H3803 H3803
To surround, encircle; by extension, to crown or adorn; also to wait (Aramaic-influenced).
Kathar is a verb of encirclement whose meanings radiate outward from the core image of closing a ring around someone. In Judges 20:43, Israelite forces surrounded the Benjaminites; in Psalm 22:12, mighty bulls of Bashan encircle the suffering psalmist. The Hiphil in Proverbs 14:18 transforms hostile encirclement into coronation: the prudent 'are crowned with' knowledge. Most unexpected is Job 36:2, where Elihu uses kathar in the Aramaic sense of 'wait for me a little,' reflecting the Aramaizing flavor of the Elihu speeches.
Senses
1. surround, encircle — To surround or encircle, whether in hostile siege or metaphorical encompassing (Judg 20:43; Ps 22:12; Ps 142:7; Hab 1:4). Spanish rodearon and me han cercado ('they surrounded me, they have encircled me') and French entourer all confirm the spatial closing-in. In Psalm 22:12 the image of bulls surrounding the sufferer has deep Messianic resonance. 4×
AR["أَحَاطُوا", "أَحَدَقَتْ-بِي", "يُحيطُ-بِ", "يُحِيطُ"]·ben["আমাকে-বেষ্টন-করেছে", "ঘিরে-ধরল", "ঘেরবে", "ঘেরাও-করছে"]·DE["[מכתיר]", "soll-sammeln", "umgab", "umringen-mich"]·EN["encircle-me", "shall-gather", "surrounded", "surrounds"]·FR["comme-entourer", "entoura", "entourer"]·heb["יכתירו", "כיתרו", "כיתרוני", "מכתיר"]·HI["घेर-लिया-है-मुझे", "घेरता-है", "घेरा", "घेरेंगे"]·ID["Mereka-mengepung", "akan-mengelilingi", "mengepung"]·IT["[יכתרו]", "[כתרוני]", "circondare", "circondò"]·jav["Ngubengi", "badhe-ngubengi", "ngepung", "ngubengi-kula"]·KO["둘러샌다", "둘러싸리라", "에워싸고-있으므로", "에워싸였음이라"]·PT["cerca", "cercaram", "cercarão", "me-rodearam"]·RU["обступили-меня", "окружает", "окружат", "окружили"]·ES["Rodearon", "coronarán", "me-han-cercado", "rodea"]·SW["Wakamzunguka", "anamzingira", "wamenizunguka", "watanizunguka"]·TR["Kuşattılar", "kuşatacaklar", "kuşatan", "çevirdiler-beni"]·urd["گھیر-لیا-مجھے", "گھیرا", "گھیرتا-ہے", "گھیریں-گے"]
2. crown, adorn (Hifil figurative) — To crown or adorn, a figurative Hiphil extension where encirclement becomes bestowal of honor. Proverbs 14:18 declares the prudent 'are crowned with knowledge.' Spanish se coronan de ('they crown themselves with') captures the denominative connection to keter ('crown'), the same word used for royal crowns in Esther. The semantic leap from siege to coronation shows how surrounding can mean either threat or glory. 1×
AR["يُتَوَّجونَ"]·ben["মুকুট-পরাবে"]·DE["[יכתרו]"]·EN["are-crowned-with"]·FR["יכתרו"]·heb["יכתירו"]·HI["मुकुट-पहनते-हैं"]·ID["dimahkotai"]·IT["sono-crowned-con"]·jav["makuthani"]·KO["씀운다"]·PT["se-coroarão-de"]·RU["увенчиваются"]·ES["se-coronan-de"]·SW["wanajivika"]·TR["taçlandırılır"]·urd["تاج-پہنیں-گے"]
3. wait, be patient (Piel Aramaic semantic) — To wait or be patient, an Aramaic-influenced sense found only in Job 36:2, where Elihu urges 'Wait for me a little.' Spanish Espera ('wait') directly glosses this meaning. Syriac and Aramaic kattar (Pael = wait, remain, endure) provide the cognate evidence. The Elihu speeches are widely noted for their Aramaisms, and this usage is a prime example of cross-linguistic borrowing within the Hebrew Bible itself. 1×
AR["انتَظِر"]·ben["অপেক্ষা-কর"]·DE["[כתר]"]·EN["wait-"]·FR["כתר"]·heb["חכה"]·HI["ठहर"]·ID["Bersabarlah-"]·IT["wait"]·jav["Ngentosana"]·KO["참으라"]·PT["Espera-"]·RU["подожди-"]·ES["Espera-"]·SW["ningojee"]·TR["Bekle-"]·urd["انتظار کر"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [כָּתַר] vb. surround (in Pi.), (Aramaic כַּתַּר Pa., wait, hope for; ܟܰܬܰܪ Pa. wait, await, remain; i.e. perhaps surround expectantly, v. Jb 36:2 infr.)— Pi. Pf. 3 pl. כִּתְּרוּ Ju 20:43 of surrounding an enemy; sf. כִּתְּרוּנִי ψ 22:13 (in fig.; ‖ סְבָבוּנִי); Imv. כַּתַּר־לִי Jb 36:2 wait, I pray (as in Aramaic) Hiph. Impf. 3 mpl. בִּי יַכְתִּרוּ צַדִּיקִים ψ 142:8 dub., throw out crowns…