H7185 H7185
To be hard, severe, or difficult; in Hifil, to harden or make obstinate; of childbirth, harsh treatment, and fierce character.
Qashah is the Hebrew Bible's primary word for hardness in all its dimensions — physical, emotional, moral, and spiritual. Its most famous use is theological: Pharaoh's hardened heart and Israel's stiffened neck, where the Hifil causative hiqshah becomes a diagnosis of deliberate spiritual rebellion. But the root runs deeper than stubbornness alone. Rachel's agonizing labor is 'hard' (Gen 35:16-17), the Israelites' bondage is 'harsh' (1 Kgs 12:4), and Simeon and Levi's wrath is 'fierce' (Gen 49:7). The multilingual evidence is revealing: Spanish endurecer and French endurcir track the obstinacy sense closely, while Arabic qasa captures the root's physical dryness and hardness that underlies all the metaphorical extensions.
Senses
1. make obstinate, harden — The dominant Hifil causative sense: to make obstinate, stiffen, or harden, almost always paired with 'neck' (oref) or 'heart' (lev). This is the word for deliberate spiritual rebellion — Pharaoh hardening his heart (Exod 7:3; 13:15), Israel stiffening their necks (Deut 10:16; 2 Chr 30:8), and Rehoboam refusing to lighten his father's yoke (1 Kgs 12:4). At 19 occurrences it overwhelmingly dominates the lemma. Spanish endurecer, French endurcir, and German verharten all lexicalize this as a dedicated 'obstinacy' verb, distinct from mere physical hardness. 19×
AR["أَقْسَوْا", "أُقَسِّي", "تُصَلِّبُونَ", "تُقَسُّوا", "تُقَسِّوا", "فَ-أَقْسَوْا", "قَسا-عَلَيْهِ", "قَسَّوْا", "قَسَّى", "قَسّى", "مُقَسٍّيَ-", "وَ-صَلَّبَ", "وَ-صَلَّبُوا", "وَ-قَسَّوْا", "وَ-مَنْ-يُقَسِّي", "وَصَلَّبُوا"]·ben["আর-কঠিন-করল", "আর-কঠিন-করেছিল", "এবং-কঠিন-করল", "এবং-তারা-কঠিন-করেছে", "ও-কঠিন-করলেন", "কঠিন-করব", "কঠিন-করল", "কঠিন-করেছিলেন", "কঠিন-করো", "কঠিন-হয়েছে", "কঠোর-করলেন", "কিন্তু-যে-কঠিন-করে", "তারা-কঠিন-করেছে", "তোমরা-কঠিন-করো", "ভারী-করেছেন", "যে-কঠিন-করে-", "শক্ত-করো"]·DE["[הקשה]", "[הקשו]", "[ויקש]", "[ויקשו]", "[ומקשה]", "[מקשה]", "[תקשו]", "du-soll-stiffen", "harden", "machte-hard", "und-sie-stiffened", "verhaertete", "wird-verhaerten"]·EN["and-he-stiffened", "and-they-stiffened", "but-one-who-hardens", "harden", "hardened", "has-hardened", "made-hard", "stiffen", "stiffening", "they-stiffened", "will-harden", "you-shall-stiffen"]·FR["--endurcir", "[הקשה]", "[הקשו]", "[ויקש]", "[ויקשו]", "[תקשו]", "endurcir", "endurcit", "et-ils-stiffened", "et-ומקשה", "fit-dur", "tu-devra-stiffen", "הקשה", "מקשה"]·heb["אקשה", "הִקְשָׁה", "הקשה", "הקשו", "ו-הקשו", "ו-יקש", "ו-יקשו", "ו-מקשה", "מקשה-", "תקשו"]·HI["अकड़ाई", "अकड़ाओ", "अकड़ी-की", "और-अकड़ाई", "और-अकड़ी", "और-उन्होंने-कठोर-किया", "और-उसने-अकड़ा-किया", "और-कठोर-करने-वाला", "और-कठोर-किया", "कठिन-किया-था", "कठोर-करने-वाला-", "कठोर-करूँगा", "कठोर-करो", "कठोर-किया", "कठोर-हुआ", "क्योंकि", "ने-कठोर-किया"]·ID["akan-mengeraskan", "berkeras", "dan-mengeraskan", "dan-mereka-mengeraskan", "kamu-mengeraskan", "keraskan", "melainkan-mereka-mengeraskan", "memberatkan", "menegarkan", "mengeraskan", "mengeraskan-diri", "mereka-keraskan", "mereka-mengeraskan", "tetapi-siapa-mengeraskan", "yang-mengeraskan"]·IT["[הקשה]", "[הקשו]", "[ויקש]", "[ויקשו]", "[תקשו]", "e-essi-stiffened", "e-indurire", "e-ma-one-chi-hardens", "fece-duro", "has-hardened", "induri", "indurire", "indurì", "stiffening", "tu-dovra-stiffen", "will-indurire"]·jav["Kula-badhé-ngatos-atosaken", "Piraun-mangkotaken-manah", "damel-awrat", "dipundadosaken-keras", "gulu-nipun", "gulu-nipun,", "kang-ngatos-atos", "lajeng-sami-nekadaken", "lan-mbangkang", "lan-ngeyel", "lan-piyambakipun-ngeraskaken", "nanging-tiyang-kang-ngatos-atos", "njengèngaken", "panjenengan-wangkotaken", "sami-nekadaken", "sami-ngatos-atosaken", "wangkot"]·KO["각박하게-했다", "강팀했는가", "강하게-하리라", "강하게-했다", "고집하는", "귳게-했다", "그들이-굳게-했다", "그러나-완고하게-하는-자는", "그리고-굳게-하였다", "그리고-굳게-했다", "그리고-그가-경직시켰다", "그리하여-각박하게-했다", "너희-가-경직하게-하지", "무겁게-했다", "뻣뻣하게-하라", "완고하게-하셨다", "완고하였다"]·PT["e-endurecedor-de", "e-endureceram", "e-endureceu", "endurecendo-", "endureceram", "endurecerei", "endurecereis", "endureceu", "endureçais", "fez-pesado"]·RU["а-ожесточающий", "делайте-жёсткой", "и-ожесточил", "и-ожесточили", "и-ужесточили", "ожесточайте", "ожесточали", "ожесточающий-", "ожесточил", "ожесточили", "ожесточился", "ожесточу", "отяготил", "отяжелил"]·ES["endureceré", "endureceréis", "endurecieron", "endureció", "endurezcais", "hizo-duro", "que-endurece-", "se-endureció", "sino-endurecieron", "y-el-que-endurece", "y-endurecieron", "y-endureció"]·SW["alifanya-kuwa-ngumu", "alipokaidi", "aliufanya-kuwa-mgumu", "aliyeupinga", "anayefanya-ugumu-wa", "bali-walifanya-ngumu", "kuwa-ngumu", "lakini-anayefanya-ugumu", "lakini-walifanya-shingo-ngumu", "msifanye-migumu", "na-wakafanya-shingo", "na-wakafanya-ugumu", "nitauimarisha", "taּkshwּ", "wakazifanya-ngumu", "wameufanya-mgumu", "wayeּkesh"]·TR["ağırlaştırdı", "fakat-sertleştiren", "inat-etti", "sert-yapmayın", "sertledi", "sertlesetirin", "sertleştirdi", "sertleştirdiler", "sertleştireceksiniz", "sertleştireceğim", "sertleştiren-", "ve-sertleştirdi", "ve-sertleştirdiler", "ve-sertlştirdiler"]·urd["اور-اکڑ-کیا", "اور-اکڑی", "اور-اکڑی-کی", "اور-سخت-کرنے-والا", "اور-سخت-کیا", "اکڑ-ہو", "اکڑاؤ", "سخت-کرنے-والا", "سخت-کرو", "سخت-کروں-گا", "سخت-کی", "سخت-کیا", "سختی-کی", "سختی-کی-ہے", "نے-سخت-کیا"]
Exod 7:3, Exod 13:15, Deut 2:30, Deut 10:16, 1 Kgs 12:4, 2 Kgs 17:14, 2 Chr 10:4, 2 Chr 30:8, 2 Chr 36:13, Neh 9:16, Neh 9:17, Neh 9:29 (+7 more)
2. be hard, severe, fierce — The Qal stative: to be hard, harsh, severe, or fierce in character or action. Genesis 49:7 condemns the 'fierce' wrath of Simeon and Levi; 1 Samuel 5:7 records that Yahweh's hand 'was severe' upon the Philistines; 2 Samuel 19:43 describes the men of Judah's words as 'harder' than those of Israel. Spanish cruel and French cruel both appear here, marking the qualitative-judgment dimension that separates this from the volitional obstinacy of the Hifil. 3×
AR["قَاسٍ", "قَسَتْ", "وَقَسَا"]·ben["এবং-কঠিন-ছিল", "কঠিন", "নিষ্ঠুর"]·DE["hart-ist-er", "ist-hard", "und-war-harsh"]·EN["and-was-harsh", "cruel", "is-hard"]·FR["cruel", "est-dur", "et-fut-harsh"]·heb["ו-יקש", "קשתה"]·HI["और-कठोर-थी", "कठोर", "कठोर-है"]·ID["dan-lebih-keras", "kejam", "keras"]·IT["cruel", "e-era-duro", "è-duro"]·jav["atos", "awrat", "lan-atos"]·KO["그리고-강하였다", "사나웠다", "심하다"]·PT["cruel", "e-foi-dura", "foi-dura"]·RU["жестокая", "и-тверже", "тяжела"]·ES["cruel", "es-dura", "y-fue-dura"]·SW["imekuwa-ngumu", "kuwa-kali", "lakini-lilikuwa-kali"]·TR["sert", "sertleşti", "ve-sertlendi"]·urd["اور-سخت-ہوئی", "بے-رحم", "سخت-ہوا-ہے"]
3. have difficulty in labor — A specialized obstetric sense: to have hard labor, to experience difficulty in childbirth. Both occurrences describe Rachel's fatal delivery of Benjamin (Gen 35:16-17), and the Piel/Hifil infinitive construct marks the intensity of the physical ordeal. Spanish dificultad and German schwer both select medical-difficulty vocabulary rather than moral-hardness terms. Though only two verses, this concrete bodily sense is the root's most visceral application and may be closer to its original physical meaning than the metaphorical extensions. 2×
AR["بِ-تَعَسُّرِ-ها", "وَ-تَعَسَّرَتْ"]·ben["আর-কষ্ট-পেল", "কষ্টে-তার"]·DE["als-es-schwer-war", "und-es-war-schwer"]·EN["and-she-had-difficulty", "when-she-had-difficulty"]·FR["et-elle-avait-difficulty", "quand-elle-avait-difficulty"]·heb["ב-הקשתה-ה", "ו-תקש"]·HI["और-कठिन-हुई", "जब-कठिनाई-में"]·ID["dan-ia-kesulitan", "ketika-ia-kesulitan"]·IT["e-ella-aveva-difficulty", "quando-ella-aveva-difficulty"]·jav["lan-rèkasipun", "nalika-rèkasipun"]·KO["그녀가-힘들어할-때에", "그리고-난산했다"]·PT["e-teve-dificuldade", "em-ter-dificuldade-dela"]·RU["и-было-тяжело", "когда-тяжело-было-ей"]·ES["en-dificultad-de-ella", "y-tuvo-dificultad"]·SW["kumbe", "na-kumaumivu"]·TR["ve-zorlandı", "zorlandığında"]·urd["اور-مشکل-ہوئی", "مشکل-میں-ہونے-وقت-اُس-کے"]
4. be difficult — The Qal sense of being difficult, hard to accomplish or adjudicate. Deuteronomy 1:17 warns judges not to shrink from a case that 'is too hard,' and Deuteronomy 15:18 assures the master that releasing a slave 'shall not seem hard' in his eyes. Spanish dificil and German hart both select task-difficulty rather than character-severity vocabulary. This sits at the boundary between physical hardness and cognitive challenge. 2×
AR["يَصْعُبُ"]·ben["কঠিন", "কঠিন-হবে"]·DE["ist-hart", "soll-sein-hart"]·EN["is-hard", "shall-be-hard"]·FR["devra-être-hard", "est-hard"]·heb["יקשה"]·HI["कठिन-लगेगा", "कठिन-हो"]·ID["berat", "sulit"]·IT["dovra-essere-duro", "e-duro"]·jav["awrat", "kedah-awrat"]·KO["어려우리라", "어려운"]·PT["for-difícil", "será-duro"]·RU["да-будет-тяжело", "трудно"]·ES["sea-difícil", "sea-duro"]·SW["kufahamu", "kuonekana-vigumu"]·TR["zor", "zor-gelecek"]·urd["مشکل-لگے", "مشکل-ہو"]
5. be hard-pressed, in distress — The Nifal passive: to be hard-pressed, in severe distress. A single occurrence (Isa 8:21) describes the famished wanderer who, 'hard-pressed and hungry,' curses his king and his God. The passive voice marks the subject as sufferer rather than agent of hardness — a key semantic distinction from senses 1-2 where the subject either causes or embodies hardness. The German and French translations leave this untranslated (bracket the Hebrew), perhaps reflecting how rare and striking the Nifal form is. 1×
AR["مَكدُودًا"]·ben["কষ্টে"]·DE["[נקשה]"]·EN["hard-pressed"]·FR["[נקשה]"]·heb["ניקשה"]·HI["कठिनाई-में"]·ID["dalam-kesusahan"]·IT["indurire"]·jav["awrat"]·KO["곤고하고"]·PT["duramente-oprimido"]·RU["удручённый"]·ES["duramente-oprimido"]·SW["akiteseka"]·TR["sikinti-cekmis"]·urd["مصیبت-زدہ"]
6. make difficult, ask a hard thing — The Hifil in a non-obstinacy application: to make something difficult, to pose a hard request. Elijah tells Elisha, 'You have asked a hard thing' (2 Kgs 2:10) — the double portion of spirit. Spanish cosa dificil ('a difficult thing') and German schwer select difficulty vocabulary rather than stubbornness vocabulary, confirming this as the Hifil's secondary sense: making a task difficult rather than making a person obstinate. 1×
AR["صَعَّبْتَ"]·ben["কঠিন-করেছ"]·DE["du-habe-fragte-hard"]·EN["you-have-asked-hard"]·FR["tu-ai-demanda-dur"]·heb["הקשית"]·HI["कठिन-किया-है"]·ID["Engkau-meminta-hal-yang-sulit"]·IT["tu-avere-chiese-duro"]·jav["panjenengan-nyuwun-awrat"]·KO["어렵게-했다-당신-은"]·PT["tornaste-difícil"]·RU["трудное-ты-просишь"]·ES["Has-pedido-cosa-difícil"]·SW["umeomba"]·TR["zorlastirdin"]·urd["تُو-نے-مشکل-مانگا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H???? 1. (4670×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. [קָשָׁה] vb. be hard, severe, fierce (NH קָשָׁח be severe; Arabic قَسَا (ى) be hard, dry, iii. endure, struggle against, severity; Aramaic קְשָׁא, ܩܫܳܐ be hard, difficult; J.Aram קְשִׁי, קַשְׁיָה adj. hard);— Qal Pf. 3 fs. קָֽשְׁתָה 1 S 5:7, קָשָׁ֑תָה Gn 49:7; Impf. 3 ms. יִקְשֶׁה Dt 1:17; 15:18, וַיִּ֫קֶשׁ 2 S 19:44;— 1. be hard, difficult Dt 1:17 (of a legal case; מִן compar.). 2. be hard,…