Original Word: כּוּר
Part of Speech: noun masculine
Transliteration: kuwr
Pronunciation: koor
Phonetic Spelling: (koor)
Definition: Furnace
Meaning: a pot, furnace

furnace

From an unused root meaning properly, to dig through; a pot or furnace (as if excavated) -- furnace. Compare kiyr.

see HEBREW kiyr

כּוּר noun [masculine] smelting-pot or furnace (Arabic ; Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic id., ; Ethiopic ) — pot or furnace for smelting metals, but always in metaphor or simile of human sufferings in punishment or discipline: iron (figurative of Egypt as place of bondage) הַבַּרְזֶל ׳מִכּ Deuteronomy 4:20; Jeremiah 11:4, ׳הַבּ ׳מִתּוֺךְ כ 1 Kings 8:51; gold לַזָּהָב ׳כ Proverbs 17:3 = Proverbs 27:21 ("" מַצְרֵף); various metals Ezekiel 22:18,20,22; once בְּכוּר עֹ֑נִי Isaiah 48:10 in a smelting-pot of affliction.

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to dig through.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2575 (κάμινος, kaminos): This Greek term is used in the New Testament to refer to a furnace, particularly in the context of judgment or testing, similar to the Hebrew כּוּר.
• G4451 (πυρά, pura): This Greek word refers to a fire or a place of burning, often used metaphorically to describe trials or purification processes.

The concept of a furnace as a place of refining and testing is a recurring theme in both the Old and New Testaments, illustrating the transformative power of trials and the divine purpose behind them.

Usage: The term כּוּר is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a furnace, often in the context of smelting or refining metals. It is metaphorically used to describe a place or situation of intense heat or trial, symbolizing purification or testing.

Context: • The Hebrew word כּוּר (kur) appears in various contexts within the Old Testament, primarily associated with the process of refining metals. This term is often used metaphorically to describe the process of purification or testing that the Israelites underwent. For example, in Deuteronomy 4:20, the term is used to describe Egypt as an "iron furnace," symbolizing the harsh conditions and trials the Israelites faced during their bondage: "But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance, as you are today" (BSB).
• In 1 Kings 8:51, Solomon refers to Egypt as a furnace of iron, emphasizing the refining process that the Israelites experienced: "For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the furnace of iron" (BSB).
• The concept of a furnace is also used in the prophetic literature to describe the process of divine judgment and purification. In Isaiah 48:10, God speaks of refining His people through affliction: "See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction" (BSB).
• The imagery of a furnace serves as a powerful symbol of transformation, where impurities are removed, and what remains is pure and valuable. This metaphor is consistent with the broader biblical theme of God using trials to purify and strengthen His people.

בְּכ֥וּר בכור וְכ֣וּר וכור כּ֔וּר כּ֥וּר כור מִכּ֥וּר מִכּ֨וּר מכור bə·ḵūr beChur bəḵūr kur kūr mik·kūr mikKur mikkūr veChur wə·ḵūr wəḵūrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts