KOLAIAH

(Ko·laiʹah) [voice of Jehovah].

1. Father of the false prophet Ahab who was among the Jews in Babylonian exile before Jerusalem’s destruction in 607 B.C.E.—Jer. 29:21; see AHAB No. 2.

2. A Benjamite and apparent ancestor of a certain Sallu residing in Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day after the Babylonian exile.—Neh. 11:4, 7.

KORAH

(Koʹrah) [perhaps, baldness).

1. One of Esau’s three sons by his Hivite wife Oholibamah; born in Canaan prior to Esau’s withdrawal to the mountainous region of Seir. (Gen 36:2, 5-8, 14; 1 Chron. 1:35) Korah was a sheik of the land of Edom.—Gen. 36:18.

A “sheik Korah” is listed at Genesis 36:16 as a son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau. However, the name does not appear among the descendants of Eliphaz at Genesis 36:11, 12 or 1 Chronicles 1:36. The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name at Genesis 36:16 and some scholars suggest its appearance in the Masoretic text may be the result of a copyist’s error.

2. One of the sons of Hebron of the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:43.

3. A Kohathite Levite of the family of Izhar. (Ex. 6:16, 18, 21; 1 Chron. 6:1, 2, 22 [Amminadab was perhaps an alternative name for Izhar]) During Israel’s wilderness trek he rebelled against the authority of Moses and Aaron, doing so in league with the Reubenites Dathan, Abiram and On and 250 “chieftains of the assembly” or “men of fame.” (Num. 16:1, 2) They contended that “the whole assembly are all of them holy and Jehovah is in their midst,” asking, “Why, then, should you lift yourselves up above the congregation of Jehovah?” (Num. 16:3-11) Moses later sent to call Dathan and Abiram, but they refused to be present, thinking Moses had no right to summon them. (Num. 16:12-15) Korah, his assembly, and High Priest Aaron were told to present themselves before Jehovah all supplied with fire holders and burning incense.—Num. 16:16, 17.

Korah and the 250 men with him, all carrying fire holders with burning incense, stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron the following day. Jehovah’s glory appeared to all the assembly and God spoke to Moses and Aaron telling them to separate themselves from the midst of the assembly, “that I may exterminate them in an instant.” However, Moses and Aaron interceded for the people, and God then directed Moses to have the assembly get away from the tabernacles of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. This was done. (Num. 16:18-27) Shortly thereafter, “the earth proceeded to open its mouth and to swallow up them and their households and all humankind that belonged to Korah and all the goods.” They and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth covered them over.—Num. 16:28-34.

Those who were before the tent of meeting with the incense-filled fire holders did not escape, for “a fire came out from Jehovah and proceeded to consume the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.” (Num. 16:35) Korah himself was with them at that time and thus perished in that fire from God.—Num. 26:10.

The fire holders of those who conspired with Korah were made into metal plates with which to overlay the altar. This was done “because they presented them before Jehovah, so that they became holy; and they should serve as a sign to the sons of Israel.” (Num. 16:36-40) Despite this powerful evidence of divine judgment, the very next day the whole assembly of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, complaining, “You men, you have put Jehovah’s people to death.” This gave rise to indignation on God’s part and, despite the pleas of Moses and Aaron, 14,700 died as a result of a scourge from Jehovah, halted only after Aaron made atonement for the people. (Num. 16:41-50) Thereafter, Aaron’s priestly position was confirmed by the budding of his rod.—Num. chap. 17.

That the sons of Korah did not follow their father in rebelion seems apparent from the Bible record, for it states: “However, the sons of Korah did not die.” (Num. 26:9-11) Korah’s descendants later became prominent in Levitical service.—See KORAHITE.

The writer of the book of Jude linked Cain, Balaam and Korah together when warning Christians to guard against animalistic men who “have perished in the rebellious talk of Korah!” Korah evidently sought glory for himself. He challenged Jehovah’s appointments, becoming a rebel, and thus justly suffered death as a consequence of his improper course of action.—Jude 10, 11.

KORAHITE

(Koʹrah·ite).

A descendant of Korah, who rebelled in Moses’ day. The Korahites were a paternal house of the Kohathite Levites and descended from Korah through his three sons Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. (Ex. 6:18, 21, 24; Num. 16:1-3) “The sons of Korah did not die” with their father (Num. 26:10, 11), evidently because they did not follow him in rebellion.

In the census of Israel taken on the plains of Moab “the family of the Korahites” was registered with the Levite families. (Num. 26:57, 58) When David was still under restrictions imposed by King Saul, certain Korahites were among the mighty men who joined him at Ziklag. (1 Chron. 12:1, 6) The Levitical singer Heman and the prophet Samuel were Korahites (1 Chron. 6:33-38), and King David organized members of Heman’s family as singers. (1 Chron. 15:16, 17; 16:37, 41, 42; 25:1, 4-6) Korahites were among the gatekeepers for the house of Jehovah (1 Chron. 26:1-9, 19), and in Jehoshaphat’s day “Levites of the sons of the Kohathites and the sons of the Korahites rose up to praise Jehovah the God of Israel with an extraordinarily loud voice,” because of promised deliverance from the combined forces of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir.—2 Chron. 20:14-19.

The superscriptions of Psalms 42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87 and 88 specifically mention the sons of Korah. Though their forefather had been rebellious, Jehovah did not hold the sons of Korah accountable for his error, and because of their faithfulness they were blessed and honored with temple service.

KORE

(Koʹre) [one who proclaims, or, partridge (probably from the cry); hence, crying out, calling].

1. A Kohathite Levite “of the sons of Asaph” and a descendant of Korah. (Ex. 6:16, 18, 21; 1 Chron. 9:19; 26:1) Shallum, one of “the doorkeepers of the tent,” is described as “the son of Kore the son of Ebiasaph the son of Korah,” at 1 Chronicles 9:19. This text does not mention all the generations between Shallum and Ebiasaph, but the names given belong in this one genealogy. First Chronicles 26:1 calls the gatekeeper Meshelemiah “the son of Kore.”

2. A Levite, “the son of Imnah” and “the gatekeeper to the east” of the temple in King Hezekiah’s day. He was “in charge of the voluntary offerings of the true God, to give Jehovah’s contribution and the most holy things,” and had other men under his control.—2 Chron. 31:14-16.

KOZ

[thorn].

A descendant of Judah. Koz “became father to Anub and Zobebah and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.”—1 Chron. 4:1, 8.

KUSHAIAH

(Kush·aʹiah) [bow of Jehovah (perhaps, the rainbow)].

A Levite of the family of Merari and the father or ancestor of Ethan, one of the group of Levite singers and musicians of David’s day. (1 Chron. 15:16, 17) Kushaiah is evidently called Kishi at 1 Chronicles 6:44.

KYRIOS

This Greek word is an adjective, signifying the possessing of power (kyʹros) or authority, but is also used as a noun. It appears in each book of the Christian Greek Scriptures except Titus and the letters of John. It may refer to a “master” of a house, vineyard or harvest (Mark 13:35; Matt. 20:8; Luke 10:2), or to a temporal ruler such as the Roman emperor, Governor Festus’ “Lord.”—Acts 25:24-26.

Kyʹri·os was the title of address employed by slaves to their master and by children to their father, as well as by other individuals in cases where it might be the equivalent of the English “sir.” (Matt. 13:27; 21:29; John 12:21) It appears most frequently with reference to Jesus Christ, who is “Lord [Kyʹri·os] to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11; Mark 7:26-28; Acts 2:36; 10:36 and many other texts.) The term corresponds to the Hebrew ʼA·dhohnʹ. In the Hebrew Scriptures the title “Lord [‘A·dhohn’ or, at times, ʼAdho·nayʹ, the plural form of excellence]” is applied to Jehovah God, the “Lord of lords.” (Deut. 10:17) As God’s created Son and Servant, Jesus Christ therefore properly addresses his Father and God (John 20:17) as “Lord” (ʼAdho·nay’ or Kyʹri·os), the One having superior power and authority, his Head. (Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 11:3) As the one exalted to his Father’s right hand, Jesus is “Lord of lords” as respects all except his Father, God the Almighty.—Rev. 17:14; 19:15, 16; compare 1 Corinthians 15:27, 28; see LORD.

ITS USE IN PLACE OF THE DIVINE NAME

As shown in the article JEHOVAH, during the early centuries of the Common Era the practice developed of substituting the words Kyʹri·os (Lord) and The·osʹ (God) for the Divine Name, Jehovah, in copies of the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Other translations, such as the Latin Vulgate, the Douay Version (based on the Vulgate), and the King James or Authorized Version, as well as some modern translations (AT, RS), followed a similar practice. The Divine Name was replaced by the terms for “God” and “Lord,” generally in all-capital letters to indicate the substitution for the Tetragrammaton or Divine Name.

In departing from this practice, the translation committee of the American Standard Version of 1901 stated: “. . . the American Revisers, after a careful consideration, were brought to the unanimous conviction that a Jewish superstition, which regarded the Divine Name as too sacred to be uttered, ought no longer to dominate in the English or any other version of the Old Testament, as it fortunately does not in the numerous versions made by modern missionaries. . . . This personal name [Jehovah], with its wealth of sacred associations, is now restored to the place in the sacred text to which it has an unquestionable claim.”—Preface, p. iv.

A number of translations since then (The Anchor Bible, The Jerusalem Bible [English and French], the Nácar-Colunga and the Bover-Cantera translations [both in Spanish], and others) have consistently translated the Tetragrammaton, using the rendering “Yahweh” or a similar form.

Under the heading JEHOVAH (Use of the Name in the Christian Greek Scriptures), evidence is also presented to show that the Divine Name, Jehovah, was used in the original writings of the Christian Greek Scriptures, from Matthew to Revelation. On this basis the New World Translation, used throughout this work, has restored the Divine Name in its translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, doing so a total of 237 times. Other translations had made similar restorations, particularly when translating the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew. A Hebrew version by a Roman Catholic translator in 1668 restored the Divine Name in its rendering of the Christian Greek Scriptures.—See Foreword of New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, 1950 edition, pp. 21-23.

In answering the question, “How is a modern translator to know or determine when to render the Greek words Κύριος [Kyʹri·os] and Θεός [The·osʹ] into the divine name in his version?”, the New World Translation Committee states: “By determining where the inspired Christian writers have quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures. Then he must refer back to the original to locate whether the divine name appears there. This way he can determine the identity to give to kyʹri·os and the·osʹ and he can then clothe them with personality.” Explaining further, the Committee said: “To avoid overstepping the bounds of a translator into the field of exegesis, we have tried to be most cautious about rendering the divine name, always carefully considering the Hebrew Scriptures. We have looked for some agreement with us by the Hebrew versions we consulted to confirm our own rendering. Thus, out of the 237 times that we have rendered the divine name in the body of our version, there are only two instances where we have no support or agreement from any of the Hebrew versions. But in these two instances, namely, Ephesians 6:8 and Colossians 3:13, we feel strongly supported by the context and by related texts in rendering the divine name. The notes in our lower margin [of NW, 1950 edition] show the support we have for our renderings from the Hebrew versions and other authorities.”

LAADAH

(Laʹa·dah) [perhaps, having a fat neck or throat].

A descendant of Judah and the second named of Shelah’s two sons. He is referred to as “the father of Mareshah.”—1 Chron. 4:21.

LABAN

(Laʹban) [white].

1. The grandson of Abraham’s brother Nahor. He was the son of Bethuel and the brother of Rebekah (Gen. 24:15, 29; 28:5), and was the father of Leah and Rachel. (Gen. 29:16) Laban resided at the city of Haran in Paddan-aram, an area of Mesopotamia.—Gen. 24:10; 27:43; 28:6; 29:4, 5.

Laban is called “the son of Bethuel the Syrian [literally, “the Aramaean”].” He is also referred to as “Laban the Syrian.” (Gen. 28:5; 25:20; 31:20, 24) This designation is fitting in view of the fact that he was a resident of Paddan-aram, which means “the plain (flatlands) of Aram,” or Syria. Laban was a Shemite dwelling in a region occupied by persons speaking Aramaic, a Semitic language.

To the vicinity just mentioned, aged Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. (Gen. 24:1-4, 10) When Laban heard Rebekah’s account of her encounter with Abraham’s servant and saw the gifts she had been given, he went running to the servant, addressed him as one blessed by Jehovah, and extended hospitality to him. (Gen. 24:28-32) Laban subsequently took a leading part in the negotiations concerning the marriage of Rebekah, the approval for the marriage coming from both him and his father, Bethuel.—Gen. 24:50-61.

Years later, to escape Esau’s vengeance and to obtain a wife, Jacob traveled to the home of his uncle Laban at Haran. (Gen. 27:41–28:5) By this time Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29:16), if not also sons. (Gen. 31:1) Laban made an agreement with Jacob that for seven years of service he would give Jacob his youngest daughter, Rachel, as wife. However, Laban tricked Jacob on his wedding night by substituting the older daughter Leah for Rachel, brushing Jacob’s protests aside by appealing to local custom and then offering Rachel to Jacob as a second wife, if Jacob would serve him for an additional seven years.—Gen. 29:13-28.

When Jacob finally wished to depart, Laban urged him to remain and continue serving him for wages. (Gen. 30:25-28) The agreement was that Jacob could keep for himself all the speckled and color-patched sheep, the dark-brown sheep among the young rams and any color-patched and speckled she-goats. (Gen. 30:31-34) But Jacob’s later words to Leah and Rachel and also to Laban (Gen. 31:4-9, 41) indicate