Original Word: קַר
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: qar
Pronunciation: kar
Phonetic Spelling: (kar)
KJV: cold, excellent (from the margin)
NASB: cold, who has a cool
Word Origin: [contracted from an unused root meaning to chill]

1. cool
2. (figuratively) quiet

cold, excellent

Contracted from an unused root meaning to chill; cool; figuratively, quiet -- cold, excellent (from the margin).

Word Origin
from qarar
Definition
cool
NASB Translation
cold (2), who has a cool (1).

Root Sense and Range of Imagery

קַר (qar) conveys the physical sensation of coldness or coolness and, by extension, ideas of refreshment, calm restraint, and reliability. Whether describing chilled water, mountain snow, or an even-tempered spirit, the word evokes relief from heat, passion, or weariness.

Occurrences and Immediate Contexts

1. Proverbs 17:27 – “A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.”

The “calm spirit” (literally “cool spirit”) illustrates emotional self-control. Wisdom keeps the inner temperature steady; hasty speech and heated anger are held in check.

2. Proverbs 25:25 – “Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.”

Cool water refreshes a traveler exhausted by heat. The proverb links physical cooling with the exhilaration produced by encouraging news, foreshadowing the gospel’s life-giving effect.

3. Jeremiah 18:14 – “Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters flowing from a distance ever cease?”

The prophet invokes Lebanon’s permanent snowpack and its perennial, “cool” runoff to expose Judah’s irrational abandonment of the LORD. The image of dependable cold springs contrasts with the nation’s fickle covenant loyalty. (The word appears twice in this verse, once for the “cool waters” and once for their “flowing.”)

Historical and Cultural Background

In the ancient Near East, cold water was prized. Springs fed by snowmelt from ranges like Lebanon provided year-round refreshment to travelers and farmers alike. A “cool” source could spell the difference between sickness and vigor in arid climates. Solomon’s court would have understood the luxury implied by cold drinks (cf. Proverbs 25:13). Jeremiah’s audience, familiar with caravans bringing iced snow in goatskins to royal tables, grasped the prophet’s picture of something both rare and dependable.

Theological Insights

• Stability in Covenant Relationship: Jeremiah uses קַר to underscore Yahweh’s unwavering provision. If nature’s cold streams keep flowing, how much more should God’s people remain steady in obedience.
• Wisdom and Self-Possession: Proverbs couples intellectual insight with a “cool spirit,” teaching that true knowledge manifests in temperate words and actions. The term anticipates New Testament exhortations to self-control (Galatians 5:23; 2 Timothy 1:7).
• Gospel Refreshment: Proverbs 25:25 sets a metaphor later echoed in Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15—good news arriving “from a distant land.” Just as a drink of cold water revives the physically faint, the message of salvation revitalizes the soul (John 4:14).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Pastoral Counseling: Encourage believers to cultivate a “cool spirit” when conflict arises, modeling patience and measured speech (James 1:19).
• Evangelism and Missions: Present the gospel as refreshing water to weary hearts, especially among those scorched by sin’s consequences (Matthew 11:28).
• Discipleship: Use Jeremiah 18:14 to remind congregations of God’s faithful constancy and to warn against spiritual drift.
• Worship and Liturgy: Liturgical prayers may invoke the imagery of cool streams to express longing for God’s presence (Psalm 42:1).

Christological and Prophetic Overtones

The steadfast snow and never-failing cool waters point to the unchanging character of the Messiah, “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus, who offers “living water” (John 7:37-38), fulfills the refreshment symbolized by קַר, quenching spiritual thirst and imparting peace that stills the restless heart (John 14:27).

Summary

קַר binds together the tangible blessing of cold water, the inner virtue of composure, and the covenant faithfulness of God. From Solomon’s wisdom literature to Jeremiah’s prophetic rebuke, its varied uses call believers to remain steady, to seek the refreshment only God supplies, and to bear the good news that revives the weary.

יְקַר־ יקר־ ק קָ֭רִים קָרִ֖ים קרים k Karim q qā·rîm qārîm yə·qar- yekar yəqar-Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts