כְּלִי324 H3627
Vessel, utensil, container; weapon, armor; implement, article, tool; goods, baggage; musical instrument
One of Hebrew's most semantically versatile nouns, covering virtually any crafted object. From sacred tabernacle vessels (Exod 27:19) to weapons of war (Gen 49:5), from David's shepherd's bag (1 Sam 17:40) to temple instruments of praise (1 Chr 15:16), keli derives its breadth from a root sense of something completed or contained. Arabic splits these functions across several words — ina' for vessels, silah for weapons, alat for instruments — revealing distinctions that Hebrew collapses into a single lexeme. Context and construct chains do the disambiguating work.
Senses
1. vessel or container — The core and most frequent sense (206x): a receptacle or container — pot, jar, bowl, vat, or sacred vessel. Arabic ina'/aniya maps directly here. Tabernacle inventory lists (Exod 27:19; 38:3, 30) account for a large share, and the potter's vessel of Jer 18:4 became a powerful prophetic metaphor for divine sovereignty over human destiny. 206×
AR["آنِيَةُ-", "آنِيَةِ", "أَدَوَاتِ", "هَدِيَّتَهُ"]·ben["পাত্র", "পাত্রগুলি", "পাত্রগুলি-", "পাত্রগুলো"]·DE["Gefaesse-von", "Geraete-von"]·EN["utensils-of", "vessels-of"]·FR["ustensiles-de", "vases-de", "vessels-de"]·heb["כְּלֵי", "כלי"]·HI["केली", "केले", "पात्र", "पात्रों", "बर्तन", "बर्तनों", "सामान"]·ID["perabotan", "perkakas", "perkakas-perkakas"]·IT["utensili-di", "vasi-di", "vessels-di"]·jav["piranti", "piranti-", "pirantos-", "pirantos-pirantos", "pirantosing", "prabot", "prabot-prabot"]·KO["그릿들-의", "기구들", "기구들-", "기구들-의", "기구들은", "기구들을", "기구들의", "기물들을"]·PT["utensílios-de", "utensílios-de-", "utenílios-de"]·RU["сосудам", "сосудов", "сосуды", "сосуды-"]·ES["los-utensilios-de", "utensilios-de", "utensilios-de-"]·SW["na-wakavileta", "vya", "vya-", "vyombo", "vyombo-vya", "vyombo-vya-"]·TR["esyalarının", "eşyalar", "eşyaları", "eşyaları-", "eşyalarına", "eşyalarını", "eşyalarının", "kapları"]·urd["برتن", "برتن-", "برتنوں", "سامان", "ظروف"]
Exod 27:19, Exod 31:7, Exod 35:22, Exod 38:3, Exod 38:30, Exod 39:40, Lev 11:32, Lev 11:33, Lev 13:49, Lev 13:52, Lev 13:53, Lev 13:57 (+38 more)
2. weapon or armor — Weapons and armor (59x): implements of warfare including swords, spears, bows, and defensive gear. Arabic silah and Swahili silaha capture this military register. Simeon and Levi's 'vessels of violence' (Gen 49:5) is the earliest attestation; the phrase kele milhamah ('weapons of war') becomes formulaic in Deuteronomy and the histories (Deut 1:41; Judg 18:11). 59×
AR["أَسْلِحَتِهِ", "سِلاحَهُ", "سِلاحِهِ", "سِلَاحَهُ", "سِلَاحِهِ"]·ben["অস্ত্রের-তার", "তাঁর-অস্ত্রগুলি", "তাঁর-অস্ত্রের", "তার-অস্ত্রের"]·DE["Geraet", "sein-weapons"]·EN["his-armor", "his-weapons"]·FR["son-armes", "ustensile"]·heb["כלי-ו", "כליו", "כליו-ו"]·HI["अपने-हथियारों-का", "उसके-हथियार", "उस्के-हथियअर"]·ID["senjata-senjatanya", "senjatanya"]·IT["suo-armi", "utensile"]·jav["gegaman-ipun", "gegaman-nipun", "gegamanipun", "sedaya"]·KO["그의-무기들", "그의-무기들-의", "그의-무기를", "그의-무기의"]·PT["armas-dele", "armas-suas", "suas-armas"]·RU["его", "оружие-его", "оружия-его", "своему"]·ES["armas-de-él", "sus-armas"]·SW["silaha-zake", "ya-silaha-zake"]·TR["silahlarını", "silahlarını-onun", "silahlarının"]·urd["اس-کا-ہتھیار", "اُس-کے-ہتھیار", "اُس-کے-ہتھیار-نے", "ہتھیار-اُس-کا", "ہتھیار-اُس-کے", "ہتھیار-اپنے", "ہتھیاروں-اپنے"]
Gen 49:5, Num 35:16, Num 35:18, Deut 1:41, Judg 18:11, Judg 18:16, Judg 18:17, 1 Sam 8:12, 1 Sam 14:1, 1 Sam 14:6, 1 Sam 14:7, 1 Sam 14:12 (+38 more)
3. goods or baggage — Goods, baggage, or personal belongings (22x): portable property carried on journeys or stored in households. Arabic amti'a/mata' and Korean jim/mulgeon reflect the semantic range. Laban's search through Jacob's 'goods' (Gen 31:37) and the stolen loot hidden among Israel's kelim (Josh 7:11) exemplify possessions in narrative tension. 22×
AR["أَدَوَاتِ", "أَدَوَاتِ-", "أَمتِعَةً", "أَمْتِعَةَ", "أَمْتِعَةِ", "أَمْتِعَتَكَ", "أَمْتِعَتَهُ", "أَمْتِعَتِهِمْ", "أَمْتِعَتِي", "الأمتِعَةِ", "الأَمتِعَةِ", "الأَمْتِعَةِ", "الـ-أَمْتِعَةِ", "الْأَمْتِعَةَ", "في-أَمتِعَتِهِم", "وَ-بِ-أدواتِ", "وَأَمْتِعَةً"]·ben["-মালপত্রগুলির", "আমার-জিনিস", "এবং-পাত্রে", "এবং-যন্ত্রে-", "জিনিস", "জিনিস-", "জিনিসগুলি", "জিনিসগুলির", "তাদের-পাত্রগুলি", "তাদের-পাত্রে", "তার-জিনিসপত্র", "তোমার-জিনিস", "দ্রব্যগুলি", "মালপত্রগুলি", "যন্ত্রগুলি-", "সমস্ত-জিনিসপত্র", "সরঞ্জাম", "সামগ্রীগুলির", "সেই-মালপত্রের"]·DE["Gefaesse", "Geraet", "Geraete", "Geraete-von", "den-Geräten-", "der-baggage", "die-Geraete", "implements-von-", "und-equipment", "und-mit-implements-von", "unter-ihr-goods", "wie-mir"]·EN["among-their-goods", "and-equipment", "and-with-implements-of", "articles-of-", "equipment-of", "gear-of", "gear-of-me", "gear-of-you", "goods-of-", "his-equipment", "implements-of-", "the-baggage", "the-cargo", "their-vessels", "vessels"]·FR["comme-à-moi", "et-avec-implements-de", "et-equipment", "goods-de-", "implements-de-", "le-baggage", "parmi-leur-goods", "ustensile", "vases"]·heb["ב-כליהם", "ה-כלים", "הַ-כֵּלִים", "ו-ב-כלי", "ו-כלים", "כלי", "כליהם", "כליו", "כליך", "כלים"]·HI["अपना-सामान", "उनके-सामान", "और-बर्तनों-से", "वखेलीम", "सअमअन", "सअमअनोन", "सअमअनोन-के", "सामान", "सामान-में-अपने", "सामानों"]·ID["Barang-barang", "barang-barang", "barang-barang-itu", "barang-barang-mereka", "barang-barangku", "barang-barangmu", "barang-barangnya", "dalam-barang-barang-mereka", "dan-dengan-perkakas", "dan-peralatan", "perhiasan-perhiasan", "perlengkapan", "perlengkapan-", "perlengkapannya"]·IT["come-a-me", "e-con-strumenti-di", "e-equipment", "fra-loro-goods", "goods-di-", "il-bagaglio", "strumenti-di-", "strumento", "utensile", "vessels"]·jav["-barang-ipun", "barang-barang", "barang-barang-", "barang-barang-ipun", "barang-barang-kawula", "barang-barang-panjenengan", "ing-prabot", "lan-mawi-pirantinipun", "lan-pirantos", "piranti", "piranti-", "piranti-piranti", "pirantos-pirantos", "prabot", "prabotipun"]·KO["그-물건들", "그-물건들-을", "그-보급품을", "그-짐들", "그-짐을", "그-짐의", "그들의-물건들-가운데에", "그리고-도구들-로", "기구들을-그들의", "기구를", "나의-도구들을", "네-도구들을", "도구들을", "무기들을", "물건들", "물건들로", "물건들을", "물건들의"]·PT["Utensílios-de", "apetrechos-de", "e-com-utensílios-de", "e-utensílios", "em-seus-utensílios", "equipamento-seu", "instrumentos-de", "meus-utensílios", "objetos", "objetos-de", "os-objetos", "os-utensílios", "seus-utensílios", "teus-utensílios", "utensílios-de-"]·RU["Вещи", "в-вещи-свои", "вещах", "вещей", "вещи", "вещи-мои", "вещи-твои", "и-вещами", "и-утварью", "орудия-", "снаряжение", "снаряжение-своё", "украшения", "утварь-их"]·ES["artículos-de", "el-equipaje", "en-sus-vasijas", "enseres-de", "instrumento-de", "los-equipajes", "los-utensilios", "su-equipo", "sus-utensilios", "utensilios", "utensilios-de", "utensilios-de-mí", "utensilios-de-ti", "y-con-utensilios-de", "y-utensilios"]·SW["Vyombo-vya", "katika-vyombo-vyao", "mizigo", "na-kwa-vyombo-vya", "na-vyombo", "silaha-za-", "vifaa", "vifaa-vyake", "vifaa-vyako", "vifaa-vyangu", "vito-vya", "vitu", "vitu-vya", "vyao-vyote", "vyombo", "vyombo-vya"]·TR["-eşyaların", "aletlerini", "aletlerini-", "emredildim", "esyalarini", "eşyalar", "eşyalar-o", "eşyaları", "eşyaların", "eşyaların-arasında", "eşyalarından", "eşyalarını", "eşyalarının-içine", "süs-eşyalarını", "ve-esyalar", "ve-takımıyla"]·urd["اور-سامان-سے", "اپنا-سامان", "برتن", "زیورات", "سامان", "سامان-اُن-کا", "سامان-اپنے-میں", "سامان-کے", "سامان-کے۔", "ہتھیار"]
Gen 31:37, Gen 45:20, Exod 22:7, Deut 22:5, Josh 7:11, 1 Sam 8:12, 1 Sam 10:22, 1 Sam 17:22, 1 Sam 17:22, 1 Sam 25:13, 1 Sam 30:24, 1 Kgs 19:21 (+10 more)
4. article or thing — A general article or thing (21x): used abstractly for any object without further specification. The construct kele kesef u-khele zahav, 'articles of silver and articles of gold' (Gen 24:53; Exod 3:22; 11:2), recurs in contexts of gift-giving and the Exodus plundering, where the word functions as a near-generic classifier. 21×
AR["آلَةٍ", "آنِيَةٍ", "آنِيَةَ", "أَدَاةٍ", "أَدَوَاتُ-", "أَدَوَاتِ", "أَوَانِيَ", "ال-مَتَاعِ", "كَأَمْتِعَةِ", "مَتَاعٍ", "وَ-أَوَانِيَ", "وَآنِيَةَ"]·ben["অস্ত্র", "আর-জিনিসগুলো-", "এবং-জিনিস", "এবং-পাত্র", "ও-জিনিস", "জিনিস", "জিনিস-", "পাত্র", "পাত্র-", "যেমন-জিনিস", "সেই-পাত্র", "সেই-পাত্রে"]·DE["Gefaesse-von", "Gefaesse-von-", "Geraete", "Geräte-", "Sache", "articles-von-", "der-Sache", "instrument", "und-Gefaesse-von", "und-Geraete-von", "und-Geräte-", "und-articles-von", "wie-Geraete-von"]·EN["and-articles-of", "and-vessels-of", "articles-of", "articles-of-", "instrument", "like-gear-of", "the-thing", "thing", "vessel-of", "vessels-of", "vessels-of-"]·FR["articles-de", "articles-de-", "chose", "comme-à-moi", "et-articles-de", "et-ustensiles-de", "et-vases-de", "instrument", "le-chose", "ustensile", "vases-de", "vases-de-"]·heb["ה-כלי", "ו-כלי", "כ-כלי", "כלי"]·HI["और-बासन", "और-भांडे", "और-वस्तुएँ", "चीज़", "जिस पर", "जैसे-सामान", "भांडे", "वस्तु", "वस्तुएँ", "सामान"]·ID["alat", "barang-barang", "barang-barang-", "benda-benda", "benda-benda-", "dan-barang-barang", "dan-perkakas", "perkakas", "seperti-barang-barang"]·IT["articles-di", "articles-di-", "cosa", "e-articles-di", "e-utensili-di", "e-vessels-di", "il-cosa", "instrument", "strumento", "vasi-di", "vasi-di-"]·jav["barang", "barang-barang-", "kados-barang-barang", "lan-barang-barang", "lan-piranti", "lan-piranti-piranti", "lan-pirantos", "piranti", "piranti-"]·KO["그-도구", "그리고-기물들", "그리고-물건들", "그리고-물건들을", "그맇의", "도구", "도구들-같이", "도구를", "물건", "물건들-을", "물건들을"]·PT["como-utensílios-de-", "e-objetos-de", "o-utensílio", "objetos-de", "objetos-de-", "os-objetos", "utensílio", "vaso-de"]·RU["вещей", "вещи", "вещи-", "и-вещи", "как-вещи", "предмет", "предмете", "предмету", "сосудов"]·ES["como-utensilios-de", "el-utensilio", "objeto-de", "objetos-de", "utensilio", "utensilios-de", "utensilios-de-", "y-objetos", "y-objetos-de", "y-utensilios-de", "y-utensilios-de-"]·SW["chochote", "chombo", "chombo-cha", "kama-vifaa", "na-vyombo", "na-vyombo-vya", "vyombo", "vyombo-", "vyombo-vya", "vyombo-vya-"]·TR["-siz", "eşya", "eşyada", "eşyalar-", "eşyaları-", "eşyalarını", "eşyasını", "eşyaya", "gibi", "ve-eşyalar", "ve-eşyaları", "çıkardım"]·urd["اور-برتن", "اور-زیورات", "اور-چیزیں", "برتن", "برتنوں", "برتنے", "جلا-وطنی-کے-سامان-کی-طرح", "زیورات", "قیمتی-برتنوں-کا", "چیز", "چیز-کو", "ہر"]
5. musical instrument — Musical instruments (14x): devices for worship music — harps, lyres, cymbals, trumpets. Arabic alat (with musical context), Korean akgi, and Hindi vadya all employ distinct instrument terminology where Hebrew uses keli plus a genitive of type. This sense clusters almost entirely in the Chronicler's temple-music passages (1 Chr 15:16; 16:5, 42; 23:5; 2 Chr 5:13). 14×
AR["آلاتِ-", "آلَاتِ", "بِ-آلاتِ-", "بِ-آلَاتِ", "بِ-آلَاتِ-", "بِ-آلَةِ-", "بِ-الْآلَاتِ", "بِآلَاتِ", "بِآلَاتِ-", "بِـ-آلَاتِ", "وَ-آلَاتُ", "وَ-بِ-آلَاتِ"]·ben["-দ্বারা", "-বাদ্যযন্ত্র", "-বাদ্যযন্ত্রগুলো-সহ", "-যন্ত্রে", "ও-বাদ্যযন্ত্রে", "ও-যন্ত্রগুলি", "গায়কদের", "বাদ্যযন্ত্রে", "বাদ্যযন্ত্রে-", "যন্ত্র", "যন্ত্রসমূহ", "যন্ত্রে"]·DE["Geraete", "Geraete-von", "in-Geraete", "in-Geraete-von", "mit-der-Gerät-", "und-Geraete-von", "und-in-Geraete-von"]·EN["and-instruments-of", "and-with-instruments-of", "in-instruments-of-", "instruments-of", "instruments-of-", "with-instruments-of", "with-instruments-of-", "with-the-instrument-of-", "with-the-instruments"]·FR["comme-à-moi", "dans-instrument", "et-in-ustensiles-de", "et-ustensiles-de", "in-ustensiles", "in-ustensiles-de", "ustensiles-de"]·heb["ב-ה-כלים", "ב-כלי", "ב-כלי-", "ו-ב-כלי", "ו-כלי", "כלי", "כלי-"]·HI["और-में-बर्तनों", "और-वाद्य", "के-साथ", "बाजे-से", "वाद्य", "वाद्य-", "वाद्यों-के", "वाद्यों-सहित", "वाद्यों-से", "वाद्यों-से-", "वाद्योंसे-"]·ID["alat-alat-", "alat-alat-musik", "dan-alat-alat", "dan-dengan-alat-alat", "dengan-alat-", "dengan-alat-alat", "dengan-alat-alat-", "dengan-alat-alat-musik", "dengan-alat-alat-musik-"]·IT["e-in-utensili-di", "e-utensili-di", "in-utensili", "in-utensili-di", "strumento", "utensili-di"]·jav["kaliyan-pirantos", "kaliyan-prabot-prabot", "kaliyan-prabot-prabot-", "klawan-prabot", "klawan-prabot-", "lan-mawi-piranti", "lan-prabot", "mawi-piranti", "mawi-piranti-", "piranti-", "pirantos", "prabot-prabot"]·KO["그-와-악기들-의", "그리고-에-기구들의", "도구들-로", "도구들을", "비파-로", "악기들", "악기들-에", "에-그-악기들", "에-악기들", "에-악기들-", "에-악기들-의"]·PT["com-instrumento", "com-instrumentos-de", "com-instrumentos-de-", "com-os-instrumentos", "e-instrumentos-de", "e-nos-instrumentos-de", "em-instrumentos-de-", "instrumentos-de", "instrumentos-de-"]·RU["и-в-инструменты", "и-инструменты", "инструментами", "инструментов", "инструменты-", "на-инструментах", "на-инструментах-", "на-инструменте", "с-инструментами", "с-инструментами-"]·ES["con-instrumento-de", "con-instrumentos-de", "con-instrumentos-de-", "con-los-instrumentos", "e-instrumentos-de", "instrumentos-de", "instrumentos-de-", "y-con-instrumentos-de"]·SW["biּkley", "kwa-chombo", "kwa-vyombo", "kwa-vyombo-vya", "kwa-vyombo-vya-", "na-kwa-vyombo-vya", "na-vyombo", "vyombo-vya", "vyombo-vya-"]·TR["aletleri", "aletleri-", "aletlerini-", "aletleriyle", "aletleriyle-", "aletlerle", "aletlerle-", "ve-aletleri", "ve-aletlerle", "çalgı-ile-"]·urd["آلات-سے", "آلاتِ-", "اور-ساز", "اور-سازوں-سے", "بِ-آلہ", "ساز-سے", "ساز-کے-ساتھ", "سازوں", "سازوں-سے", "سازوں-سے-", "سازوں-میں-", "سازوں-کے-ساتھ", "سازوں-کے-ساتھ-"]
1 Chr 15:16, 1 Chr 16:5, 1 Chr 16:42, 1 Chr 23:5, 2 Chr 5:13, 2 Chr 7:6, 2 Chr 23:13, 2 Chr 29:26, 2 Chr 29:27, 2 Chr 30:21, 2 Chr 34:12, Neh 12:36 (+2 more)
6. bag or pouch — A bag or pouch (2x): a small flexible container for carrying stones or provisions. Arabic kis and Swahili mfuko specify this narrower sense. Both occurrences appear in the David and Goliath narrative — the shepherd's bag from which David chose five smooth stones (1 Sam 17:40, 49). 2×
AR["الكِيسِ", "فِي-كِيسِ"]·ben["থলিতে"]·DE["der-bag", "in-bag-von"]·EN["in-bag-of", "the-bag"]·FR["dans-bag-de", "le-bag"]·heb["ב-כלי", "ה-כלי"]·HI["बरतन-कि", "बरतन-मेइन"]·ID["di-tas", "tas"]·IT["il-bag", "in-bag-di"]·jav["-wadhah", "ing-wadhah"]·KO["그-그릇", "그릇에-"]·PT["no-recipiente-de", "o-recipiente"]·RU["в-сумку", "сумке"]·ES["en-bolsa-de", "la-bolsa"]·SW["katika-mfuko", "mfuko"]·TR["torbasına", "torbaya"]·urd["تھیلی", "تھیلی-میں"]
7. sense 7 — Ornamental jewelry or finery (1x at Isa 61:10): a bride adorning herself with her kelim, rendered 'jewels' in English. This metaphorical extension — from crafted object to personal adornment — fits the broader semantic logic of keli as anything fashioned with skill, here applied to the eschatological joy of Zion. 1×
AR["بِ-حُلِيِّهَا"]·ben["তার-অলংকারে"]·DE["Geraet"]·EN["her-jewels"]·FR["ustensile"]·heb["כליה"]·HI["और-जैसे"]·ID["perhiasannya"]·IT["utensile"]·jav["perhiasan-ipun"]·KO["그녀의-장식들을"]·PT["ornamentos-dela"]·RU["украшениями-своими"]·ES["con-sus-joyas"]·SW["kwa-mapambo-yake"]·TR["mucevherlerini"]·urd["اپنے-زیور"]
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
כְּלִי324 n.m. Ho 8:8 article, utensil, vessel (NH id.; according to Thes from כלה = conficere, like Ger. Zeug from zeugen; proposes therefore anything finished, made, produced; according to BaZMG 1887, 605 from meaning enclose, contain; he finds pl. of כְּלִי in כלאי M-I23 (cf. כלאים))—כ׳ abs. Je 18:4 +; הַכֶּ֑לִי 1 S 17:49; 21:6; cstr. כְּלִי Ho 13:15 +; sf. כֶּלְיְךָ Dt 23:25; pl. כֵּלִים Ex…