כַּנֶּה
𐤊𐤍𐤄
Kaneh
H3656 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Kanneh is a toponym, denoting a specific place referenced in the Hebrew Bible as a trading partner with the city of Tyre. It is typically identified as an ancient city or settlement located in the region of Mesopotamia, possibly associated with areas within Assyria or Babylonia. The word is not otherwise attested as a common noun or in wider semantic contexts. Thus, its primary lexical meaning is as a place name: Kanneh, a specific ancient Near Eastern city.
Semantic Range
proper name of a city (Kanneh); possible variant of Kalneh (place name); no other lexical meanings
Root / Etymology
The etymology is uncertain. Some suggest a possible connection to the root כנ"ה (k-n-h), but the relationship between this root's meaning and the place name is unclear. The form כַּנֶּה may also represent a variant or contracted form related to כַּלְנֵה (Kalneh), another place name mentioned elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. No clear evidence links it etymologically to known Semitic roots with a definable meaning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Kanneh is mentioned only in Ezekiel 27:23, within a list of trading partners of Tyre, in a context that reflects the commercial connections of the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods. Its mention alongside Sheba and Asshur emphasizes its role as a location of economic importance in the ancient Near East. Some ancient translations and commentaries have confused Kanneh with Kalneh (כַּלְנֵה), suggesting a possible textual relationship, but most modern scholarship treats them as separate locales. The term does not have religious, ethnic, or broader cultural connotations within the biblical text, functioning specifically as a geographic designation. In English Bible translations, Kanneh is often left untranslated or transliterated as 'Canneh,' but this does not capture any additional nuance beyond the Hebrew toponym.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
for כַּלְנֶה; Canneh, a place in Assyria; Canneh.
Bantu Hebrew
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כנ״ה (uncertain) (k-n-h (uncertain)) — uncertain; possibly acquire (conjectural); primarily a place name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3656-01 |
וְ/כַנֵּה֙ | vekhaneh | HC/Np |
and Canneh | and Kanneh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3656-01 |
Ezekiel 27:23 | וְ/כַנֵּה֙ | vekhaneh | HC/Np |
and Canneh | and Kanneh |