כָּ֫כָה37 H3602
thus, so, in this manner — a demonstrative adverb of manner, slightly more emphatic than koh
Kakah is an adverb meaning 'thus' or 'in this manner,' functioning as a somewhat more emphatic variant of the common koh. BDB suggests it may derive from a doubling of kah ('thus'), producing a reinforced demonstrative. Its 37 occurrences typically precede the verb they modify, as in 've-khakhah tokh'lu oto' ('and thus shall you eat it,' Exod 12:11) — the instruction for consuming the Passover lamb in haste. The word gravitates toward two patterns: paired with 'asah ('to do') to describe commanded or reported actions (1 Sam 19:17; 1 Kgs 1:6, 48; Jer 13:9; 19:11; 28:11; 51:64), and in rhetorical questions probing a state or action — 'why are you thus lean?' (2 Sam 13:4). Cross-linguistic glosses converge tightly: Spanish 'asi,' French 'ainsi,' German 'so.'
Senses
1. thus, so, in this manner — A demonstrative adverb specifying manner, meaning 'thus, so, in this way,' used to point forward to an instruction or backward to a described action. Frequently collocates with 'asah ('to do') in prophetic sign-acts: Jeremiah's sash burial illustrates 'thus will I ruin the pride of Judah' (Jer 13:9), and his sinking scroll enacts 'thus shall Babylon sink' (Jer 51:64). In narrative, it introduces rhetorical questions about someone's condition (2 Sam 13:4) or conduct (1 Sam 19:17). Distinguished from koh by its slightly heavier emphasis and its preference for qualifying the word it precedes. The uniform rendering across Spanish 'asi,' French 'ainsi,' and German 'so' confirms a single, stable semantic profile. 37×
AR["كَذَا", "هكذا", "هكَذا", "هَكَذَا", "هٰكَذا", "هٰكَذَا"]·ben["এইভাবে", "এইরকম", "এইরূপ", "এইরূপে", "এভাবে", "এভাবেই", "এমন"]·DE["so", "wie-so"]·EN["thus"]·FR["ainsi", "wie-ainsi"]·heb["כָּכָה", "ככה"]·HI["इस-प्रकार", "ऐसा", "ऐसा-ही", "ऐसी", "ऐसे", "ऐसे-ही"]·ID["Demikianlah", "begini", "begitu", "demikian", "demikianlah"]·IT["come-così", "cosi", "così"]·jav["Kados-makaten", "kados-makaten", "kados-mekaten", "kados-punika", "makaten", "mekaten"]·KO["이같이", "이렇게", "이와-같이"]·PT["Assim", "assim"]·RU["так"]·ES["Así", "así"]·SW["Hivyo", "hivyo", "kwa-nini"]·TR["böyle"]·urd["اِسی-طرح", "ایسا", "ایسا-ہی", "ایسے", "ایسے-ہی", "یوں"]
Exod 12:11, Exod 29:35, Num 8:26, Num 11:15, Num 15:11, Num 15:12, Num 15:13, Deut 25:9, Deut 29:24, Josh 10:25, 1 Sam 2:14, 1 Sam 19:17 (+25 more)
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
כָּ֫כָה37 adv. thus (NH abbrev. to כָּךְ, with preps. בֵּין כָּךְ meanwhile, לְפִיכָךְ therefore; prob. either from כָה and כְּ, lit. as thus, Ol§ 223 h; or from כָּה כָה Köii. 1, 253), somewhat more emph. than כֹּה, usually prefixed to word which it qualifies:—Ex 12:11 וככה תאכלו אתו and thus shall ye eat it, 29:35 Nu 8:26; 11:15 ואם ככה את עשׂה לי, 15:11, 12, 13; Dt 25:9; 29:23 (cf. 1 K 9:8 Je…