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כֵּן

𐤊𐤍

kên

H3653 noun

SILEX Entry

Root כון to be firm, to fix, to establish

Definition

A fixed structure serving as a base or pedestal, especially for supporting an object, such as an altar, laver, or other sacred vessel; by extension, a defined position of standing or office. In contextual usage, can also refer to a position, estate, or established place, whether physical (e.g., the base of a pillar or piece of furniture) or figurative (e.g., a person's rank or social status).

Semantic Range

base, pedestal, stand, support, fixed place, office, position, estate, station

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root כּוּן (kûn), meaning 'to be firm, fixed, established.' כֵּן is a noun form indicating 'that which is established' or 'a place/foundation.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, כֵּן most often designates the base or fixed support of objects used in the Israelite sanctuary, particularly as the stand or pedestal for the lavers (large basins) in Solomon's Temple (e.g., 1 Kings 7:27–39; 2 Chronicles 4:14). It may also represent a fixed location (station) or a metaphorical establishment, such as a person's office or social position (Ezekiel 43:14). In the post-monarchic period, its usage becomes less common and highly contextual, often retaining the sense of a foundational or established position. The English translation 'base' typically captures the physical aspect, but the term encompasses ideas of support, foundation, or official station, which are sometimes rendered as 'estate' or 'office.' Differentiation from related terms: כֵּן should not be confused with the adverb כֵּן ('thus, so'), which is homographic but semantically distinct. Later translations occasionally rendered the word according to presumed architectural usage, which may obscure the broader concept of establishment or support. Use of 'office' or 'estate' in some translations attempts to reflect the figurative expansions seen in later biblical texts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as כֵּן, used as a noun; a stand, i.e. pedestal or station; base, estate, foot, office, place, well.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כון (k-w-n) — firmness, establishment, fixing, stability

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3078 יְהוֹיָכִין YHWH establishes
H3112 יוֹיָכִין Yahweh establishes
H3199 יָכִין to He-Establishes
H3200 יָכִינִי the Yakinite
H3204 יְכׇנְיָה Yah Establishes

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3653-03 כַּנּֽ/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand 11
H3653-05 כֵ֔ן khen HNcmsa base thus 2
H3653-02 כַּנִּ֖/י kani HNcmsc/Sp1cs my position my established base 1
H3653-06 וְ/כַנּ֥/וֹ vekhano HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and its base and its fixed base 1
H3653-01 כַּנֶּ֑/ךָ kanekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your position your established base 1
H3653-04 כֵּ֣ן ken HTm as thus established 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3653-01 Genesis 40:13 כַּנֶּ֑/ךָ kanekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your position your established base
H3653-02 Genesis 41:13 כַּנִּ֖/י kani HNcmsc/Sp1cs my position my established base
H3653-06 Exodus 30:18 וְ/כַנּ֥/וֹ vekhano HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and its base and its fixed base
H3653-03 Exodus 30:28 כַּנּֽ/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its base his stand
H3653-03 Exodus 31:9 כַּנּֽ/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand
H3653-03 Exodus 35:16 כַּנּֽ/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand
H3653-03 Exodus 38:8 כַּנּ֣/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand
H3653-03 Exodus 39:39 כַּנּֽ/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand
H3653-03 Exodus 40:11 כַּנּ֑/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand
H3653-03 Leviticus 8:11 כַּנּ֖/וֹ kano HNcmsc/Sp3ms its stand his stand
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