Original Word: קַט
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: qat
Pronunciation: kaht
Phonetic Spelling: (kat)
KJV: very
NASB: too
Word Origin: [from H6990 (קָטַט - To crush) in the sense of abbreviation]

1. a little, i.e. (adverbially) merely

very

From qatat in the sense of abbreviation; a little, i.e. (adverbially) merely -- very.

see HEBREW qatat

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
perhaps only
NASB Translation
too (1).

קָט Ez 1 Chronicles 16:47 (׳כִּמְעַט ק), dubious; Ki only (Arabic ); strike out ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Thes Hi Co Berthol, Toy זֹאת, Perles^{Anal. 30} קָטָן; Krae conjectures כִּיאִֿם עָטַפְתְּ for במעטקט.

קטב (√ of following; compare ᵑ7 קְטַב cut off (rare); in Arabic id., said to be for see Lane).

Term Overview

קַט (qat) conveys the idea of “smallness,” “triviality,” or “a very little thing.” Its single appearance in Scripture serves as a prophetic rebuke that what seemed “minor” in human estimation had become the launching point for greater wickedness.

Scriptural Context

Ezekiel 16:47 addresses Jerusalem’s spiritual adultery in comparison with Samaria and Sodom: “Yet you did not walk in their ways or imitate their deeds. In a short time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.”. The phrase translated “in a short time” (or “as if it were a very little thing”) comes from קַט. It functions ironically, exposing the city’s rationalization of sin: what Jerusalem counted negligible was, in fact, a catalyst for extraordinary corruption.

Historical Background

Ezekiel ministered among the exiles in Babylon around 593–571 BC, announcing judgment yet promising ultimate restoration. In chapter 16 he crafts an extended allegory of Jerusalem as an unfaithful wife. By using קַט, the prophet confronts the post-Josianic generation with the seriousness of incremental compromise. The exile proved that “little” departures from covenant loyalty had accumulated into national catastrophe.

Theological and Prophetic Implications

1. The Progressive Nature of Sin
• Small transgressions left unchecked grow into entrenched rebellion (compare Genesis 4:7; Hebrews 3:13).
• Jesus echoes the principle: “Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much” (Luke 16:10). The inverse is equally true.

2. Divine Appraisal versus Human Minimizing
• What people dismiss as minor, God weighs with perfect holiness (Psalm 5:4).
• Throughout Scripture, “trivial” rationalizations precede judgment (Joshua 7:21; 1 Samuel 15:19–23).

3. Covenant Accountability
• Judah’s failure in “small” matters invalidated its pretensions of fidelity in larger ones (Jeremiah 7:8–11).
• The exile served as both penalty and purification, underscoring that no sin is inconsequential before the covenant-keeping God.

Practical Ministry Application

• Personal Holiness: Believers are warned against dismissing “respectable” sins. Early repentance prevents deeper bondage (1 John 1:9).
• Corporate Integrity: Churches must address subtle compromises—ethical shortcuts, doctrinal drift, lukewarm worship—before they mature into public scandal (Revelation 2:4–5).
• Discipleship: Mentoring should highlight faithfulness in “small” obediences—speech, stewardship, secret devotion—because these form character (Colossians 3:17).
• Preaching and Teaching: Ezekiel’s use of קַט supplies an illustrative text for sermons on the danger of minimizing sin and the grace that calls us back.

Related Concepts and Connections

• “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9).
• “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (Song of Solomon 2:15).
• David’s prayer for cleansing from “hidden faults” (Psalm 19:12).
• Haggai’s appeal to consider how dismissing “insignificant” obedience delayed temple rebuilding (Haggai 1:2–11).

Summary

Though קַט appears only once, its spotlight on the peril of treating sin as a “very little thing” resounds through the canon. From Ezekiel’s day to the present, Scripture calls God’s people to vigilance in the seemingly small areas of life, confident that holiness in the lesser prepares us for faithfulness in the greater.

קָ֔ט קט Kat qāṭInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts