Original Word: קַל
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: qal
Pronunciation: kahl
Phonetic Spelling: (kal)
KJV: light, swift(-ly)
NASB: swift, swiftly, insignificant, swift man, swifter
Word Origin: [contracted from H7043 (קָלַל - cursed)]

1. light
2. (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)

light, swiftly

Contracted from qalal; light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial) -- light, swift(-ly).

see HEBREW qalal

Word Origin
from qalal
Definition
light, swift, fleet
NASB Translation
insignificant (1), swift (7), swift man (1), swift-footed* (1), swifter (1), swiftly (2).

קַל adjective light, swift, fleet; — masculine singular ׳ק Amos 2:15 +, קָ֑ל vAmos 2:14; feminine singular קַלָּה Jeremiah 2:23; plural קַלִּים Isaiah 18:2+; — קַל בְּרַגְלָיו light with his feet Amos 2:15; 2 Samuel 2:18; ׳ק, alone, swift, messengers Isaiah 18:2, pursuers Lamentations 4:19 (מִן compare), camel Jeremiah 2:23, cloud Isaiah 19:1; of swift vanishing of wicked Job 24:18 (Bu קַלּוּ for קַל הוּא); as substantive Amos 2:14; Jeremiah 46:6; Ecclesiastes 9:11, = swift (horse) Isaiah 30:16; קַל as adverb, swiftly (+ מְהֵרָה) Isaiah 5:26; Joel 4:4.

General Sense Across Scripture

While Strong’s 7031 stands at first glance for physical speed, the inspired writers employ the term to convey a spectrum of ideas: nimbleness of foot in battle, suddenness of judgment, and the ill-fated haste of human confidence apart from God. Whether descriptive, illustrative, or admonitory, each occurrence underscores the truth that human swiftness is ultimately subject to the Lord’s sovereign timing and purposes.

Narrative Settings: Swiftness in Battle and Pursuit

• 2 Samuel 2:18 introduces Asahel: “Asahel was as swift of foot as a gazelle on the plain.” His agility, though impressive, could not protect him from death at the spear of Abner. Scripture thereby warns against overreliance on natural gifts without spiritual discernment.
• In Jeremiah 46:6 the prophet views Egyptian forces melting before Babylon: “The swift cannot flee, nor the warrior escape.” Military prowess crumbles when God has decreed judgment.
• Lamentations 4:19 laments Judah’s plight: “Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky.” Here the haste of the enemy magnifies the completeness of divine chastening.

Wisdom Literature: The Limits of Human Ability

Ecclesiastes 9:11 shatters the myth that speed guarantees victory: “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong… but time and chance happen to them all.” The Teacher counsels humility, reminding readers that outcomes rest in God’s providence, not merely in human quickness.

Job 24:18 uses the word of the wicked: “They are swift on the surface of the waters; their portion is cursed in the land.” Their fleeting success disappears like foam on a torrent—swift but transient. God’s justice, though sometimes delayed, proves inescapable.

Prophetic Oracles: Divine Judgment Arriving Quickly

In Isaiah 5:26–30 the Lord whistles for distant nations, “Surely they will come swiftly, speedily!” The adverbial force accents the certainty and rapidity of the impending invasion of Judah.

Joel 3:4 conveys retribution: “If you recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense upon your head.” The prophet teaches that God’s payback can move with startling immediacy.

Amos 2:14–15 drills home the same theme:

“Flight will perish from the swift,

the strong will not maintain his strength…

the swift of foot will not escape.”

Strength, skill, and velocity—all fail when arrayed against divine wrath.

Imagery of Couriers and Clouds

Isaiah 18:2 pictures diplomatic envoys: “Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned.” Isaiah 30:16 rebukes Judah for trusting Egyptian cavalry: “You said, ‘We will ride swift horses’… therefore those who pursue you will be swift.” The irony lies in Judah’s misplaced trust; the very attribute they prize in their horses God duplicates in their foes.

In Isaiah 19:1 the Lord Himself “rides on a swift cloud,” an anthropomorphic scene portraying His immediate intervention in Egypt. The same descriptor applied to human speed now magnifies the transcendent Majesty who outpaces every earthly power.

Figurative Portraits of Sinful Impulse

Jeremiah 2:23 likens apostate Israel to “a swift young she-camel running here and there.” The vivacity of the animal captures the restless, frantic pursuit of idolatry. Swiftness becomes a metaphor for unbridled desire.

Theological Threads

1. Human ability is real yet limited. Asahel’s fleetness was God-given; nevertheless, Abner’s spear found its mark.
2. Swiftness cannot outrun judgment. From Egypt’s armies to Judah’s fugitives, the word often signals the futility of flight when God opposes.
3. God’s own interventions are sometimes sudden and decisive. The swift cloud of Isaiah 19:1 assures believers that deliverance—or discipline—can arrive without delay.
4. Moral decisions are frequently impulsive. Jeremiah’s swift camel and Job’s wicked swiftly floating on water depict sin’s restless haste, inviting reflection on the need for guarded hearts.

Practical Ministry Application

• Discipleship: Teachers may draw on Ecclesiastes 9:11 to remind congregations that spiritual maturity, not mere talent or energy, is key to lasting fruit.
• Evangelism: The immediacy of God’s judgments in Joel and Amos underscores the urgency of repentance.
• Counseling: Jeremiah 2:23 offers a vivid image for addressing compulsive or addictive behavior—sin’s “swift” pursuit that exhausts but never satisfies.
• Leadership: Isaiah 30:16 cautions against pragmatic alliances; apparent advantages (“swift horses”) can backfire when they signify distrust of the Lord.

Christological and New Testament Echoes

While the New Testament does not directly quote קַל, its themes resonate: the prodigal son’s hasty departure and futile sprint toward pleasure, the swiftness of the end times events (“behold, I am coming quickly,” Revelation 22:7), and the admonition in James 1:19 to be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” The pattern remains: human speed is best employed in obedience and humble listening, not in self-assured independence.

Summary

Strong’s 7031 paints a multifaceted picture of swiftness—physical, moral, and divine. Scripture affirms human agility as a gift but exposes its insufficiency apart from God. Simultaneously, the prophets employ the term to pledge that the Lord’s purposes, whether in salvation or judgment, can advance with unstoppable rapidity. Wise believers therefore harness their strengths in submission to God and trust His timing above their own.

הַקַּ֔ל הקל וְקַ֥ל וקל לַקַּלִּ֨ים לקלים מִקָּ֔ל מקל קַ֣ל קַ֥ל קַֽל־ קַל֙ קַלִּ֗ים קַלִּ֤ים קַלָּ֖ה קל קל־ קלה קלים hakKal haq·qal haqqal kal kalLah kalLim lakkalLim laq·qal·lîm laqqallîm mikKal miq·qāl miqqāl qal qal- qal·lāh qal·lîm qallāh qallîm veKal wə·qal wəqalInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts