Bible Dictionary: Terms Beginning with K

Exploring biblical terms starting with "K" reveals God's kingdom, His knowledge, and the importance of keeping His commandments. Here's your comprehensive guide to essential biblical vocabulary.

Major Biblical Figures

Korah

Levite who led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron's authority, swallowed by the earth as divine judgment, though his sons survived.

Keturah

Abraham's second wife after Sarah's death who bore him six sons who became ancestors of Arabian tribes.

Kish

Benjamite and father of King Saul, Israel's first king, from the tribe of Benjamin.

Central Theological Terms

Kingdom

Realm under a king's rule. God's kingdom is His sovereign reign over creation; believers enter through faith in Christ.

Kingdom of God

God's sovereign rule and reign over all creation, manifested through Jesus and entered by spiritual rebirth.

Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew's preferred term for God's kingdom, emphasizing its heavenly origin and nature rather than earthly political power.

King

Supreme ruler over a nation or territory. God is the King of kings; earthly kings should rule under His authority.

King of Kings

Title for God and Jesus Christ, emphasizing supreme authority over all earthly rulers and spiritual powers.

Kinsman-Redeemer

Relative responsible for protecting family interests, redeeming property, and marrying childless widows. Boaz was Ruth's kinsman-redeemer, prefiguring Christ.

Kiss

Act of affection or greeting. Holy kiss expressed Christian fellowship; Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.

Knee

Joint symbolizing submission and worship. Every knee will bow before Christ acknowledging His lordship.

Knock

To rap on a door seeking entrance. Jesus stands at the door knocking; those who ask, seek, and knock receive.

Know/Knowledge

To understand or have intimate acquaintance with. Knowing God is eternal life; the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Knowing God

Intimate personal relationship beyond intellectual understanding, involving obedience, love, and transforming fellowship.

Places and Regions

Kadesh (Kadesh-barnea)

Oasis in the wilderness where Israel camped during their wandering after refusing to enter Canaan from the faithless spies' report.

Kedesh

City of refuge in Naphtali where Deborah and Barak assembled forces to fight Sisera's Canaanite army.

Keilah

Fortified city David rescued from Philistines but whose inhabitants would have betrayed him to Saul.

Kidron Valley

Valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives that Jesus crossed going to Gethsemane before His arrest.

Kir

Place in Mesopotamia where Assyria exiled the Syrians, possibly a region or city in modern-day Iraq.

Kirjath-jearim

City where the Ark of the Covenant remained for twenty years after the Philistines returned it.

Kittim

Cyprus and surrounding islands, descendants of Javan, sometimes referring broadly to western maritime peoples.

Biblical Objects and Symbols

Key

Instrument opening locks, symbolizing authority and access. Peter received keys of the kingdom; Christ holds keys of death and Hades.

Kid

Young goat used for food and sacrifice. Jacob deceived Isaac using goat skins to feel like Esau.

Kiln

Israelites made sun-dried mud bricks during slavery in Egypt; furnaces may symbolize testing in later biblical or symbolic contexts.

Kindle

To ignite or set fire to something. Anger is kindled; God's wrath kindles against wickedness; love can be kindled.

Kneading Trough

Bowl for mixing and kneading dough. Israelites carried kneading troughs on their shoulders leaving Egypt hurriedly.

Knife

Cutting instrument. Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac with a knife (Genesis 22:10); Joshua made flint knives for circumcision (Joshua 5:2-3).

Knop

Ornamental knob or bud decorating the tabernacle's golden lampstand and temple pillars.

Additional Theological Concepts

Keeper

Guardian or watchman. Am I my brother's keeper? God keeps those who trust Him; believers are keepers of God's Word.

Kept

Preserved or guarded. Believers are kept by God's power through faith unto salvation; Jude addresses those kept by Jesus Christ.

Kill

To take life unlawfully. "Thou shalt not kill" prohibits murder; there's distinction between killing in war/justice and murder.

Kin

Blood relatives or family members. Kinsman-redeemer was a near relative with responsibilities toward family.

Kind

Type or category; also showing benevolence. God created creatures after their kind; believers should be kind and tenderhearted.

Kindle

To set on fire or arouse emotion. God's anger kindles against sin; love and zeal can be kindled in hearts.

Kindness

Benevolent, gentle treatment of others. Fruit of the Spirit; God's kindness leads to repentance; believers show kindness to all.

Kindred

Relatives or those of the same family. Abraham left his kindred to follow God; believers are kindred spirits in Christ.

King of Israel

Title for Israel's monarchs from Saul onward; ultimately fulfilled in Jesus as the true King who reigns eternally.

King of the Jews

Title used by Gentiles for Israel's king; written above Jesus on the cross, ironically proclaiming truth while mocking Him.

King's Highway

Major trade route through Transjordan that Israel requested to use but was denied by Edom and Sihon.

Kinsman

Male relative with familial obligations including redeeming property, marrying widows, and avenging wrongs against family.

Kiss of Peace

Christian greeting expressing fellowship and unity, practiced in early church worship gatherings.

Knead

To work dough by pressing and folding. Women kneaded dough for bread; the process symbolizes preparation and labor.

Kneel

To bend the knee in worship, submission, or supplication. Solomon knelt at temple dedication; Jesus knelt in Gethsemane.

Knew

Past tense of know; often means intimate marital relations. Adam knew Eve and she conceived; knowledge can be experiential.

Knowledge of Good and Evil

Understanding moral distinctions gained through eating the forbidden fruit, bringing awareness of sin and shame.

Known

Recognized or understood. God is known through creation and revelation; believers are known by God intimately.

More Key Figures

Kadmiel

Levite who returned from Babylonian exile and helped supervise temple rebuilding under Zerubbabel.

Kallai

Priest during the high priesthood of Joiakim after the return from Babylonian captivity.

Kareah

Father of Johanan and Jonathan who were military officers after Jerusalem's fall to Babylon.

Kedar

Second son of Ishmael whose descendants became a prominent Arabian tribe known for black tents and shepherding.

Kedemah

Youngest son of Ishmael, ancestor of an Arabian tribe settling in the desert east of Israel.

Keilah

Judahite mentioned in genealogies, possibly connected to the city of the same name.

Kelaiah (Kelita)

Levite who divorced his foreign wife during Ezra's reforms and later helped interpret the law to the people.

Kemuel

Son of Nahor and Abraham's nephew; also a Levite leader during David's reign.

Kenan

Descendant of Seth and ancestor of Noah, living during the antediluvian period before the flood.

Kenaz

Caleb's younger brother and father of Othniel, Israel's first judge; also an Edomite chief.

Keren-happuch

Job's third daughter born after his restoration, whose name means "horn of eye paint," signifying beauty.

Kerenhappuch

Beautiful daughter of Job born after his restoration and blessing, mentioned alongside her sisters.

Keros

Head of a family of temple servants who returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel.

Keturah

Abraham's wife after Sarah's death who bore six sons who became ancestors of Arabian tribes.

###Keziah Job's second daughter born after his restoration, whose name means "cassia," a fragrant spice.

Kibzaim

Levitical city assigned to the Kohathites from the territory of Ephraim for their inheritance.

Kileab

David's second son born in Hebron to Abigail, also called Daniel in Chronicles.

Kimham

Son of Barzillai who returned with David from his flight from Absalom, receiving the king's favor.

Kish

Father of King Saul from the tribe of Benjamin; also name of several Levites mentioned in Chronicles.

Kishi

Levite from the family of Merari, ancestor of Ethan the musician appointed by David for temple worship.

Kithlish

Town in the lowland of Judah, mentioned in Joshua's distribution of the land to the tribes.

Kittim

Descendants of Javan who settled in Cyprus and surrounding Mediterranean islands and coastlands.

Kohath

Second son of Levi, grandfather of Moses and Aaron, whose descendants served as Levites carrying sacred objects.

Kolaiah

Name of two men: father of the false prophet Ahab whom Nebuchadnezzar executed, and a Benjamite living in Jerusalem.

Korah

Levite who led rebellion against Moses and Aaron's authority, swallowed by earth as judgment; also a psalmist.

Kore

Name of several Levites including a gatekeeper during David's time and temple overseer during Hezekiah's reforms.

Koz

Priest whose descendants returned from Babylonian exile but couldn't prove their genealogy.

Kushaiah

Levite from Merari's family, father of Ethan who served as a musician during David's reign.

Groups and Peoples

Kenites

Midianite clan descended from Moses' father-in-law Jethro, who allied with Israel and settled among them in Canaan.

Kenizzites

Clan possibly related to Edomites, whose land God promised to Abraham; Caleb was a Kenizzite.

Kerethites

Philistine people, possibly from Crete, who served as David's bodyguard along with the Pelethites.

Kohathites

Levitical clan descended from Kohath, responsible for carrying the most sacred tabernacle objects during wilderness travel.

Korahites

Descendants of Korah whose line continued despite his judgment, serving as temple musicians and gatekeepers.

Korathites

Alternate spelling for Korahites, Levitical family serving in temple worship and composing several psalms.

Biblical Practices and Events

Keeping the Law

Obeying God's commandments and statutes. Under the old covenant, blessing depended on keeping the law perfectly, which none could do.

Killing Animals

Slaughtering for food or sacrifice according to specific regulations ensuring humane treatment and proper blood handling.

Kindling Fire

Starting fire for warmth, cooking, or sacrifice. Sabbath prohibited kindling fire; God kindled fire consuming sacrifices.

King-making

Process of anointing and crowning a new monarch, involving prophets, priests, and public acclamation.

Kissing the Son

Psalm 2 command to submit to God's anointed king or face His wrath, ultimately fulfilled in honoring Christ.

Kneeling in Prayer

Posture of humility and reverence when approaching God, practiced by Solomon, Daniel, Jesus, and early Christians.

Knowing Good and Evil

Moral awareness gained through disobedience, making humans like God in discernment but unlike Him in maintaining purity.

Spiritual Concepts

Kept by God

Divine preservation and protection of believers through faith unto final salvation despite trials and temptations.

Kernel of Wheat

Grain seed that must die and be buried to produce abundant harvest, Jesus' metaphor for His death bringing life.

Keys of the Kingdom

Authority to bind and loose, open and shut, given to Peter and the church for gospel proclamation and discipline.

Killing the Flesh

Putting to death sinful desires and habits through the Spirit's power, part of progressive sanctification.

Kindled Wrath

God's anger aroused against sin and rebellion, burning against wickedness but satisfied through Christ's atonement.

Kindling Love

Awakening or increasing affection and devotion toward God and others through the Spirit's work in hearts.

King Eternal

God's timeless reign without beginning or end, contrasted with temporary earthly monarchies that rise and fall.

Kingdom Come

Prayer petition from the Lord's Prayer asking for God's reign to be established fully on earth as in heaven.

Kingdom within

Jesus' teaching that God's kingdom isn't primarily external/political but spiritual, existing within believers' hearts.

King's Business

Urgent matter requiring immediate attention, used by David when fleeing Saul and by believers regarding kingdom work.

King's Command

Royal decree carrying absolute authority, unable to be revoked under Persian law, as with Esther's situation.

King's Daughter

Psalm 45 description of the royal bride, representing the church as Christ's bride, glorious within and without.

Kinship

Family relationship creating obligations and privileges, modeling the spiritual family bond among believers in Christ.

Kiss of Judas

Treacherous kiss identifying Jesus to arresting soldiers, symbolizing betrayal disguised as affection and friendship.

Kneeling Before God

Act of worship acknowledging God's sovereignty and majesty, appropriate posture for reverent prayer and adoration.

Knowing Christ

Intimate experiential relationship with Jesus surpassing all earthly knowledge and attainments, Paul's supreme goal.

Knowledge Puffs Up

Warning that intellectual understanding without love produces pride; knowledge should build up rather than inflate ego.

Theological Terms

Kenosis

Greek term meaning "emptying," describing Christ's voluntary relinquishment of divine privileges in becoming human, maintaining deity while adding humanity.

Kerygma

Greek term for gospel proclamation, the essential message preached by apostles concerning Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

Kinetic Faith

Living, active faith that produces good works as evidence and fruit, contrasted with dead intellectual assent alone.

King Priest

Melchizedek's unique dual role as king and priest, fulfilled perfectly in Christ who reigns and mediates eternally.

Kingdom Age

Millennial reign of Christ on earth, or the entire church age between advents, depending on interpretational framework.

Kingdom Gospel

Good news that God's reign has broken into history through Christ, calling people to repent and submit to His rule.

Kingdom Power

Divine authority and ability demonstrated through miracles, conversions, and spiritual transformation, evidencing God's active reign.

Koinonia

Greek word for fellowship, communion, and sharing in common life, characterizing believers' relationship with God and each other.

Kyrios

Greek word for "Lord," applied to Jesus, affirming His deity and absolute authority over all creation and believers.