm qəḇāruhū qəḇōr qəḇurîm qiḇ·rū qiḇrū qō·ḇə·rîm qō·ḇêr qō·w·ḇêr qōḇêr qōḇərîm qōwḇêr qub·bar qubbar tə·qab·bə·rêm tekabbeRem təqabbərêm tikbeReni tikbeRennu tikkaVer tiq·bə·rê·nî ṯiq·bə·rê·nî tiq·bə·ren·nū tiq·qā·ḇêr tiqbərênî ṯiqbərênî tiqbərennū tiqqāḇêr ū·lə·qā·ḇə·rōw ū·qə·ḇā·rūm ū·qə·ḇar·ta·nî ū·qə·ḇar·tem ū·qə·ḇar·tōw ū·qə·ḇōr ukevarTani ukevarTem ukevarTo ukevaRum ukeVor ulekaveRo ūləqāḇərōw ūqəḇartanî ūqəḇartem ūqəḇartōw ūqəḇārūm ūqəḇōr vaekbeReha vaiyikBer vaiyikbeRu vaiyikbeRuhu vaiyikBor vaiyikkaVer vattikbeRu vattikkaVer veekbeRah vekaveRu vekivRuha wā’eqbərehā wā·’eq·bə·re·hā wat·tiq·bə·rū wat·tiq·qā·ḇêr wattiqbərū wattiqqāḇêr way·yiq·bə·rū way·yiq·bə·ru·hū way·yiq·bər way·yiq·bōr way·yiq·qā·ḇêr wayyiqbər wayyiqbərū wayyiqbəruhū wayyiqbōr wayyiqqāḇêr wə’eqbərāh wə·’eq·bə·rāh wə·qā·ḇə·rū wə·qiḇ·rū·hā wəqāḇərū wəqiḇrūhā yikbeRu yikkaVer yikkaVeru yiq·bə·rū yiq·qā·ḇê·rū yiq·qā·ḇêr yiqbərū yiqqāḇêr yiqqāḇêrū
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