Χαναάν
Chanaán
G5477 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Canaan; the geographic region known as Canaan, situated in the Levant, and occasionally used metonymically for its inhabitants. In biblical Greek usage, typically denotes the territory occupied by various peoples prior to, and during, early Israelite settlement. The term can also reference an individual's personal name in genealogical contexts (the eponymous ancestor of the Canaanites).
Semantic Range
the land of Canaan (geographical), the ancestor Canaan (personal); metonym for local inhabitants
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew כְּנַעַן (Kenaʿan), referring both to a region and a progenitor in biblical tradition. Adopted into Greek via transliteration as Χαναάν (Chanaán). The original meaning of the Semitic root is debated; possibilities include 'lowland'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Χαναάν appears chiefly in Septuagint and New Testament genealogies and references to the land promised to the patriarchs. In the Septuagint, it consistently renders Hebrew כְּנַעַן as the toponym for the territory later called 'Palestine' or 'the land of Israel.' In New Testament genealogies (e.g., Luke 3:36), it refers to an individual ancestor, maintaining its earlier Hebrew use. Standard English translations often render Χαναάν as 'Canaan,' but the term's connotation in Greek mirrors its usage in Hellenistic Jewish literature—as a place rather than as an ethnic or religious term. The usage in LXX and NT is often geographical or genealogical, not denoting the complex set of identities ('Canaanites') associated in later Jewish and Christian literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (כְּנַעַן); Chanaan (i.e. Kenaan), the early name of Palestine:--Chanaan.
Root Family
Χαναάν (Chanaán) — Canaan, the land of Canaan, Canaan (ancestor)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5477-01 |
Χανάαν | chanaan | N ACC F SG |
Canaan | Canaan | Chanaan | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5477-01 |
Acts 7:11 | Χανάαν | chanaan | N ACC F SG |
Canaan | Canaan | Chanaan |
G5477-01 |
Acts 13:19 | Χανάαν | chanaan | N GEN F SG |
of Canaan | Canaan | Chanaan |