BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Kol (כֹּל) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
כֹּל (kol-) is a fundamental Hebrew word meaning 'the whole,' and by extension 'all,' 'any,' or 'every,' used throughout the Old Testament to express totality or universality.
Meaning of the word
כֹּל (kol-) is one of the most frequent and versatile words in Hebrew. Its primary sense is 'the whole' — referring to a complete totality. From this core meaning it extends naturally to 'all,' 'any,' and 'every,' depending on the noun it modifies and the grammatical form (singular or, often, plural construct).
In form, כֹּל appears most commonly with prefixes: כָּל (kal-), כַּל (kal-), כֹּל (kol-). The lexical entry notes that it occurs in the singular only, yet frequently takes a plural sense — meaning it is used to refer to many items taken together as a single totality.
Because of its breadth, translators often render כֹּל differently in context: 'every living creature' (Gen 1:21), 'everything that creepeth' (Gen 1:25), 'all the earth' (Gen 1:26), 'every herb' (Gen 1:29). The underlying idea in each case is inclusion without exception.
Usage in Scripture
In the opening chapters of Genesis, כֹּל repeatedly accompanies God's creative acts. Every category of creature — sea-monsters, winged birds, beasts, creeping things — is gathered under this word, signaling that the created order is comprehensive and ordered by kind (Gen 1:21, 25).
The word also frames humanity's mandate. God gives dominion over 'all the earth' and 'every living thing' (Gen 1:26, 28), and provides 'every herb' and 'every green herb' as food (Gen 1:29, 30). Here כֹּל underlines the universal scope of both human stewardship and divine provision.
The word in detail
- H3605 כֹּל (kol-) — 'the whole; all, any, every.' Occurs in the singular form but often carries a plural sense, gathering many items into a single totality. Rendered flexibly in English as 'all,' 'every,' 'everything,' depending on the noun it modifies.
Example verses
- Genesis 1:21 כֹּל gathers every class of sea and air creature under one term, showing that creation encompasses the whole living realm.
- Genesis 1:26 Here כֹּל defines the scope of human dominion — 'all the earth' and 'every creeping thing' — emphasizing totality of rule.
- Genesis 1:29 God gives 'every herb' and 'every tree' as food; כֹּל underscores the comprehensive generosity of the provision.
- Genesis 1:30 כֹּל extends divine provision to every beast, bird, and creeping creature, presenting creation as wholly sustained.
Common questions
Is כֹּל singular or plural?
Grammatically it appears in the singular, but it is frequently used with a plural sense, meaning 'all' of a group taken as a totality.
How should כֹּל be translated in different contexts?
Translators render it as 'all,' 'every,' 'everything,' or 'whole' depending on the noun it modifies and whether the reference is to a complete entity or to each member without exception.
Why is כֹּ� so important in Genesis 1?
It frames the creation narrative as comprehensive — every kind of creature, every domain of the earth, and every provision of food is included under this word, presenting God's creative work as ordered and complete.