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כָּהֵן

𐤊𐤄𐤍

kâhên

H3549 noun

SILEX Entry

Root כהן to serve as priest, officiate in ritual

Definition

An individual who performs cultic or ritual functions within a religious setting; particularly, a person officially designated to serve within the sacrificial or ritual system of a temple or sanctuary. In Aramaic biblical contexts, refers specifically to temple functionaries or priests, often but not necessarily exclusive to the Jerusalem temple or the Israelite context.

Semantic Range

priest, temple officiant, cultic functionary, acting priest even if a layman, priest of a non-Israelite cult, hereditary Israelite priest, generic religious officiant

Root / Etymology

Root: כהן; in Hebrew, the root conveys the sense of performing priestly service or acting as a priest. The Aramaic כָּהֵן is directly cognate with Hebrew כֹּהֵן, sharing both form and meaning, and likewise ultimately traces to the root indicating performing cultic/ritual duties. The root itself is attested only as a denominative noun, and its ultimate origin beyond Semitic is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible (notably in Ezra and Daniel), כָּהֵן refers to religious officials operating within the temple system, which may include both Israelite priests and priests of other nations (e.g., Daniel 2:2, priests of Babylonian gods). During the post-exilic period, the roles designated by this term could refer either to hereditary Israelite/Judahite priests or, depending on context, to priests belonging to other temple systems in Persian/Babylonian milieu. While English translations generally render כָּהֵן as 'priest,' this may flatten distinctions between lineal Israelite priests (descended from Aaron) and other types of temple functionaries. The term כָּהֵן stands in contrast to related Hebrew terms such as לֵוִי (Levite, member of the wider Levitical staff not directly tasked with priestly functions) and נָבִיא (prophet, a different type of religious functionary). In later Jewish tradition, כָּהֵן becomes a title for hereditary priests, but such restrictions are not always assumed in wider Aramaic/ancient Near Eastern usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to כֹּהֵן; {one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)}; priest.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כהן (k-h-n) — to serve as priest, officiate in ritual, perform cultic service

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3547 כָּהַן he performed priestly service
H3548 כֹּהֵן among the officiating priests
H3550 כְּהֻנָּה the priestly office

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3549-01 כָּהֲנַיָּ֤/א kahanaya ANcmpd/Td priests the priests 3
H3549-02 כָ֠הֲנָ/א khahana ANcmsd/Td the-priest the priest 1
H3549-06 וְ/כָהֲנ֣וֹ/הִי vekhahanohi AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms and his priests and his priests 1
H3549-04 כָהֲנַיָּ֜/א khahanaya ANcmpd/Td the priests the priest-officiants 1
H3549-03 כָהֲנָ֜/ה khahanah ANcmsd/Td the-priest the priest-officiant 1
H3549-05 וְ/כָֽהֲנַיָּ/א֙ vekhahanaya AC/Ncmpd/Td and the priests the priestly officiants 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3549-01 Ezra 6:9 כָּהֲנַיָּ֤/א kahanaya ANcmpd/Td priests-the the priests
H3549-01 Ezra 6:16 כָּהֲנַיָּ֨/א kahanaya ANcmpd/Td the priests the priests
H3549-04 Ezra 6:18 כָהֲנַיָּ֜/א khahanaya ANcmpd/Td the priests the priest-officiants
H3549-02 Ezra 7:12 כָ֠הֲנָ/א khahana ANcmsd/Td the-priest the priest
H3549-06 Ezra 7:13 וְ/כָהֲנ֣וֹ/הִי vekhahanohi AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms and his priests and his priests
H3549-05 Ezra 7:16 וְ/כָֽהֲנַיָּ/א֙ vekhahanaya AC/Ncmpd/Td and the priests the priestly officiants
H3549-03 Ezra 7:21 כָהֲנָ֜/ה khahanah ANcmsd/Td the-priest the priest-officiant
H3549-01 Ezra 7:24 כָּהֲנַיָּ֣/א kahanaya ANcmpd/Td priests the priests
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