Original Word: קָרַם
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: qaram
Pronunciation: kah-RAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-ram')
KJV: cover
NASB: cover
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to cover

cover

A primitive root; to cover -- cover.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to spread or lay (something over)
NASB Translation
cover (1), covered* (1).

[קָרַם] verb spread or lay something over (Late Hebrew id. form a crust, so Hiph`il יקרים על Ecclus 43:20; Aramaic קְרַם, , incrust, overlay); —

Qal Perfect1singular וְקָרַמְתִּ֫י עֲלֵיכֶם עוֺר Ezekiel 37:6 I will spread skin over you (i.e. the dry bones); Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִּקְרַם עֲלֵיהֶם עוֺר Ezekiel 37:8 (so Gi van d. H.; Baer וַיִּקְרָם, of which conflicting explanations Ges^{§§ 9u}, 29i), indefinite subject instead of passive; but read

Niph`al וַיִּקָּ֫רֶם ᵑ6 (compare ᵑ9) Co Berthol Toy Krae.

קרן (√ of following; meaning dubious; compare Assyrian ‡arnu, Arabic , Ethiopic Late Hebrew קֶרֶן, Phoenician קרן, Aramaic קַרְנָא, , all horn; Sabean קרן spur of mountain (?) Hom^{Chrest. 127}; see also Arabic part of man's head where horns are in beasts, corner, extremity, of anything Frey, horn of uterus, Lane).

Occurrences and Narrative Setting

Strong’s Hebrew 7159 appears only twice, both in Ezekiel’s valley-of-dry-bones vision (Ezekiel 37:6; Ezekiel 37:8). The prophetic scene takes place during the Babylonian exile, when Judah’s national life seems as irretrievably lost as scattered skeletons. Into this hopelessness the Lord speaks successive creative commands—bone to bone, sinews, flesh, and finally breath—portraying His promised restoration of the covenant people.

Function within the Vision

The verb marks the moment when the bones are “covered” with skin. This covering moves the bodies from mere structural reassembly to recognizable human form. It signals that God’s work of restoration is orderly and progressive:

1. Structural integrity (bones)
2. Strengthening (tendons)
3. Substance (flesh)
4. Integrity and dignity (skin, 7159)
5. Vitality (breath)

By highlighting the skin stage, Scripture emphasizes that the Lord does not stop at partial repair; He brings wholeness that is visible, tangible, and personal.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Faithfulness: The covering of skin recalls God’s original act in Genesis 3:21, where He clothed fallen humans. Both texts display His initiative to restore relationship despite human inability.
2. Resurrection Hope: The verb’s usage ties bodily covering to resurrection imagery. In Ezekiel the bodies stand yet still lack breath until the Spirit enters, foreshadowing the bodily resurrection promised in passages such as Daniel 12:2 and ultimately fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Luke 24:39).
3. Corporate Redemption: Whereas individual resurrection is implicit, the primary thrust is national—“the whole house of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:11). The covering underscores corporate identity; God’s people are not an anonymous mass but a recognizable community rebuilt for His glory.

Historical Insights

Ezekiel prophesied between 593 and 571 B.C. Israel’s exile jeopardized covenant promises of land, king, and temple. The valley vision, including the 7159 covering, counters Babylonian propaganda by asserting that Yahweh, not Marduk, holds power over life and nationhood. After the Persian decree of 538 B.C. allowed return, Jews could look back and see the firstfruits of this promise, though its final fulfillment awaits the eschaton.

Intercanonical Resonances

• 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 echoes the stepwise transformation: “the body that is sown perishable, it is raised imperishable,” paralleling bone-to-breath progression.
• Revelation 11:11 portrays breath entering slain witnesses, again reflecting the Ezekiel pattern.
• Romans 11:26 anticipates the national “life from the dead” of Israel, an apostolic development of the same prophetic hope.

Ministry Applications

Pastoral preaching can use the verb’s role to illustrate:

1. Progressive Sanctification—God often rebuilds lives in discernible stages; impatience misses His method.
2. Value of Embodiment—The covering with skin honors physicality; ministry should care for bodies as well as souls.
3. Assurance of Completion—Philippians 1:6 resonates with the vision: the One who begins the work will finish it, breathing Spirit-life into His people.

Christological and Eschatological Connections

Jesus’ resurrection body, bearing recognizable marks yet glorified, is the ultimate fulfillment of the covering motif. Believers anticipate a similar transformation when “this mortal body puts on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:54). Nationally, Israel will experience Spirit-empowered revival in the last days, completing the sequence begun in Ezekiel 37.

Summary

Strong’s 7159, though rare, anchors a pivotal moment in biblical revelation: God’s commitment to restore His people wholly—structurally, visibly, and spiritually. The verb’s placement within Ezekiel’s vision nourishes hope for personal renewal, corporate revival, and final resurrection, all secured by the faithfulness of the Lord who covers shame and breathes everlasting life.

וְקָרַמְתִּ֤י וַיִּקְרַ֧ם ויקרם וקרמתי vaiyikRam vekaramTi way·yiq·ram wayyiqram wə·qā·ram·tî wəqāramtîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts