כָּתַב223 H3789
To write, inscribe, record, compose; in passive: written, recorded; as substantive: scribe, writer
A fundamental verb of civilization in the ancient Near East, katav covers the full act of committing words to a durable medium — whether Moses inscribing the covenant on tablets (Exod 24:4), a king dictating letters, or a scribe drafting a legal decree. The Qal passive participle (katuv) became a standard formula for citing authoritative texts: 'as it is written.' Cognate with Aramaic ketav, Phoenician ktb, and borrowed into Arabic as kataba, reflecting a shared Semitic scribal culture. The Nifal and Piel stems extend the range from institutional record-keeping to the professional identity of the scribe.
Senses
1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded — The Qal passive participle katuv/ketuvim functions as a stative adjective: 'written, recorded.' It became the standard citation formula ('as it is written in the book of...') across Kings, Chronicles, and post-exilic literature (1 Kgs 11:41; 14:19). Spanish escritos and French écrit mirror this participial use. This is the single most frequent form of the root, anchoring the concept of authoritative written tradition. 112×
AR["مَكتوبَةً","مَكْتوبَةً","مَكْتُوبَةً","مَكْتُوبَةٌ"]·ben["লেখা","লেখা-আছে"]·DE["geschrieben"]·EN["written"]·FR["écrit"]·heb["כתובים"]·HI["कतूवीम","लिखी-हुई","लिखी-हैं","लिखे","लिखे-हुए","लिखे-हैं"]·ID["tertulis"]·IT["scritto"]·jav["kaserat","kaseratan"]·KO["기록되어-있다","기록되었다","기록된","쓰여-있는"]·PT["escritas","escritos"]·RU["записаны","написанные","написаны"]·ES["escritas","escritos","están-escritos"]·SW["wameandikwa","yameandikwa"]·TR["yazili","yazılı"]·urd["لکھی-ہوئی","لکھی-ہوئی-ہیں","لکھی-ہیں","لکھے-ہوئے"]
1 Kgs 11:41, 1 Kgs 14:19, 1 Kgs 14:29, 1 Kgs 15:7, 1 Kgs 15:23, 1 Kgs 15:31, 1 Kgs 16:5, 1 Kgs 16:14, 1 Kgs 16:20, 1 Kgs 16:27, 1 Kgs 22:39, 1 Kgs 22:45 (+38 more)
2. Qal active: write, compose — The Qal active finite forms — perfect, imperfect, imperative, and waw-consecutive — denote the concrete act of writing, composing, or recording text onto a physical surface. From Moses writing the Lord's words (Exod 24:4) to Jeremiah dictating to Baruch (Jer 36:18), these forms span divine command, royal correspondence, and prophetic documentation. German schrieb and Spanish escribió uniformly confirm the active composition sense. 89×
AR["فَ-كَتَبَ","فَـ-كَتَبَ","فَكَتَبَ","كَتَبَ","وَ-كَتَبَ","وَكَتَبَ","وَ‒كَتَبَ","وَ‒كَتَبَتْ"]·ben["আর-লিখলেন","এবং-তিনি-লিখলেন","এবং-লিখল","এবং-লিখলেন","এবং-সে-লিখল","ও-লিখল","সে-লিখেছিল"]·DE["And-schrieb","er-schrieb","und-er-schrieb","und-schreiben","und-schrieb"]·EN["And-wrote","and-he-wrote","and-wrote","he-wrote"]·FR["Et-écrivit","et-il-écrivit","et-écrire","et-écrivit","il-écrivit"]·heb["ו-יכתב","ו-יכתוב","ו-כתב","וַ-יִּכְתֹּב","כתב"]·HI["और-उसने-लिखा","और-लिखा","और-लिखा-उसने","लिखा-था","वय्यिख्तोव"]·ID["Dan-Dia-menuliskan","Dan-menulis","Dan-menulislah","dan-dia-menulis","dan-dia-menuliskan","dan-ia-menulis","dan-menulis","dan-menuliskan","dan-menulislah","ia-tulis"]·IT["E-scrisse","e-egli-scrisse","e-scrisse","e-scrivere","egli-scrisse"]·jav["Lan-Yirmiya-nyerat","Lan-nyerat","Lan-piyambakipun-nyerat","Lan-serat","Sarta-nyerat","lan-nulis","lan-nyerat","lan-piyambakipun-nulis","lan-piyambakipun-nyerat","nyerat"]·KO["그래서-그가-썼다","그리고-그가-기록했다","그리고-기록하셨느니라-그가","그리고-기록하셨다","그리고-기록하였다","그리고-기록했다","그리고-썼다","기록하였다"]·PT["E-escreveu","e-escreveu","escreveu"]·RU["И-написал","И-написал-Он","И-написала","и-записал","и-написал","написал"]·ES["Y-escribió","escribió","y-escribió"]·SW["Akaandika","Na-akaandika","Na-aliandika","akaandika","aliandika","na-akaandika","na-akayaandika"]·TR["Ve-yazdı","ve-yazdı","yazdı"]·urd["اور-لکھا","اور-لکھی","لکھا-تھا"]
Exod 17:14, Exod 24:4, Exod 34:27, Exod 34:28, Num 33:2, Deut 4:13, Deut 5:22, Deut 10:4, Deut 24:1, Deut 24:3, Deut 31:9, Deut 31:19 (+38 more)
3. Nifal: be written (dynamic passive) — The Nifal stem conveys a dynamic passive: 'be written, be recorded, be inscribed' by an unnamed or implied agent. Unlike the stative Qal participle, the Nifal emphasizes the process or decree that something shall be written. It clusters heavily in Esther (1:19; 2:23; 3:9, 12), where royal edicts are formally enacted. Spanish fue-escrito and the passive construction reinforce this procedural nuance. 17×
AR["كُتِبَ","كُتِبَتْ","وَ-تُكْتَبُ","وَ-كُتِبَ","وَ-يُكْتَبْ","وَكُتِبَ","وَ‒كُتِبَ","يُكتَب","يُكْتَبوا","يُكْتَبُونَ","يُكْتَبْ"]·ben["আর-লেখা-হল","এবং-লেখা-হল","এবং-লেখা-হোক","ও-লেখা-হল","ও-লেখা-হোক","তারা-লেখা-হবে","তারা-লেখা-হোক।","লেখা-হবে","লেখা-হয়েছিল,","লেখা-হয়েছে","লেখা-হল","লেখা-হোক"]·DE["lass-sein-geschrieben","schreiben","schrieb","sein-geschrieben","und-schrieb","waren-geschrieben"]·EN["and-be-written","and-let-it-be-written","and-was-written","be-written","is-written","let-be-written","let-it-be-written","they-shall-be-written","was-written","were-written","will-be-written"]·FR["et-écrire","écrire"]·heb["ו-יכתבון","ו-כתב","ו-נכתב","ייכתבו","יכתבו","כתב","תיכתב"]·HI["और-आज्ञा-लिखी-गई","और-लिखा गया","और-लिखा-गया","और-लिखी-गई","और-लिखी-जाए","और-लिखे-जाएं","लिखा-जाए","लिखा-जाए-आज्ञा","लिखा-जाता-है","लिखी-गई","लिखे-जाएँगे","लिखे-हैं","वे-लिखे-जाएंगे"]·ID["akan-dicatat","biarlah-ditulis","biarlah-mereka-dicatat","dan-dicatat","dan-ditulis","dan-dituliskan","dan-ditulislah","ditulis","mereka-akan-tertulis,","tertulis"]·IT["e-e-essere-written","e-scrivere","scrisse","scrivere"]·jav["Mugi-kaseratan","badhé-kaserat,","dipunserat","kaserat","lan-dipun-serat","lan-dipunserat","lan-dipuntulis","lan-kaserat","lan-mugi-kaserat","mugi-kaserat","tiyang-tiyang-punika-badhé-dipunserat"]·KO["그들이-기록되리라","그리고-기록되게-하소서","그리고-기록되길","그리고-기록되었다","그리고-쓰였다","기록되게-하소서","기록되리라","기록되었나이다","기록되었다","쓰여지게하소서","쓰여진"]·PT["Seja-escrito","e-foi-escrito","e-fossem-escritas","e-seja-escrito","foi-escrito","foram-escritos","seja-escrito","sejam-inscritos","serão-escritos,","serão-inscritos"]·RU["Будет-написано","будут-записаны","будут-написаны","было-написано","да-будет-написано","записаны","запишутся","и-было-написано","и-да-будет-написано","и-записана","и-записано","и-запишутся","пусть-будет-написано"]·ES["Se-escribirá","fue-escrito","fueron-escritos","que-fueran-escritas","sea-escrito","sean-inscritos","serán-escritos","y-fue-escrito","y-sea-escrito"]·SW["andikwa","iandikwe","itaandikwa","kama-yote","kwa-pete","na-ikaandikwa","na-liandikwe","na-yangeandikwa","wasiandikwe","wataandikwa","yameandikwa","ziliandikwa"]·TR["ve-yazildi","ve-yazıldı","ve-yazılsın","ve-yazılır","yazılacak","yazılacaklar","yazıldı","yazılsın","yazılsınlar","yazılır","yazılıyordu"]·urd["اور-لکھا-جائے","اور-لکھا-گیا","اور-لکھی جاتیں","اور-لکھی-گئی","لکھا-جائے","لکھا-گیا","لکھی-جائے","لکھی-جائے-گی","لکھے-جائیں","لکھے-جائیں-گے","لکھے-گئے"]
4. Piel/participle: scribe, professional writer — The Piel intensive stem and substantivized participles designate the professional scribe or one officially engaged in writing. Isaiah 10:1 denounces those 'who write oppressive decrees' (mekattevim), and Nehemiah 9:38 lists 'those who signed' the covenant. The Piel intensifies the activity into a vocation. Spanish los-que-firmaron ('those who signed') captures this institutional, professional dimension. 5×
AR["الْكَاتِبِينَ","كَاتِبٌ","كَتَبُوا","وَ-الْكَاتِبِينَ","وَ-كَاتِبُونَ"]·ben["আর-লিখছি","ও-যারা-লেখে","তারা-লেখেছিল","যারা-লেখেছিল","লিখতাম"]·DE["schreiben","schrieb","und-schreiben","und-schrieb"]·EN["and-the-writers","and-writing","the-signing","they-write","writing"]·FR["et-écrire","écrire"]·heb["ה-כותבים","ו-כתב","ו-מכתבים","כותב","כתבו"]·HI["और-लिखते-हैं","और-लिखने-वालों","लिखता-था","लिखते-हैं","लिखने-वाले"]·ID["dan-menuliskan","dan-yang-menuliskan","menulis","mereka-tulis","yang-menuliskan"]·IT["e-scrivere","scrivere"]·jav["ingkang-nyerat","lan-ingkang-nulis","lan-sami-nyerat","nulis","piyambakipun-nulis"]·KO["그리고-기록하고-있다","기록하는-자들","기록하는-자들이여","기록하는-자이다","기록하는도다"]·PT["e-dos-que-escrevem","e-escrevendo","escrevem","escrevendo","os-que-escreveram"]·RU["и-писарям","и-пишем","писал","пишущим","подписавших"]·ES["escriben","escribía","los-que-firmaron","y-de-los-que-escriben","y-escribimos"]·SW["na-kuandika","na-wanaoandika","nikaandika","walioandika","wanaandika"]·TR["ve-yazanlara","ve-yazıyoruz","yazanların","yaziyor","yazıyordum"]·urd["اور-لکھتے-ہیں","اور-لکھنے-والے","لکھ-رہا-تھا","لکھتے-ہیں","لکھنے-والے"]
5. Qal: register, enroll in a list — A specialized sense of writing as enrolling or registering names in an official list or census, distinct from literary composition. In Psalm 87:6 the LORD 'registers' peoples as born in Zion, and Numbers 11:26 mentions men 'registered' among the elders. Spanish inscritos and the semantic shift from 'compose text' to 'inscribe in a roster' mark this administrative usage. 2×
AR["عِنْدَ-كِتَابَةِ","فِي-الْمَكْتُوبِينَ"]·ben["-নিবন্ধিতদের-মধ্যে","লেখার-সময়ে"]·DE["unter-der-registered","wann-er-registers"]·EN["among-the-registered","when-he-registers"]·FR["dans-écrire","parmi-le-registered"]·heb["ב-ה-בכתבים","ב-כתוב"]·HI["लिखते-समय","लिखे-हुओं-में"]·ID["di-antara-yang-terdaftar","ketika-mendaftarkan"]·IT["scrisse","tra-il-registered"]·jav["nalika-nyathet","wonten-ing-kang-dipun-tulis"]·KO["기록할-때-에","에서-그-기록된자들"]·PT["ao-escrever","nos-registrados"]·RU["в-записанных","в-писании"]·ES["al-escribir","entre-los-inscritos"]·SW["akiandika","walioandikwa"]·TR["-de-yazılanlar","yazarken"]·urd["بِ-لکھنے","لکھے-ہوئوں-میں"]
6. sense 6 — In Hosea 8:12, a difficult text where God says 'I wrote for him,' the multilingual glosses (eng: for-him, spa: para-él) suggest the focus falls on the recipient rather than the act of writing, perhaps emphasizing the rejected personal gift of Torah. The verse's isolation and ambiguous syntax have generated varied interpretations. 1×
AR["لَهُ"]·ben["তার-জন্য"]·DE["ihm"]·EN["for-him"]·FR["à-lui"]·heb["ל-ו"]·HI["उसके-लिए"]·ID["baginya"]·IT["scrivere"]·jav["kathah"]·KO["그에게"]·PT["para-ele"]·RU["ему"]·ES["para-él"]·SW["yeye"]·TR["ona"]·urd["اُسے"]
7. sense 7 — In Esther 8:9, the phrase 'according to their script' (kikhtavam) uses the nominal derivative of katav to denote a writing system or script rather than the act of writing. Spanish conforme-a-su-escritura ('according to their writing/script') and the passage's context of multilingual imperial correspondence confirm this metonymic shift from verb to system. 1×
AR["كَ-كِتَابَتِهِمْ"]·ben["তাদের-লিপি-অনুসারে"]·DE["schrieb"]·EN["according-to-their-script"]·FR["écrire"]·heb["כ-כתב-ם"]·HI["उनकी-लिपि-में"]·ID["menurut-tulisannya"]·IT["scrivere"]·jav["miturut-seratan-ipun"]·KO["대로-그들의-글로"]·PT["conforme-escrita-sua"]·RU["по-письму-их"]·ES["conforme-a-su-escritura"]·SW["kama-maandishi-yao"]·TR["yazılarına-göre-"]·urd["ان-کی-تحریر-میں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
כָּתַב223 vb. write (NH id.; Ph. כתב; Aramaic כְּתַב, ܟܬܰܒ; Nab. כתב, v. especially Nö in EutNab. p. 43; thence Arabic كَتَبَ, Ethiopic ክታብ: book, Di Lex. 852 (as loan-wds., Frä 249 DHM VOJ i (1887), 29); MV Buhl comp. Arabic كَتَبَ draw or sew together, conjoin (letters), etc., cf. Fl ZMG 1873, 427)— Qal Pf. כ׳ Jos 8:32 +, כָּתַבְתָּ Je 36:6 +, sf. וּכְתַבְתָּם consec. Dt 6:9; 11:20, etc. (Pf.…