קָבַץ127 H6908
To gather, collect, assemble; Piel: reassemble the dispersed; Nifal: come together; Qal: collect.
Qavats is one of Hebrew's two great gathering verbs (alongside asaf), and its particular strength lies in the reassembly of what has been scattered. While asaf often implies ingathering to a fixed point — harvesting crops, gathering to one's fathers in death — qavats carries the dramatic overtone of recovery and restoration, especially of exiled Israel. The prophetic formula 'I will gather you from the nations' (Ezek 11:17; 20:34, 41; 36:24) uses the Piel of qavats almost exclusively, and this became a defining verb of eschatological hope. The stem system distributes the semantics elegantly: the Qal handles straightforward transitive collecting (Joseph gathering grain in Gen 41:35, 48), the Piel intensifies this into deliberate, thorough reassembly, and the Nifal/Hitpael marks the reflexive-reciprocal dimension where people assemble themselves. Arabic qabada ('to grasp, seize') shares the consonantal root but has narrowed to physical grasping, while the Hebrew preserves the broader social sense. Spanish reunir and German versammeln both capture the communal-gathering core, though neither quite matches the prophetic restoration coloring of the Piel.
Senses
1. Piel: gather together, reassemble — Piel intensive: to gather together, reassemble deliberately — the most frequent sense at 50 occurrences, dominated by prophetic promises of national restoration. In Deut 30:3-4 God promises 'he will gather you (qibbetsekha) again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you; even from the farthest end of the heavens the LORD your God will gather you.' Ezekiel deploys this verb repeatedly in restoration oracles (11:17; 20:34, 41; 28:25; 34:13; 36:24; 37:21; 39:27). Spanish reunire and French rassembler both capture the re-assembly nuance. German versammeln selects communal-gathering vocabulary. The Piel stem adds intentionality and thoroughness — this is not casual collection but purposeful, comprehensive ingathering. Neh 1:9 places it in a conditional covenant framework: 'if you return to me... I will gather them from there.' Ps 106:47 and 1 Chr 16:35 use it in liturgical petition. 50×
AR["أَجمَعُهُم", "أَجْمَعُ", "أَجْمَعُهُمْ", "جَامِعٌ", "جَامِعُ", "مَنْ-يَجْمَعُ", "مُجَمِّعٌ", "وَ-أَجْمَعُ", "وَأَجْمَعُكُمْ", "وَأَجْمَعُهُمْ", "وَبِجَمْعِي"]·ben["-আমি-জড়ো-করব", "-থেকে", "-যিনি-জড়ো-করেন", "আমি-জড়ো-করব", "আমি-জড়ো-করব-তাদের", "আমি-সংগ্রহ-করব", "আর-আমি-সংগ্রহ-করব", "আর-জড়ো-করব", "আর-জড়ো-করব-আমি", "একত্র-করব-তাদের", "এবং-আমি-জড়ো-করব", "এবং-জড়ো-করব-আমি", "জড়ো-করব", "জড়ো-করব-আমি", "যে-একত্র-করে", "যে-জড়ো-করে", "সংগ্রহকারী"]·DE["ich-versammle", "und-ich-versammle", "und-versammeln", "und-versammelte", "versammeln", "versammelte", "von-versammelte"]·EN["I-will-gather", "I-will-gather-them", "and-I-gather", "and-I-shall-gather", "and-I-will-gather", "gathering", "one-gathering", "will-gather"]·FR["de-il-a-rassemblé", "et-je-rassemblerai", "et-rassembler", "rassembler"]·heb["אקבוץ", "אקבץ", "אקבצם", "אקבצם-ם", "ו-קיבצתי", "מקבץ"]·HI["इकट्ठा-करने-वाला", "इकट्ठा-करनेवाला", "इकट्ठा-करूँगा", "इकट्ठा-करूँगा-उन्हें", "इकट्ठा-करूँगा-मैं", "इकट्ठा-करूंगा-मैं", "उन्हें", "और-इकट्ठा-करूँगा", "और-इकट्ठा-करूँगा-मैं", "और-मैंने-इकट्ठा-किया", "तुम्हें", "मैं-इकट्ठा-करूँगा-उनको", "मैं-इकट्ठा-करूंगा"]·ID["Aku-akan-mengumpulkan", "Aku-akan-mengumpulkan-mereka", "akan-mengumpulkan", "dan-Aku-akan-mengumpulkan", "dan-Aku-mengumpulkan", "maka-Aku-akan-mengumpulkan", "mengumpulkan", "yang-mengumpulkan", "yang-mengumpulkan."]·IT["e-io-radunero", "e-radunare", "io-radunero", "radunare"]·jav["Ingsun-ngempalaken", "Kawula-badhe-ngempalaken", "Kawula-badhé-ngempalaken", "Kawula-kempalan-piyambakipun", "badhe-ngempalaken", "ingkang-ngempalaken", "ingkang-nglempakaken", "lan-Aku-badhe-ngempalaken", "lan-Aku-badhé-nglempakaken", "lan-Ingsun-ngempalaken", "lan-Kawula-badhé-nglempakaken", "lan-Kawula-ngempalaken", "tiyang-kang-nglempakaken"]·KO["그리고-내가-모으리라", "그리고-내가-모을지라", "그리고-모으겠다", "그리고-모으리라", "내가-모을-것이다-그들을", "모으는-자", "모으는-자-가", "모으는-자가", "모으리라", "모으리리라-그들을", "모을-것이다-내가"]·PT["E-reunirei", "ajuntarei", "e-ajuntarei", "e-reunirei", "e-reuní-los-ei", "e-vos-ajuntarei", "e-vos-reunir", "que-ajunta", "quem-reúna", "quem-reúne", "reunirei", "reunirei-eles", "reunirei-os"]·RU["И-соберу", "в-ярости", "и-соберу", "которых", "рассеяны", "соберу", "соберу-их", "собирающего", "собирающий"]·ES["Y-os-reuniré", "Y-reuniré", "el-que-reúne", "los-recogeré", "los-reuniré", "os-reuniré", "quien-reúna", "recogeré", "reuniré", "y-los-reuniré", "y-os-reuniré", "y-os-reúna", "y-reuniré"]·SW["Na-nitawakusanya", "anayekusanya", "anayewakusanya", "na-nitawakusanya", "nitakusanya", "nitamkusanya", "nitawakusanya"]·TR["nefret-ettin", "toplayacagim", "toplayacağım", "toplayacağım-onları", "toplayan", "toplayan-", "ve-topladığımda", "ve-toplayacağım"]·urd["اور-جمع-کروں-گا", "اور-جمع-کروں-گا-میں", "اور-مَیں-جمع-کروں-گا", "جمع-کرنے-والا", "جمع-کروں-گا", "جمع-کروں-گا-اُن-کو", "جمع-کروں-گا-میں", "میں-جمع-کروں-گا-انہیں"]
2. Nifal/Hitpael: assemble, be gathered — Nifal and Hitpael: to assemble, be gathered together, gather oneself — the middle/passive/reflexive voice covering 39 occurrences where the emphasis falls on the assembled group rather than the agent who gathers them. In Gen 49:2 Jacob summons his sons: 'Gather yourselves together (hiqqabetsu) and hear!' In Josh 9:2 and 10:6 enemy kings 'gathered themselves together' against Israel. 1 Sam 7:6 records Israel gathering at Mizpah for prayer and repentance. Spanish se reunieron ('they gathered themselves') and French se rassemblerent consistently use reflexive constructions, confirming the middle-voice reading. Swahili's intransitive kusanyika ('be gathered') parallels the Nifal passive-resultative reading. The Hitpael adds a deliberate, purposive nuance absent from the Nifal — Josh 9:2 describes coalition-building, an act of political will. 39×
AR["اجْتَمَعَ", "اجْتَمَعُوا", "اجْتَمِعُوا", "اِجْتَمَعَتْ", "فَـ-اجْتَمَعَ", "وَ-اجْتَمَعَ", "وَ-اجْتَمَعُوا", "وَاجتَمَعَ", "وَاجْتَمَعَ", "وَاجْتَمَعُوا"]·ben["আর-জড়ো-হল", "আর-জড়ো-হলেন", "আর-জড়ো-হলো", "আর-সংগ্রহ-হলেন", "একত্র-হয়েছে", "একত্রিত-হও", "এবং-জড়ো-হল", "এবং-জড়ো-হলেন", "এবং-সমবেত-হলেন", "ও-জড়ো-হল", "জড়ো-হও", "জড়ো-হয়েছে", "সংগ্রহ-হলেন"]·DE["sammelte", "schart-euch-zusammen", "und-sie-versammelte", "und-versammeln", "und-versammelte", "versammeln", "versammelte"]·EN["and-gathered", "and-they-gathered", "are-gathered", "assemble", "gather", "gather-yourselves", "gathered", "have-gathered"]·FR["assembler", "et-ils-rassembla", "et-rassembla", "et-rassembler", "rassembla", "rassembler"]·heb["הקבצו", "התקבצו", "ו-התקבצו", "ו-יקבצו", "ו-יתקבצו", "ו-נקבצו", "נקבצו", "תקבצו"]·HI["इकट्ठा-हुए", "इकट्ठा-हो-जाओ", "इकट्ठी-हुईं", "इकट्ठे-हुए", "इकट्ठे-हो", "और-इकट्ठा-हुए", "और-इकट्ठे-हुए", "और-इकट्ठेहुए", "और-इकतथे-हुए", "और-इकथथे-हुए", "तब-इकट्ठे-हुए"]·ID["Dan-berkumpul", "Dan-berkumpullah", "Lalu-berkumpullah", "berhimpunlah", "berkumpul", "berkumpullah", "dan-berkumpul", "dan-berkumpullah", "dan-berkumpullah-mereka", "telah-berkumpul"]·IT["e-essi-radunò", "e-radunare", "e-radunò", "radunare", "radunò"]·jav["Kempal", "Lan-makempal", "Lan-nglempak", "Lan-piyambakipun-ngempal", "Lan-piyambakipun-sami-kempal", "Lan-sami-kempal", "Lan-sami-ngumpul", "kakumpulaken", "kempal", "lan-nglempak", "lan-piyambakipun-sami-kempal", "nglempak", "piyambakipun-ngempal", "sami-kempala"]·KO["그리고-모여들었다", "그리고-모였다", "모여들었다", "모여라", "모였느니라", "모였다", "모였으니", "모이라"]·PT["Ajuntai-vos", "E-congregaram-se", "E-reuniram-se", "Reuni-vos", "ajuntaram-se", "congregaram-se", "e-reuniram-se", "reuni-vos", "reuniram-se", "se-ajuntaram"]·RU["Соберитесь", "и-собрались", "и-собрался", "соберитесь", "собрались"]·ES["Congreguense", "Y-se-reunieron", "os-reuniréis", "reúnanse", "se-habían-reunido", "se-juntaron", "se-reunieron", "se-reúnan", "y-se-reunieron"]·SW["Na-wakakusanyika", "kusanya", "kusanyikeni", "na-wakakusanyika", "walikusanyika", "wamekusanyika", "wayiּkaּbtswּ", "yamekusanyika"]·TR["Ve-topladılar", "Ve-toplandilar", "Ve-toplandılar", "toplandi", "toplandilar", "toplanduilar", "toplandular", "toplandı", "toplandılar", "toplanın", "ve-toplandı"]·urd["اور-جمع-ہوئے", "جمع-ہو", "جمع-ہو-جاؤ", "جمع-ہوئے", "جمع-ہوئے-تھے", "جمع-ہوئے-ہیں", "جمع-ہوں"]
Gen 49:2, Josh 9:2, Josh 10:6, Judg 9:47, 1 Sam 7:6, 1 Sam 7:7, 1 Sam 8:4, 1 Sam 22:2, 1 Sam 25:1, 1 Sam 28:4, 2 Sam 2:25, 1 Chr 11:1 (+27 more)
3. Qal: gather, collect — Qal simple active: to gather, collect — covering 36 occurrences of straightforward transitive gathering of people, animals, or things by an agent. In Gen 41:35 Joseph proposes to 'gather all the food' of the good years; in Gen 41:48 he 'gathered up all the food.' Deut 13:16 commands gathering all the spoil of a condemned city. In 1 Sam 7:5 Samuel says 'gather all Israel to Mizpah'; in Judg 12:4 Jephthah 'gathered all the men of Gilead.' Spanish reunio and German versammelte both use the standard transitive gathering verb. The Qal differs from the Piel (sense 1) in lacking the intensifying and restorative nuance — here the gathering is a practical act of collection rather than a prophetic drama of restoration. 1 Kgs 18:19-20 (Elijah at Carmel) and 1 Kgs 20:1 (Ben-hadad mustering forces) illustrate the military-administrative register. 36×
AR["فَجَمَعَ", "فَجَمَعْتُ", "فَجَمَعْتُهُمْ", "وَ-جَمَعَ", "وَ-جَمَعْتُ", "وَ-جَمَعْتُهُم", "وَجَمَعَ", "وَجَمَعُوا"]·ben["আর-জড়ো-করলাম", "আর-জড়ো-করলাম-তাদের", "আর-জড়ো-করলেন", "আর-সংগ্রহ-করলাম", "আর-সংগ্রহ-করলাম-তাদের", "আর-সংগ্রহ-করলেন-তিনি", "আর-সম্মিলিত-করল", "এবং-জড়ো-করল", "এবং-জড়ো-করলেন", "এবং-সে-জড়ো-করল", "ও-জড়ো-করলেন"]·DE["und-er-versammelte", "und-sammelte", "und-versammeln", "und-versammelte"]·EN["and-I-gathered", "and-I-gathered-them", "and-gathered", "and-he-gathered"]·FR["et-il-rassembla", "et-rassembla", "et-rassembler"]·heb["ו-אקבצה-ה", "ו-אקבצם-ם", "ו-יקבוץ", "ו-יקבץ", "ו-יקבצו", "ו-קבץ", "ו-קבצו", "ו-קיבץ"]·HI["अब-मैंने-उनको-इकट्ठा-किया", "और-इकट्ठा-करने-को", "और-इकट्ठा-किया", "और-इकट्ठेकिया", "और-इकठ्ठा-किया", "और-इकतथ-किय", "और-इकतथे-किय", "और-इकतथे-किये", "और-मैंने-इकठ्ठा-किए", "और-मैंने-उन्हें-इकट्ठा-किया", "वय्यिक्बोछ"]·ID["Dan-aku-mengumpulkan-mereka", "Dan-ia-mengumpulkan", "Dan-mengumpulkan", "Lalu-mengumpulkan", "dan mengumpulkan", "dan-aku-mengumpulkan", "dan-aku-mengumpulkan-mereka", "dan-dia-mengumpulkan", "dan-mengumpulkan"]·IT["e-egli-radunò", "e-radunare", "e-radunò"]·jav["Lan-ngempalaken", "Lan-nglempakaken", "Lan-piyambakipun-nglempakaken", "lajeng-kula-ngempalaken", "lan-kawula-ngempalaken", "lan-kawula-nglempakaken-piyambakipun-sedaya", "lan-kula-nglempakaken", "lan-ngempalaken", "lan-nglempakaken", "lan-nglumpukaken"]·KO["그래서-모았다", "그리고-내가-모았다-그들을", "그리고-모았다", "그리고-모았다-내가-그들을", "그리하여-내가-모았다"]·PT["E-ajuntou", "E-reuniu", "e-recolheu", "e-reuni", "e-reuni-os", "e-reuniram", "e-reuniu", "§ E-reuniram", "¶ E-reuniu"]·RU["И-собрал", "И-собрал-их", "и-собрал", "и-собрал-он", "и-собрал-я", "и-собрал-я-их", "и-собрали"]·ES["Y-reunieron", "Y-reunió", "y-los-reuní", "y-reunieron", "y-reunió", "y-reuní"]·SW["Na-akawakusanya", "na-akakusanya", "na-akawakusanya", "na-nikakusanya", "na-nikawakusanya", "na-wakakusanya", "na-wakakusanyika", "na-wakawakusanya"]·TR["Ve-topladim-onlari", "Ve-topladı", "Ve-topladılar", "ve-topladi", "ve-topladim", "ve-topladı", "ve-topladılar", "ve-topladım", "ve-topladım-onları"]·urd["اور-جمع-کیا", "اور-جمع-کیا-میں-نے", "اور-جمع-کیے", "اور-میں-نے-جمع-کِیا-اُنہیں", "اور-میں-نے-جمع-کیا"]
Gen 41:35, Gen 41:48, Deut 13:16, Judg 12:4, 1 Sam 7:5, 1 Sam 28:1, 1 Sam 28:4, 1 Sam 29:1, 2 Sam 2:30, 2 Sam 3:21, 1 Kgs 11:24, 1 Kgs 18:19 (+24 more)
4. Pual/QalPass: in a gathered state — Pual or Qal passive participle: in a gathered state, already assembled — 2 occurrences describing a resultative condition rather than the act of gathering. In Neh 5:16 Nehemiah says his servants 'were gathered there' (qebutsim) for the wall work; in Ezek 38:8 the restored Israel is described as a people 'gathered (mequbbetset) from many nations.' Spanish reunida/reunidos and German versammelte both use past-participle forms to capture the stative quality. These passive forms presuppose a prior act of gathering (senses 1 or 3) but focus on the resulting assembled state. The Ezekiel passage is theologically significant: it places the gathered condition of Israel as the backdrop against which Gog launches his eschatological assault — they have been reassembled, and now they must be defended. 2×
AR["مَجْموعينَ", "مَجْمُوعَةٍ"]·ben["জড়ো-হয়েছিল", "জড়োকৃত"]·DE["versammeln", "versammelte"]·EN["gathered"]·FR["rassembler"]·heb["מקובצת", "קבוצים"]·HI["इकट्ठा-किया-गया", "इकट्ठे-हुए-थे"]·ID["berkumpul", "yang-dikumpulkan"]·IT["radunare"]·jav["ingkang-kake-mpalaken", "kakempalaken"]·KO["모인", "모인-자들이었다"]·PT["reunida", "reunidos"]·RU["собранную", "собранные"]·ES["reunida", "reunidos"]·SW["iliyokusanywa", "walikusanywa"]·TR["toplanmış", "toplanmıştı"]·urd["جمع-تھے", "جمع-کیے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)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×)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×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
קָבַץ127 vb. gather, collect (syn. אָסַף) (Arabic قَبَضَ grasp, seize; Sab. קבץֿ harvest, in דֿק׳, attrib. of ʿAttar, according to FellZMG liv (1900), 237 f.; Ethiopic ቀብጸ: is fail, despair; NH קִבֵּץ = BH);— †Qal Pf. 3 ms. ק׳ 1 K 20:1; Impf. 3 ms. יִקְבָּץ־ ψ 41:7, וַיִּקְבֹּץ Gn 41:48 +, etc.; Imv. ms. קְבֹץ 1 K 18:19, mpl. קִבְצוּ 1 S 7:5 +; Inf. cstr. sf. לְקָבְצִי Zp 3:8; Pt. act. קֹבֵץ Ez…