Original Word: קָרָא
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: qara'
Pronunciation: kah-rah
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-raw')
NASB: meet, against, met, befall, happened, toward, befallen
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet

befall, by chance, cause to come upon, fall out, happen, meet

A primitive root: to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner -- befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to encounter, befall
NASB Translation
against (16), befall (4), befallen (2), came (1), chance (1), come (1), down* (1), encounter (2), engage (1), event* (1), happen to come (1), happened (3), help (1), meet (87), met (6), opposite (1), right (1), seek (1), toward (3).

II. [קָרָא]₁₃₇ verb encounter, befall ("" form of קָרָה, q. v.; SI⁴ לקרת to meet, opposite; Arabic put part to part; Minaean קרא set opposite, Hom^{Chrest. 127}); —

Qal₁₃₁ Perfect₅₃ masculine singular suffix קְרָאַנִי Jeremiah 13:22; Job 4:2; 3feminine singular קָרָאת Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 44:23, etc; Imperfect₄3masculine singular יִקְרָא Genesis 49:1, suffix יִקְרָאֶנוּ Genesis 42:4; 3feminine plural וַתִּקְרֶאנָה Leviticus 10:19; Exodus 1:10 read 3 feminine singular suffix תִּקְרָאֵנוּ (⅏ Vrss Di Ges^{§ 47k} So^Kau Baen); infinitive construct₁₂₁ לקְרַאת (Ges^{§ 19k} Ol^{§ 137}), Genesis 15:10 +, etc.; Participle feminine plural suffix קרְאִתַיִךְ Isaiah 51:19; —

1 meet, encounter, only infinitive construct לִקְרַאת often= preposition toward, against (Kö^{ii. l, 317}), almost always with accusative of person, after verb of motion, Isaiah 7:3; Genesis 19:1; Genesis 24:17; Judges 4:18,22; 1 Kings 2:8 +; in war, battle, Judges 7:24; Judges 20:25,31; 1 Samuel 4:1; 1 Kings 20:27 +, after עָרַךְ 2 Samuel 10:9,10,7 +, Psalm 35:3 see סגר 2b; ׳לְחַזֵּק לִבָּם לִק הַמִּלְחָמָה Joshua 11:20 to harden their heart to encounter the war with Israel; after הִנֵּה (without verb of motion), 1 Samuel 10:10; 2 Samuel 15:32; 2 Samuel 16:1; 1 Kings 18:7; Proverbs 7:10; in construction praegn. ׳וַיִשְׂמַח לִק Judges 19:3 he rejoiced to meet him, + 1 Samuel 6:13 (ᵐ5 We Dr and others); ׳חרד לִק 2 Kings 10:15, נצב Exodus 5:20; Exodus 7:15; Numbers 22:34, etc.; redund. ׳לִק ׳יִקָּרֶה י Numbers 23:3; implication of helping, Isaiah 21:14; Psalm 59:6 (figurative); נְחָשִׁים ׳לִק Numbers 24:1 he did not go to encounter (in expectation of) signs of divination; in metaphor Isaiah 14:9, "" אֱםהֶי ׳לִק Amos 4:12

2 figurative befall with accusative of person, bad sense Genesis 42:4,38; Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 13:22; Jeremiah 44:23; Isaiah 51:19; Job 4:14; Leviticus 10:19; of war Exodus 1:10 (see above) in General, Genesis 49:1.

Niph`al meet unexpectedly; Perfect3masculine singular נִקְרָא, with עַל person Exodus 5:3; Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִּקָּרֵא, with לִפְנֵי person 2 Samuel 18:9; Perfect 2 Samuel 20:1 with שָׁם, chanced to be there; Imperfect of bird's nest Deuteronomy 22:6 (לִפְנֵי); Infinitive absolute נִקְרֹא see קרה.

Hiph`il Imperfect2masculine singular וַחַקְרֵא Jeremiah 32:23 thou didst cause all this evil to befall them (accusative of person and thing).

[קְרַאת], לִקְרַאת to meet, see II. קדא. p. 896.

Overview

קָרָא (Strong’s 7122) portrays an unplanned encounter or incident that “comes about” in human experience. From the patriarchs to the sages, Scripture uses the verb to speak of everything from a casual meeting on the road to a national calamity. Behind every occurrence stands the conviction that nothing merely “happens”; the Living God works out His purposes through what people call chance.

Distribution and Literary Settings

• Pentateuch (13×): Genesis 42–44; Exodus 1:10; 21:13; Numbers 35:11; Deuteronomy 19:5; 22:6; 31:29.
• Historical Books (17×): Joshua 2:14; Ruth 2:3; 1 Samuel 4:1, 2; 6:9; 10:2-7 (5×); 2 Samuel 1:6; 18:9; 2 Kings 4:25 (2×).
• Wisdom Literature (7×): Proverbs 12:21; Ecclesiastes 2:14, 15; 3:19; 9:2, 3 (2×).

Key Patterns of Usage

1. Perceived Misfortune

Jacob frets that “harm might befall him” (Genesis 42:4, 38; 44:29, 34). Moses foresees that “evil will befall you in the latter days” (Deuteronomy 31:29). Proverbs sums up the theology: “No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble” (Proverbs 12:21). What people fear as random adversity is, in the biblical view, governed by covenant realities—obedience brings protection; rebellion invites calamity.

2. Accidental Homicide and Cities of Refuge

Exodus 21:13 describes the manslayer “whom God lets happen into his hand.” Numbers 35:11 and Deuteronomy 19:5 use קָרָא to protect the one who kills “unawares.” These laws balance personal responsibility with recognition of divine providence. Even an unintended death is not outside God’s courtroom; grace and justice meet in the cities of refuge.

3. Providential Meetings

Ruth “happened to come to a portion of land belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:3). Saul would “meet” successive groups after Samuel anointed him (1 Samuel 10:2-5). Absalom “happened to encounter the servants of David” (2 Samuel 18:9), a meeting that sealed his fate. Such verses affirm that God directs individual paths toward redemption or judgment.

4. Military Encounters

“Israel went out to meet the Philistines” (1 Samuel 4:1). Pharaoh fears that “war might break out” (Exodus 1:10). The same verb that covers chance happenings also covers armies colliding, underscoring that national history turns on events God allows to “occur.”

5. Wisdom’s Reflection on the Human Condition

Ecclesiastes repeats that “the same event happens to all” (Ecclesiastes 2:14-15; 3:19; 9:2-3). From a human vantage, life and death look arbitrary, yet Qoheleth prompts readers to seek meaning beyond what “befalls” under the sun, driving them toward reverence for God (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Theological Emphases

• Divine Sovereignty Over Chance

When the Philistines test the returning ark, they admit, “If it does not, then we will know that it was not the LORD’s hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance” (1 Samuel 6:9). Scripture allows the language of chance but never the reality of a universe outside Yahweh’s rule.

• Human Responsibility Within Providence

The manslayer must flee; Jacob must safeguard Benjamin; Ruth must glean. God’s hidden orchestration invites faithful action, not fatalism.

• Assurance in Uncertain Events

Proverbs 12:21 and Genesis 42 show that potential harm is subject to covenant care. Believers today draw confidence that no unforeseen crisis escapes the Shepherd’s oversight (compare Romans 8:28).

Ministry Applications

1. Pastoral Care

When congregants face “random” tragedy, texts like Exodus 21:13 and Ruth 2:3 affirm God’s presence in the unpredictable. Counselors can uphold divine sovereignty without denying real pain.

2. Preaching the Gospel

Ruth’s “chance” meeting with Boaz ultimately leads to David and the Messiah. Preachers may illustrate how God uses ordinary circumstances to advance redemptive history.

3. Ethical Encouragement

The cities-of-refuge passages motivate churches to build structures of mercy for modern equivalents of accidental harm—support groups, legal aid, restorative justice ministries.

4. Missional Outlook

Saul’s sequential encounters (1 Samuel 10) suggest praying for “divine appointments.” Evangelists can expect God to arrange meetings that open hearts to the gospel.

Summary

קָרָא frames life’s surprises—pleasant or painful—as divinely supervised intersections rather than blind luck. From patriarchal anxieties to wisdom’s contemplation of death, every occurrence underscores that “The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19).

וְלִקְרַ֖את וְקָרָ֨את וַיִּקָּרֵא֙ וַתִּקְרֶ֥אנָה וַתַּקְרֵ֣א וּקְרָאָ֤הוּ ויקרא ולקראת וקראהו וקראת ותקרא ותקראנה יִקְרָ֥א יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ יִקָּרֵ֣א יקרא יקראנו לִקְרַ֖את לִקְרַ֣את לִקְרַ֥את לִקְרַ֨את לִקְרָאת֑וֹ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ לִקְרָאת֖וֹ לִקְרָאתִ֔י לִקְרָאתִֽי׃ לִקְרָאתָ֑הּ לִקְרָאתָ֔ם לקראת לקראתה לקראתו לקראתי לקראתי׃ לקראתם נִקְרָ֜א נִקְרָ֣א נִקְרֹ֤א נקרא קְ֭רָאַנִי קְרָאֻ֣נִי קָרָ֥את קֹֽרְאֹתַ֔יִךְ קראני קראת קראתיך תִקְרֶ֤אנָה תקראנה kaRat Keraani keraUni koreoTayich likRat likraTah likraTam likraTi likraTo liq·rā·ṯāh liq·rā·ṯām liq·rā·ṯî liq·rā·ṯōw liq·raṯ liqraṯ liqrāṯāh liqrāṯām liqrāṯî liqrāṯōw nikRa nikRo niq·rā niq·rō niqrā niqrō qā·rāṯ qārāṯ qə·rā·’a·nî qə·rā·’u·nî qərā’anî qərā’unî qō·rə·’ō·ṯa·yiḵ qōrə’ōṯayiḵ tikRenah ṯiq·re·nāh ṯiqrenāh ū·qə·rā·’ā·hū ukeraAhu ūqərā’āhū vaiyikkaRe vattakRe vattikRenah vekaRat velikRat wat·taq·rê wat·tiq·re·nāh wattaqrê wattiqrenāh way·yiq·qā·rê wayyiqqārê wə·liq·raṯ wə·qā·rāṯ wəliqraṯ wəqārāṯ yikkaRe yikRa yikraEnnu yiq·qā·rê yiq·rā yiq·rā·’en·nū yiqqārê yiqrā yiqrā’ennūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts