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H3615 · Hebrew · Old Testament
כָּלָה
Kalah
Verb
To complete, finish, consume

Definition

Kalah means to complete, finish, be at an end, consume, or destroy. It appears about 205 times. It can be positive (completing a task) or negative (destroying). The idea of bringing something to its full end drives both meanings.

Usage & Theological Significance

When God completes His work, it is perfect — creation, the tabernacle, His purposes. In judgment, kalah means total destruction. Yet even in judgment, God promises not to make a 'full end' of His people (Jeremiah 4:27), showing restraint within sovereignty.

Key Bible Verses

Genesis 2:1 The heavens and earth were completed.
Exodus 39:32 All the work on the tabernacle was completed.
Jeremiah 4:27 I will not destroy it completely.
Psalm 119:96 To all perfection I see a limit.
Ezra 9:14 Would you not destroy us completely?

Related Words

External Resources

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