כֵּן (H3654) — Hebrew Lexicon

כֵּן

𐤊𐤍

kên

H3654 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A small parasitic insect; specifically, a louse (Pediculus humanus or a similar parasitic, biting insect), almost always occurring in the plural and designating the third plague upon Egypt described in Exodus. In broader usage, refers to a minute, pernicious pest; in postbiblical Hebrew extended to refer to gnats or other tiny biting insects. Modern Hebrew and later tradition sometimes identify the term with lice in the biological sense, but in ancient usage, may have included various biting vermin of similar type.

Semantic Range

louse, lice, small biting vermin, gnat (rare, later or in translation tradition); a tiny pest attached to a host (esp. in the context of the Exodus plague)

Root / Etymology

Root כָּנַן (k-n-n), to fix or establish, possibly from the notion of fastening or attaching (uncertain etymology; connection between root and insect is debated). The noun כֵּן is derived by meaning extension to 'that which fastens or attaches,' referring to the parasitic attachment of the louse to host. The exact semantic link to the root is not always clear.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Exodus plague narrative (Exodus 8:13–14 [English: 8:17–18]), כֵּנִים (kenim) is presented as the third sign against Egypt, the swarming of biting vermin upon human beings and animals. The term is always plural in biblical usage and is used exclusively for this plague episode in the Torah. Ancient versions (LXX: σκνῖφες [gnats], Vulgate: sciniphes) suggest a broader or different identification, such as gnats or mosquitoes, but Rabbinic and later Jewish tradition settled on 'lice,' which influenced English translations. The singular form כֵּן is rare and likely reconstructive. The pest symbolized discomfort and uncleanness, and the word does not appear outside the Exodus account in the Hebrew Bible. Its semantic scope overlaps with other pest terms but is distinct from words for flies or common household insects.

Translation Consistency

primary "louse" 1 occurrence

Most biblical and traditional translations render H3654 as lice/louse (especially in the Exodus plague context). Choosing the singular base 'louse' gives a natural, familiar English word that covers the full semantic range (small parasitic biting vermin) and can be inflected to 'lice' where needed. It is more typical and neutral than rarer renderings like 'gnat.'

Alternatives (6 occurrences):

"lice" (3x) "gnats" (1x) "so" (1x) "clinging lice" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from כָּנַן in the sense of fastening; (from infixing its sting; used only in plural (and irregular in Exodus 8:17,18; Hebrews 13:14)); a gnat; lice, [idiom] manner.

Bantu Hebrew

Language	Bantu Word	Meaning
Chokwe	kina	louse
Kikongo	kina	louse, body louse (Pediculus humanus)
Kimbundu	kina	louse
Lunda	kina	louse
Luvale	kina	louse

See all 6 languages →

Root Family

כּנן (kên) — to fasten, to establish, to anchor

Root כּנן to fasten, to establish, to anchor

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H3654-01`	הַ/כִּנָּ֔ם	hakinam	`HTd/Ncmsa`	gnats	the fastening louse	the lice	2
`H3654-02`	הַ/כִּנִּ֖ים	hakinim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the gnats	the fastening parasites	the gnats	1
`H3654-03`	כֵ֣ן	khen	`HD`	so	thus	so	1
`H3654-04`	כִנִּ֖ים	khinim	`HNcmpa`	gnats	clinging lice	lice	1
`H3654-05`	כִּ֝נִּ֗ים	kinim	`HNcmpa`	gnats	clinging lice	clinging lice	1
`H3654-06`	לְ/כִנִּ֖ם	lekhinim	`HR/Ncmpa`	gnats	to clinging lice	to lice	1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H3654-06`	Exodus 8:12	לְ/כִנִּ֖ם	lekhinim	`HR/Ncmpa`	gnats	to clinging lice	to lice
`H3654-01`	Exodus 8:13	הַ/כִּנָּ֔ם	hakinam	`HTd/Ncmsa`	gnats	the fastening louse	the lice
`H3654-04`	Exodus 8:13	כִנִּ֖ים	khinim	`HNcmpa`	gnats	clinging lice	lice
`H3654-02`	Exodus 8:14	הַ/כִּנִּ֖ים	hakinim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the gnats	the fastening parasites	the gnats
`H3654-01`	Exodus 8:14	הַ/כִּנָּ֔ם	hakinam	`HTd/Ncmsa`	gnats	the fastening louse	the louse
`H3654-03`	Isaiah 51:6	כֵ֣ן	khen	`HD`	so	thus	so
`H3654-05`	Psalms 105:31	כִּ֝נִּ֗ים	kinim	`HNcmpa`	gnats	clinging lice	clinging lice

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