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.
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 more senses below
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)
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"]
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…