Kaph
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| Ancient Name: | Kaph |
| Pictograph: | Open Palm |
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The Ancient form of this letter is 
the open palm of a hand. Some ideas of this letter are "bend" and "curve," from the shape of the palm, as well as to "tame" or "subdue" as one who has been bent to another's will.
The Modern Hebrew name for this letter is kaph, a Hebrew word meaning "palm" and is also the ancient name for this letter. The word Kaph is also H3709 the Hebrew word for spoon.
This letter is pronounced as a "k," as in the word kaph, when used as a stop or as a "kh" (pronounced hard like the "ch" in the German name Bach).
The hand was an important part of the ancient temple ceremony as an offering of incense. The Lord had shown Moses the pattern of the Tabernacle, with
its furnishings, vessels, and rituals. One commandment Moses received from the Lord
was, "thou shalt make the...spoons...of pure gold" (Ex. 25:29). In fact, each of the 12 tribes donated a golden spoon of 10 shekels weight, filled to overflowing with
frankincense (Num. 7:84-86).
The spoon was termed kaph in Hebrew, which means literally "hollow of the hand," כַּף kaph, ; from H3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power:—branch, foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.
It is also very interesting that the hand-shaped fronds of a palm tree are called Kaph. Now I will think of the palm of Christ.
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest entered the
Holy of Holies of the tabernacle or temple by passing through
the veil. He carried frankincense and the spoon as he passed
through (Lev. 16:12-13).
It was considered especially difficult for the priest to take up the raw incense in the
hollow of his hand, not with his fingers, without dropping one small grain, and to pour it
on to the fire (Lev. 16:12; also Yoma 1, 5, 47b). This important ceremony, including the
complete incineration of the frankincense, along with the high priest shouting the sacred
name "Yahweh" (Jehovah) (יהוה), had to precede immediately the roasting and burning of the
flesh of the animal sacrifice outside on the large altar of burnt offerings. On some
occasions, an altar of incense was used in the temple in lieu of the spoon to burn the
incense.
13th century BC Ramesseum in Thebes/Luxor.
Incense Dish The word kaph is also used to indicate a shallow bowl used as a censer, for burning incense. The RSV renders
this term “incense dish.” Archaeological discovery of shallow stone bowls, with a hand
carved on the bottom that appears to be a cupped palm have been found in temple excavation sites. Incense dishes are mentioned in various priestly texts ( Exod 25:29; Num 4:7) which deal with the tabernacle, and they appear
in other parts of the Bible in relationship to temple equipment (see 1 Kgs 7:50; 2 Kgs
25:14). The incense dishes were made of gold and weighed ten shekels (Num 7:14). In
the tabernacle, they were placed on the small golden table which held various other
receptacles for food as well as the bread of the Presence.
terracotta cupped hand holding an incense bowl. It's Hellenistic period, from the Antioch Museum in Turkey.
John A. Tvedtnes has said that the Hebrew word
"consecrate," refering to the ordination of priests in Old Testament times, literally means "to fill the hand."
מָלָאmale' יָד yad.
Exodus 29:9 "thou shalt fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons" (KJV "thou shalt
consecrate Aaron and his sons")
Another example from Blue Letter Bible:
Reverse Interlinear
| English (KJV) [?] | Strong's | Root Form (Hebrew) | Parsing |
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גָּדוֹל gadowl
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כֹּהֵן kohen
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אָח 'ach
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רֹאשׁ ro'sh
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מָשְׁחָהmishchah
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שֶׁמֶן shemen
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יָצַק yatsaq
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מָלָא male'
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↑
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יָד yad
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לָבַשׁ labash
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בֶּגֶד beged
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פָּרַע para`
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רֹאשׁ ro'sh
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פָּרַם param
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בֶּגֶד beged
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The Hand hieroglyphic 
(yod) looks like an Egyptian censer or incense vessel.
According to Hugh Nibley, The filled hand is the widespread sign of offering sacrifice.
I am reminded of Isaiah 6, also 2 Nephi 16 and his vision of the temple. "I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple (1). Above it stood the seraphim(2)....and the house was filled with smoke (4)..... Then said I: Wo is unto me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips (5)....Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; (6) And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged."
The smoke in the ancient tabernacle came from the altar of incense before the Holy of Holies. The coal taken from this altar and used as a symbol of cleansing and atonement.
the incense holder I have from Nepal, India so used in other religions as well.
Burning incense is an important ritual in all major Buddhist traditions, but the purpose and symbolism of incense are slightly different for each tradition. In Buddhism, incense acts as an offering to Buddhas, or enlightened ones, as well as a symbol for various aspects of Buddhist belief and an aid to positive thoughts and actions.
These beautiful Terracotta Hand Shaped Incense Holder(also known as Incense Burners) holds the incense in a right manner to collect all the ash and remains after the incense has burnt. These are handmade by Prajapatis (A local caste/tribe living in Bhaktapur, Nepal). The lovely design of a hand is a sign of devotion and sacrifice. In India hand is "kara"
Which leads us to another root to study - Kaphar. I wrote an entry about this word and bitumen here. This is the word for atonement.
Strong's H3722 כָּפַר kâphar, kaw-far'; a primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:—appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation).
From the same root we get kaphoret, the mercy seat. The mercy seat was the "covering" for the ark of the covenant.
It was on the mercy seat that sacrificial blood was sprinkled on the day of atonement.
Lev 17:11 reads: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."
In Mosiah 2:36 we read that if we "should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken (commanded), that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you.....therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples. Verse 38 reads "Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. vs 39 And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man."
But then we read in Mosiah Chapter 3 vs 3 of the glad tidings of great Joy! For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare....that with power, the Lord Ominipotent who reigneth, who WAS, and IS (יהוה) from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men and shall dwell שׁכנ in a tabernacle משׁכנ...and he shall suffer; for blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.’
Why blood? It is a real sacrifice. It goes all the way. Eternal life is not cheaply bought. Blood gives life.
In verse 16: The blood of Christ atoneth for their sins. Verse 18....men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation WAS, and IS, and IS TO COME, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (יהוה)
Christ bought (purchased with his blood) the rights to mercy. In Moroni 7:27-28 we read: "... Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men. For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him.....he advocateth the cause of the children of men..."
A sacrificial animal's blood sprinkled on the kapporeth symbolically represented the life of the people who were condemned to die. It represents the innocent taking the place of the guilty. Christ shed his blood for us in our place. The substitutionary shedding of blood, the life-for-life principle is the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. He bought the rights of mercy with his blood and allows us, upon repentance, to be forgiven and made At-ONE again with God. Because of his sacrifice, the paroketh - (wall like covering or vail) separating the Holy of Holies was rent, allowing the bride to be in the chamber with the Bridegroom.
I love C.S. Lewis and his beautiful stories of Narnia. Aslan is an allegory for Christ, who stands in opposition to the White Witch, who holds the world of Narnia captive – “always winter, never Christmas.” But when a group of children stumble through an old wardrobe to discover this world, it is young Edmund who betrays Aslan and his friends.
“You have a traitor there, Aslan,” said the Witch…
“Well,” said Aslan. “His offense was not against you.”
“Have you forgotten the Deep Magic?” asked the Witch.
“Let us say I have forgotten it,” answered Aslan gravely. “Tell us of this Deep Magic.”
“Tell you?” said the Witch, her voice growing suddenly shriller. “Tell you what is written on that very Table of Stone which stands beside us?…You at least know the magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill…And so, that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property.” […]
“It is very true,” said Aslan, “I do not deny it.”
“Oh, Aslan!” whispered Susan in the Lion’s ear, “can’t we – I mean, you won’t, will you? Can’t we do something about the Deep Magic? Isn’t there something you can work against it?”
As we read on, we see that there is an even “deeper magic” to be counted on.
Susan and Lucy had just witnessed the horrific death of Aslan, and were now said to be “walking aimlessly,” unsure of how to proceed.
At that moment they heard from behind them a loud noise — a great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giant’s plate…. The Stone Table was broken into two pieces by a great crack that ran down it from end to end; and there was no Aslan.
“Who’s done it?” cried Susan. “What does it mean? Is it more magic?”
“Yes!” said a great voice from behind their backs. “It is more magic.” They looked round. There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.
“Oh, Aslan!” cried both the children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad….
“But what does it all mean?” asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.
“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.”
The kapporeth foreshadows the atonement of Jesus Christ who gave his life for all. As the great high priest, He delivers mercy to us at the Heavenly throne of God.
USE FOR KAF
The COVERINGS of the Tabernacle held symbolic meaning as well.
בגד Beged is a garment, covering. It was the raiment of any kind from the holy robes of the high priest to the covering of the poor.
It is also the word used for covering or wrapping the tabernacle furniture as it was transported in the wilderness.
A Hebrew verb to cover is כפר, and this is also the word for at-one-ment. We are covered by the atonement of Christ.
Another word for covering is כסה kacah which means to hide.
Exodus 26:14 (KJV) - And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
It was so interesting when I found that the translation for "dyed red" was the word Adam. אָדַם
(There will be a post in Shin/Sin about the dye used for the covering)
There is obvious symbolism in the ram and a dyed red skin. Just as Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, God called out for him to stop. Abraham saw a ram with his horns caught in a thicket. The ram became the substitute sacrifice. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is our ram in the thicket. The color red foreshadows the blood covering of God's Sacrificial Lamb.
Matthew 23:37 (KJV) - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings (coverings), and ye would not!
Christ desires to gather Israel under His covering of the "ram's skin dyed red". The covenant is the covering under which God blesses His children.
Our Savior descended to take on a covering of mortal skin (eventually dyed red - my thoughts)
The actual word used for covering is H3680 kacah; a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy).
The ancient Mosaic tabernacle covering represented the heavens. Psalm 104:2 reads..."who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:"
One of the coverings of the temple was made from badger skins (Tachash #H8476)
Tachash means a clean animal with fur. Literally speaking, badgers' skins were used in the Old Testament not only as a covering for the tabernacle tent, but also to cover the tables, altar, lamp stand and the Ark of the Covenant during travel. Badgers' skins were also used for the shodding of the feet of the Israelites while in the desert. And special mention is given to Ezekiel 16 where Bridal garments are described and the bride is given special footwear made of Badgers skins. Badger skin was used for protection, not so much for beauty. I think of how the Savior is described as having no comeliness that man should desire him. Perhaps this is why Badger skins were used as an outer covering. It could help with protection from the elements as well as not bringing attention to the sacred tent to anyone passing by Israel's camp.
The Linen Curtain
Exodus 26:1-2 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. (2) The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.
Blue, purple and scarlet represent the colors of royalty and the royal priesthood.
Cherubim were again used showing covering and protecting sacred things.
- quppu : a box / a basket of reeds / of wood , a box for money, food, tablets ... , a cage , a guffa (reed-made circular craft)
Further study:
LDS Bible Dictionary Priests
The god Kothar (i.e., skilled one) was very popular at Ugarit and was regarded as a divine craftsman.41 Several texts indicate that he was a magician, master builder, seaman, and a maker of weapons (including the composite bow). It is he who makes the palace for Baal after Baal's "resurrection" from the dead (KTU 1.4: v. 50ff). He is often identified with the Babylonian god Ea, who himself was a god of wisdom, both practical and theoretical.
kanaph - wing also kappi in Assyrian
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He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield H6793and buckler. |
possible??
