H3557 H3557
Contain, hold; sustain, nourish, provide for; endure, bear, withstand — from כּוּל 'to measure, comprehend'
The verb כּוּל and its intensive stems (Pilpel כִּלְכֵּל, Hiphil הֵכִיל) revolve around the idea of holding something within bounds — whether a vessel holding water, a household sustained with food, or a spirit enduring hardship. Joseph's promise to 'sustain' his family in Egypt (Gen 45:11; 50:21) uses the Pilpel, as does Solomon's provisioning system (1 Kgs 4:7). The Hiphil asks whether heaven and earth can 'contain' God (1 Kgs 8:27; 2 Chr 2:6) — Spanish 'contener' and French 'contenir' map neatly here. In the emotional register, Jeremiah cannot 'contain' God's word like fire in his bones (Jer 20:9), and Malachi asks who can 'endure' the day of the Lord's coming (Mal 3:2). The Arabic cognate كَالَ (to measure grain) preserves the root's original concrete sense of measured capacity.
Senses
1. sustain, provide for, nourish — The Pilpel stem's primary meaning: to sustain, provide for, or nourish someone over time, especially by supplying food. Joseph promises to כִּלְכֵּל his father's household during the famine (Gen 45:11; 50:21); Barzillai sustained David at Mahanaim (2 Sam 19:32-33); Ruth's son will sustain Naomi in old age (Ruth 4:15); Obadiah sustained a hundred prophets with bread and water (1 Kgs 18:4). Spanish 'sustentar/abastecer' and English 'sustain/provide for' consistently capture this relational, ongoing provision. Nehemiah 9:21 recalls God sustaining Israel forty years in the wilderness. 17×
AR["أُعِيلُكُمْ", "عَالَ", "فَعَالَ", "كَفَلْتَهُمْ", "لِ-تَعولَكَ", "لِ-تَعُولَكَ", "لِيَكْفُلَ", "وَ-أُعِيلُكَ", "وَ-عالَهُمْ", "وَ-عُلْتُهُمْ", "وَ-لِ-يُعِيلَ", "وَأُعِيلُكَ", "وَعَالَهُنَّ", "وَكَفَلَ", "وَكَفَلُوا", "يَعولُكَ", "يُعِيلُ"]·ben["আমি-ভরণপোষণ-করব", "আর-ভরণপোষণ-করব", "আর-ভরণপোষণ-করল", "এবং-আমি-তাদের-ভরণপোষণ-করেছিলাম", "এবং-আমি-ভরণপোষণ-করব", "এবং-পালনকারী", "এবং-ভরণপোষণ-করলেন-তাদের", "এবং-সে-তাদের-ভরণপোষণ-করেছিল", "ও-যোগাচ্ছিল", "তোমাকে-ভরণপোষণ-করতে", "তোমাকে-ভরণপোষণ-করতে।", "ধারণ-করবেন-তোমাকে", "পালন-করলেন", "ভরণপোষণ-করেছিলেন", "সে-প্রতিপালন-করবে", "স্ত্রীরূপে"]·DE["[ולכלכל]", "[יכלכל]", "[כלכלתם]", "sustained", "und-es-versorgte", "und-ich-sustained-ihnen", "und-ich-werde-dich-versorgen", "und-ich-wird-sustain", "und-sie-provided", "und-sustained-ihnen", "werde-versorgen", "wird-erhalten-du", "zu-provide", "zu-sustain-du"]·EN["and-I-sustained-them", "and-I-will-provide-for", "and-I-will-sustain", "and-flesh-of", "and-sustained", "and-sustained-them", "and-they-provided", "and-to-sustain", "sustained", "to-provide", "to-sustain-you", "will-sustain", "will-sustain-you", "you-sustained-them"]·FR["--soutenir", "[כלכלתם]", "contenir", "et-Je---pourvoir-pour", "et-ils-provided", "et-je-fera-sustain", "et-je-sustained-eux", "et-sustained", "et-sustained-eux", "et-à-sustenter", "nourrir", "sustained", "à-provide", "à-sustain-tu"]·heb["אכלכל", "ו-יכלכל", "ו-יכלכל-ם", "ו-כילכלתי", "ו-כלכלו", "ו-כלכלם", "ו-כלכלתי", "ו-כלכלתים", "ו-ל-כלכל", "יכלכל", "יכלכל-ך", "כילכל", "כלכלתם-ם", "ל-כלכל", "לכלכלך"]·HI["और-पालन-करनेवाला", "और-पाला", "और-पाला-उनें", "और-पाला-उनें-मैंने", "और-पालूँगा", "और-पालूँगा-मैं", "और-भोजन-देते-थे", "और-वे-भोजन-देते-थे", "पालन-करने-को-तेरा", "पाला", "पाला-था", "पोषण-करूंगा", "भोजन-देने-को", "वह-पोषित-करेगा"]·ID["Dan-aku-akan-memelihara", "Dan-memelihara", "Engkau-memelihara-mereka", "akan-menanggung", "dan-aku-akan-menanggung", "dan-aku-memelihara-mereka", "dan-dia-menanggung-mereka", "dan-memelihara-mereka", "dan-mereka-menyediakan", "dan-untuk-memelihara", "ia-akan-memberi-makan", "menanggung", "untuk-memeliharamu", "untuk-menyediakan"]·IT["[יכלכל]", "[כלכלתם]", "a-provide", "a-sostieni-tu", "e-a-sustain", "e-essi-provided", "e-io-sostenne-loro", "e-io-vorrà-sostieni", "e-io-will-provide-per", "e-sostenne-loro", "e-sustained", "sostenne", "will-sustain"]·jav["Lajeng-nyukupi", "Lan-kula-badhé-nyukupi", "Paduka-nyukupi-piyambakipun-sadaya", "badhe-nyukupi", "kagem-nyukupi", "kangge-maringi-panjenengan", "lan-kangge-ngopeni", "lan-kula-badhe-nyukupi", "lan-kula-maringi-piyambakipun-sedaya", "lan-maringi-piyambakipun-sedaya", "lan-nyukupi", "ngopèni", "nyukupi", "perang"]·KO["공급하려고", "공급하였다", "그가-먹이지", "그리고-공급하리라-나는", "그리고-공급했다", "그리고-먹였다-그들을", "그리고-부양하기-위해", "그리고-부양하리라", "그리고-부양하였다", "그리고-부양했다", "너를-먹이도록", "부양하리라", "붙들어-주시리이다", "주가-부양하셨다-그들을"]·PT["E-sustentavam", "e-para-sustentar", "e-sustentaram", "e-sustentarei", "e-sustentei-os", "e-sustentou", "e-sustentou-as", "e-sustentou-os", "para-sustentar", "para-sustentar-te", "sustentarei", "sustentará", "sustentaste-os", "sustentou", "te-susterá"]·RU["И-содержал", "будет-питать", "буду-содержать", "и-буду-содержать", "и-для-пропитателя", "и-кормил-их", "и-прокормлю", "и-снабжали", "и-содержал-их", "кормить-тебя", "питал-их", "поддержит-тебя", "снабжать", "содержал"]·ES["Y-sustentó", "los-sustentaste", "para-abastecer", "para-sustentarte", "proveyó", "sustentará", "sustentaré", "te-sustentará", "y-abastecían", "y-las-proveyó", "y-los-sustenté", "y-los-sustentó", "y-para-sustentador-de", "y-proveeré", "y-te-sustentaré"]·SW["Na-wakamsaidia", "akampatia-riziki", "alimhudumia", "atakutegemeza", "atawalisha", "itakufa-kumpatia-riziki", "kukulisha", "kupatia", "na-akawahudumia", "na-akawalisha", "na-mlezi", "na-nikathibiti", "na-nikawalisha", "na-nitakuhudumia", "na-nyumba-yake", "uliwalisha"]·TR["Ve-besledi", "Ve-besleyeceğim", "besledin-onları", "beslemek-için", "beslemeleri-için-seni", "beslemesi-için-seni", "besleyecek", "besleyeceğim", "destekleyecek-seni", "doyurdu", "ve-besledi-onları", "ve-besledim-onları", "ve-beslerlerdi", "ve-besleyici-olarak", "ve-doyuracağım", "ve-doyurdu-onları"]·urd["اور-میں-نے-کھلایا-اُنہیں", "اور-میں-کھلاؤں-گا", "اور-پرورش-کرنے-والا", "اور-کھلاؤں-گا", "اور-کھلاتا-رہا-اُنہیں", "اور-کھلاتے-تھے", "اور-کھلایا", "اور-کھلایا-اُنہیں", "تجھے-کھلانے-کو", "تُو-نے-پالا-اُنہیں", "سنبھالے-تُجھے", "پالے-گا", "کھلاؤں-گا", "کھلانے-کو", "کھلایا"]
Gen 45:11, Gen 47:12, Gen 50:21, Ruth 4:15, 2 Sam 19:32, 2 Sam 19:33, 2 Sam 20:3, 1 Kgs 4:7, 1 Kgs 4:7, 1 Kgs 4:27, 1 Kgs 17:4, 1 Kgs 17:9 (+5 more)
2. contain, hold (capacity) — Physical capacity: to hold or contain within a defined space. Solomon's bronze Sea 'contained' two thousand baths (1 Kgs 7:26, 38); the altar could not 'contain' all the offerings (1 Kgs 8:64). Most theologically striking: Solomon's prayer marvels that heaven and the highest heaven cannot 'contain' God (1 Kgs 8:27; 2 Chr 2:6; 6:18). Spanish 'contener/cabir,' French 'contenir,' and the Arabic cognate كَالَ (measure) all reinforce this spatial-quantitative sense. The Qal in Isaiah 40:12 asks who 'measured' the dust of the earth, preserving the root's original measurement meaning. 13×
AR["أَنْ-تَحْتَمِلَ", "الـ-كَبْتَ", "تَسَعُكَ", "تَسَعُهُ", "تَقْدِرُ", "لِ-يَحْوِيَ", "لِتَحْوِيَ", "مِنْ-أَنْ-يَسَعَ", "وَكَالَ", "يَحْوِي", "يَسَعُ"]·ben["এবং-ধারণ-করেছে", "ধরে-রাখতে-পারে", "ধারণ-করত", "ধারণ-করতে", "ধারণ-করতে-পারে-তোমাকে", "ধারণ-করতে-পারে-না-তাঁকে"]·DE["[הכיל]", "[יכיל]", "[יכלו]", "[יכלכלהו]", "[יכלכלוך]", "[להכיל]", "es-held", "kann-contain-du", "und-alle", "von-zu-contain", "wuerde-hold"]·EN["and-contained", "can-contain-him", "can-contain-you", "can-hold", "from-to-contain", "it-contained", "it-held", "of-holding-in", "to-contain", "would-hold"]·FR["[הכיל]", "[יכיל]", "[יכלו]", "[יכלכלהו]", "[יכלכלוך]", "[להכיל]", "cela-tint", "de-à-contain", "et-tout", "ferait-tiens", "nourrir", "peut-contain-tu"]·heb["הכיל", "ו-כל", "יכיל", "יכלו", "יכלכלהו-ו", "יכלכלוך", "יכלכלוך-ך", "ל-הכיל", "מ-הכיל"]·HI["और-समेटा", "थाम-सकते-हैं-जो", "धारण-करता-था", "रोकने-से", "समा-सकते-उसे", "समा-सकते-तुझे", "समाता", "समाने", "समाने-के-लिए", "समाने-को", "सहने"]·ID["dan-memuat", "dapat-memuat-Mu", "dapat-memuatMu", "dapat-memuatnya", "dapat-menahan", "daripada-memuat", "memuat", "menahannya", "muat", "untuk-memuat"]·IT["[יכיל]", "[יכלכלהו]", "[יכלכלוך]", "[להכיל]", "da-a-contain", "e-tutto", "esso-tenne", "può-contain-tu", "sostenere", "vorrebbe-tieni"]·jav["isi", "kangge-isi.", "kangge-nanggel", "kanggé-nyukupi", "lan-sedaya", "ngemot", "nyimpen", "saged-ngemot-Paduka", "saged-nyimpen", "saged-nyukupi", "saged-nyukupi-Paduka", "saking-ngemot"]·KO["-에서-담기에", "감당하기를", "그리고-담았느뇨", "담기", "담기-를", "담기-위한", "담는다", "담았다", "담을-수-없다-그-를", "담을-수-없습니다-당신-을", "담을-수-있다", "당신을-담을-수-없거늘"]·PT["comportava", "conter", "continha", "contêm-te", "de-conter", "e-conteve", "o-conterão", "para-conter", "podem", "te-conterão"]·RU["вместить", "вмещает", "вмещал", "вмещала", "вмещают-Его", "вмещают-Тебя", "и-вместил", "много", "могут", "сдерживать", "чтобы-вместить"]·ES["cabía", "contener", "contenía", "de-contener", "de-contenerla", "lo-pueden-contener", "para-contener", "pueden-contener", "te-contendrán", "te-pueden-contener", "¿Y-contuvo"]·SW["ilishika", "ilitosha", "inashika", "je-basi", "kuizuia", "kukutoshea", "kumtosha", "kushika", "kushikilia", "kushindwa-kushika", "kutoshea", "kuyahimili", "na-kila"]·TR["almak-için", "alır", "alıyordu", "içeremezler-Seni", "içeremezler-seni", "içermek-için", "onu-kapsamaz", "taşımaya", "tutabilirler", "tutmaktan", "ve-kapsadi"]·urd["اور-سمویا", "برداشت-کرنا", "روکنے-سے", "رکھ-سکتیں", "سما-سکتا-تجھے", "سما-سکتے-اُسے", "سما-سکتے-تجھے", "سما-لیتا-تھا", "سماتا تھا", "سمانے", "سمانے-سے", "سمانے-کو"]
1 Kgs 7:26, 1 Kgs 7:38, 1 Kgs 8:27, 1 Kgs 8:64, 2 Chr 2:6, 2 Chr 4:5, 2 Chr 6:18, 2 Chr 7:7, Isa 40:12, Jer 2:13, Jer 6:11, Ezek 23:32 (+1 more)
3. endure, bear, withstand — The psychological-emotional extension: to endure, bear, or withstand something overwhelming. Jeremiah describes God's word as fire shut up in his bones — he is weary of 'containing' it and cannot (Jer 20:9). Malachi 3:2 asks who can 'endure' the refiner's fire. Joel 2:11 asks who can 'bear' the terrible Day of the LORD. A crushed spirit is something no one can 'bear' (Prov 18:14). The nations cannot 'endure' God's indignation (Jer 10:10). Spanish 'soportar/contener' and the shared use of 'endure' in English distinguish this from mere physical capacity. 5×
AR["تَقْدِرُ", "مِنَ-الإِحْتِمَالِ", "يَحْتَمِلُ", "يَحْتَمِلُهُ"]·ben["ধারণ-করতে", "পারে", "সহ্য-করতে-পারবে", "সহ্য-করতে-পারবে-তাকে", "সহ্য-করবে"]·DE["[יכילנו]", "[יכלו]", "[יכלכל]", "[כלכל]", "[מכלכל]"]·EN["can-endure", "can-endure-it", "containing", "sustains"]·FR["[יכלו]", "[כלכל]", "nourrir", "יכלכל"]·heb["יוכלו", "יכילנוּ", "יכלכל", "כלכל", "מכלכל"]·HI["रोकने-से", "सह-सकता-है-उसको?", "सह-सकतीं", "सह-सकेगा", "सहती-है"]·ID["dapat", "dapat-bertahan", "menahannya", "menanggung", "yang-dapat-menanggungnya?"]·IT["[יכילנו]", "[מכלכל]", "sostenere", "sustains"]·jav["badhé-saged-nahan", "kiyat-nanggel", "nyandhet", "nyanggi", "saged"]·KO["견디느니라", "견디리라", "견딜", "당할-수-있으리요", "참으려고"]·PT["de-conter", "o-suportará", "podem", "suportará", "sustenta"]·RU["выдержит", "выдержит-его", "могут", "переносит", "сдерживать"]·ES["de-contener", "lo-soportará?", "pueden", "soportará", "sostendrá"]·SW["anayeiweza", "atastahimili", "inastahimili", "kujizuia", "weza"]·TR["dayanabilir", "dayanabilir-ona", "dayanabilirler", "taşır", "tutmak"]·urd["برداشت-کر-سکے-گا", "برداشت-کرے-گا", "سنبھالنے-سے", "سہ-سکتیں", "سہارا-دے-گی"]
4. sense 4 — In Psalm 112:5, the righteous person 'conducts' or 'manages' his affairs with justice. English renders 'conducts'; Spanish 'sostiene' (sustains/upholds). This extends the sustaining sense into the domain of wise administration — managing one's dealings and resources prudently. It bridges the 'provide for' sense (managing a household) and the 'contain' sense (keeping things in order), applied to personal conduct and financial affairs. 1×
AR["يُدَبِّر"]·ben["সে-পরিচালনা-করবে"]·DE["er-conducts"]·EN["he-conducts"]·FR["contenir"]·heb["יכלכל"]·HI["चलाएगा"]·ID["ia-mengurus"]·IT["sostenne"]·jav["piyambakipun-ngatur"]·KO["처리하리라"]·PT["conduzirá"]·RU["ведёт"]·ES["sostiene"]·SW["ataendesha"]·TR["yönetir"]·urd["سنبھالتا-ہے"]
5. sense 5 — In 1 Kings 20:27, the Israelites were 'provisioned' or supplied before battle against Ben-hadad's vast Syrian army. English 'provisioned' and Spanish 'provistos' point to military supply — a natural extension of the 'sustain/nourish' sense into the context of army logistics, where troops must be fed and equipped before engagement. 1×
AR["وَ-تَزَوَّدوا"]·ben["এবং-রসদ-দেওয়া-হল"]·DE["und-provisioned"]·EN["and-provisioned"]·FR["et-provisioned"]·heb["ו-כולכלו"]·HI["और-भोजन-दिया-गया"]·ID["dan-diperbekali"]·IT["e-provisioned"]·jav["lan-sampun-dipunsamèktani"]·KO["그리고-병량을-받았다"]·PT["e-foram-abastecidos"]·RU["и-снабжены"]·ES["y-provistos"]·SW["na-wakapewa-chakula"]·TR["ve-donatıldılar"]·urd["اور-سامان-لئے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H3605 1. all, every, whole (5352×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)H0259 1. one (cardinal numeral) (940×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [כּוּל] vb. comprehend, contain (NH, Aramaic id., measure, measure out, of dry or liquid measure; Syriac Aph. ܐܰܟܻܝܠ id.; Arabic كَالَ measure grain)— Qal Pf. only Is 40:12 מִי … כָּל בְּשָׁלִשׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ who hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a shalish-measure? Pilp. Pf. כִּלְכֵּל 2 S 19:33; sf. כִּלְכְּלָם 1 K 18:4; 2 ms. sf. כִּלְבַּלְתָּם Ne 9:21, etc.; Impf. יְכַלְכֵּל Zc 11:16…