3512. ka'ah

Lexical Summary

ka'ah: To be disheartened, to be dejected, to be grieved

Original Word: כָּאָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ka'ah
Pronunciation: kah-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-aw')
KJV: broken, be grieved, make sad
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to despond

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

broken, be grieved, make sad

A primitive root; to despond: causatively, to deject -- broken, be grieved, make sad.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[כָּאָה] verb

Niph`al be disheartened, cowed (compare Arabic draw back timidly, abstain, through timidity) —

Niph`al Perfect וְנִכְאָה consecutive Daniel 11:30 then shall he be cowed; Participle נִכְאֵה לֵבָב Psalm 109:16 downhearted ("" עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֺן).

Hiph`il Infinitive construct הַכְאוֺת לֵב צַדִּיק Ezekiel 13:22; but ᵐ5 ᵑ7 Co הכאבתן see כָּאַב.

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Concept

The verb conveys the idea of a heart that sinks, a spirit that droops, or a resolve that grows faint. It pictures an inner weakening—whether emotional, spiritual, or moral—rather than mere physical fatigue. In biblical thought, the heart is the seat of trust and obedience; therefore, when the heart is “discouraged,” covenant faithfulness is threatened.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Ezekiel 13:22 – directed against false prophets who have “disheartened the righteous” but “encouraged the wicked.”
2. Daniel 11:30 – describing how hostile forces “will lose heart” (or “be discouraged”) after a maritime encounter, shifting their aggression toward the holy covenant.

Though brief in distribution, the word’s placement in these strategic passages highlights two arenas in which discouragement operates: deceptive ministry and geopolitical turmoil.

Prophetic Context in Ezekiel

Ezekiel confronts self-appointed prophets who claim divine sanction for their imaginations. Their lies sap the morale of the remnant already living under judgment. “Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood, when I did not grieve him, and encouraged the wicked not to turn from his evil way…” (Ezekiel 13:22).

Key points:
• Discouragement can be a by-product of counterfeit revelation.
• God holds leaders accountable for the emotional and spiritual harm they cause.
• The righteous may be more vulnerable to discouragement precisely because they take God seriously.

Eschatological and Historical Context in Daniel

Daniel 11:30 portrays a Seleucid fleet (the “ships of Kittim”) that thwarts Antiochus IV. Frustrated, he turns his fury toward the covenant community. The text says his forces “shall be discouraged,” a turning point that redirects their hostility. The verse illustrates how geopolitical disappointment can metastasize into persecution of God’s people.

Pastoral observations:
• National or personal setbacks often reveal true loyalties.
• A discouraged heart, when left unaddressed, may lash out against the purposes of heaven.

Theological Significance

1. Discouragement is not morally neutral; it can erode obedience (Numbers 32:9; Deuteronomy 1:28).
2. God distinguishes between sorrow He permits for repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) and sorrow imposed by lies (Ezekiel 13:22).
3. Divine faithfulness stands as the antidote: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29).

Ministry Implications

• Teachers and prophets must ensure their words align with Scripture lest they wound the righteous.
• Shepherds should identify and confront sources of false hope that ultimately deflate God’s people.
• Intercession is needed when national crises tempt believers to faint (Luke 18:1).

New Testament Echoes

While the vocabulary shifts from Hebrew to Greek, the theme recurs:
• “Let us not grow weary in well-doing” (Galatians 6:9).
• “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Colossians 3:21).
• “Encourage the fainthearted” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

These passages affirm that discouragement is still a threat within the covenant community, and the remedy remains mutual encouragement anchored in God’s promises.

Practical Application

1. Speak truth seasoned with hope (Ephesians 4:29).
2. Anchor exhortation in the finished work of Christ (Hebrews 12:3).
3. Guard the heart through Scripture, prayer, and fellowship (Psalm 42:5; Hebrews 10:24-25).

The rare but pointed use of this verb reminds believers that safeguarding hearts from discouragement is a vital aspect of faithful ministry and resilient discipleship.

Forms and Transliterations

הַכְא֤וֹת הכאות וְנִכְאָ֔ה ונכאה hachot haḵ’ōwṯ haḵ·’ō·wṯ venichAh wə·niḵ·’āh wəniḵ’āh

Englishman's Concordance

Ezekiel 13:22
HEB: יַ֣עַן הַכְא֤וֹת לֵב־ צַדִּיק֙
NAS: Because you disheartened the righteous
KJV: of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad;
INT: Because disheartened the heart the righteous

Daniel 11:30
HEB: צִיִּ֤ים כִּתִּים֙ וְנִכְאָ֔ה וְשָׁ֛ב וְזָעַ֥ם
NAS: will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return
KJV: shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return,
INT: ships of Kittim will be disheartened and will return and become

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3512
2 Occurrences

haḵ·’ō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
wə·niḵ·’āh — 1 Occ.