---
title: קַו — line · The Tanakh dictionary
description: קַו (lemma:קַו), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 12 times: line. BDB 1906: n.m. line. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/lemma_3a_5e7_5b7_5d5.html)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [Tanakh](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/) / [ק](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1511.md)‎ / קַו‎

<!-- .hw dir=rtl lang=hbo -->
# קַו

<!-- .meta -->
«קַו» in the Tanakh dictionary: **line** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Used:** 12 times · **Key:** lemma:קַו · **BDB:** קַו³

### Glosses

line (8); of.strength (4)

### Meaning (OSHB)

line [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1511/lemma_3a_5e7_5b7_5d5/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

n.m. line [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1511/lemma_3a_5e7_5b7_5d5/#m2)

<!-- fold -->
**The whole BDB entry:** n.m. Zc 1:16 line (cf. Köii 1, 40 Anm. 2);—abs. קַו Ez 47:3 + Zc 1:16 Qr (Kt קוה), קָ֑ו Is 34:17 +; cstr. קַו (קָ K3) 2 K 21:13 +;—measuring-line (ק׳ מִדָּה Je 31:39): 1 K 7:23 (Qr; Kt קוה, v. infr.) = 2 Ch 4:2, Ez 47:3; for marking off a possession in land Is 34:17 (fig.); especially נָטָה ק׳ עַל, in building, Jb 38:5 (fig. of earth), Zc 1:16 (יִנָּטֶה; ‖ יִבָּנֶה), so יָצָא ק׳ Je 31:39 (Qr; Kt קוה); נָטָה ק׳ of designing idol Is 44:13; marking off for destruction, נָטָה ק׳ עַל 2 K 21:13 Is 34:11 (תֹהוּ קַו־), נ׳ ק׳ La 2:8; so וְשַׂמְתִּ֫י מִשְׁפָּט לְקָ֔ו Is 28:17.—קַוָּם their chord = music ψ 19:5. Is 18:2, 7 v. קוקו infr.; 28:10, 13 v. i. קַו.

<!-- .note -->
Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 4 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (2 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «קַו» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1511/lemma_3a_5e7_5b7_5d5/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

<!-- div verse -->

<!-- .ref -->
[Isaiah 28:10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/ISA.28.10/)

<!-- .vt dir=rtl lang=hbo -->
כִּ֣י צַ֤ו לָצָו֙ צַ֣ו לָצָ֔ו קַ֥ו לָקָ֖ו קַ֣ו לָקָ֑ו זְעֵ֥יר שָׁ֖ם זְעֵ֥יר שָֽׁם׃

*Word for word:* (dm) command to command command to command line to line line to line a.little there a.little there

*JPS 1917:* For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- div verse -->

<!-- .ref -->
[Isaiah 28:13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/ISA.28.13/)

<!-- .vt dir=rtl lang=hbo -->
וְהָיָ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם דְּבַר־יְהוָ֗ה צַ֣ו לָצָ֞ו צַ֤ו לָצָו֙ קַ֤ו לָקָו֙ קַ֣ו לָקָ֔ו זְעֵ֥יר שָׁ֖ם זְעֵ֣יר שָׁ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן יֵלְכ֜וּ וְכָשְׁל֤וּ אָחוֹר֙ וְנִשְׁבָּ֔רוּ וְנוֹקְשׁ֖וּ וְנִלְכָּֽדוּ׃פ

*Word for word:* and it.will.be to them the.word of.Yahweh command to command command to command line to line line to line a.little there a.little there so.that they.may.go and they.will.stumble backwards and they.will.be.broken and they.will.be.ensnared and they.will.be.captured

*JPS 1917:* And so the word of the LORD is unto them precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [קַו](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/6957.md)
- next →: [קְוֵא](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/lemma_3a_5e7_5b0_5d5_5b5_5d0.md)
- ↑ back to [ק](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1511.md)