כַּלָּה
Kallah
Bride, daughter-in-law
Kallah (כַּלָּה) is a Hebrew word meaning “bride, daughter-in-law,” pronounced “kal-LAH.” Derived from the root כ-ל-ל, kallah appears 34 times in the Hebrew Bible (Strong's H3618).
| Hebrew | כַּלָּה |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Kallah |
| Pronunciation | kal-LAH |
| Meaning | Bride, daughter-in-law |
| Root Letters | כ-ל-ל |
| Occurrences in Hebrew Bible | 34× |
| Key Verse | Isaiah 62:5 |
| Strong's Number | H3618 |
| Category | Family & Relationships |
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, God uses the imagery of a kallah (כַּלָּה) — a bride — to describe His relationship with His people. Isaiah 62:5 declares, 'As the bridegroom rejoices over the kallah, so shall your God rejoice over you.' This is not casual metaphor; it is the deepest language available in human experience, chosen to express God's joy, delight, and passionate commitment to Israel. The Song of Solomon addresses the beloved as 'kallah' (my bride) repeatedly, and Jewish tradition has long read this book as an allegory of God's love for Israel. The prophet Hosea married an unfaithful woman to dramatize God's relentless love for His adulterous people — pursuing His kallah even when she runs away. Jeremiah remembers Israel's early devotion as the 'love of your betrothal' (Jeremiah 2:2). The entire story of Scripture can be read as a wedding story: God chose His bride in Abraham, betrothed her at Sinai (the covenant as a wedding contract), and the prophets await the ultimate wedding feast. Revelation 19:7 brings this story to its climax: 'The wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.' Understanding kallah transforms the Bible from a rulebook into a love story.
Key Bible Verse: Isaiah 62:5
“As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride (kallah), so shall your God rejoice over you.”
What Is the Root of Kallah in Hebrew?
Kallah may come from a root meaning 'to be complete' or 'to crown,' suggesting that the bride is the completion and crowning glory of the bridegroom. It also means 'daughter-in-law,' reflecting the bride's entrance into a new family.
What Does Kallah Mean in the Bible?
Kallah appears approximately 34 times in the Hebrew Bible. Song of Solomon uses it extensively (4:8-12, 5:1). Isaiah and Jeremiah use bridal imagery for God's relationship with Israel. Ruth is a kallah to Naomi, embodying covenant loyalty.
How Is Kallah Used in Modern Hebrew?
Jewish weddings are richly symbolic. The groom traditionally doesn't see the bride before the ceremony (veiling ceremony, bedeken). The wedding canopy (chuppah) represents the home they will build together. Breaking the glass reminds that even in joy, we remember brokenness.
How to Use Kallah in Prayer & Worship
Meditate on being God's beloved kallah. He rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). Let this bridal identity reshape how you approach worship — not as duty but as the intimate delight of one deeply loved.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kallah
How do you say “Bride” in Hebrew?
“Bride” in Hebrew is Kallah (כַּלָּה), pronounced “kal-LAH.” Kallah may come from a root meaning 'to be complete' or 'to crown,' suggesting that the bride is the completion and crowning glory of the bridegroom. It also means 'daughter-in-law,' reflecting the bride's entrance into a new family.
What does Kallah mean in the Bible?
Kallah (כַּלָּה) means “Bride, daughter-in-law” in Biblical Hebrew. Kallah appears approximately 34 times in the Hebrew Bible. Song of Solomon uses it extensively (4:8-12, 5:1). Isaiah and Jeremiah use bridal imagery for God's relationship with Israel. Ruth is a kallah to Naomi, embodying covenant loyalty.
How do you pronounce Kallah?
Kallah is pronounced “kal-LAH.” The word comes from the Hebrew root כ-ל-ל.
Why does God describe His people as a bride?
The bride metaphor captures elements no other image can: exclusive devotion, passionate love, covenant commitment, and the joy of union. When God calls Israel His kallah, He is saying: 'I chose you, I delight in you, I am committed to you, and I rejoice over you.' This imagery reaches its climax in Revelation 19:7-9, where the church is the bride of Christ at the wedding supper of the Lamb.
What is a Jewish wedding like?
A Jewish wedding includes: the chuppah (canopy symbolizing the new home), circling (the bride circles the groom), kiddushin (sanctification with a ring), the ketubah (marriage contract detailing the groom's obligations), seven blessings (sheva brachot), and breaking the glass (remembering Jerusalem's destruction). Many elements parallel the Sinai covenant — God as groom, Israel as bride, Torah as ketubah.
How does Song of Solomon relate to God's love?
Song of Solomon uses 'kallah' (bride) 6 times in an intensely romantic poem. Jewish tradition (Targum, Midrash) reads it as an allegory of God's love for Israel. Christian tradition sees it as Christ's love for the church. Rabbi Akiva called it 'the Holy of Holies' of Scripture. Whether read literally or allegorically, it teaches that God's love is passionate, personal, and beautiful.
Sources & Further Study
- Blue Letter Bible — H3618: Kallah
- Bible Gateway — Isaiah 62:5 (ESV)
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) — entry for כ-ל-ל
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