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כְּנֵמָא

𐤊𐤍𐤌𐤀

kᵉnêmâʼ

H3660 adverb

SILEX Entry

Root כנם to be so, to be thus (Aramaic adverbial manner)

Definition

An Aramaic adverb meaning 'so,' 'thus,' or 'in this manner,' indicating the manner or way in which something is done. It often serves to introduce or emphasize the mode of an action, typically translated in English as 'so,' 'thus,' or 'in this way.'

Semantic Range

so, thus, in this manner, in such a way

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Aramaic root כנם (root uncertain and not attested in Hebrew), the adverb כְּנֵמָא (kᵉnêmâʼ) corresponds to Hebrew כְּמוֹ ('like, as, according to') but serves as an adverb of manner specific to Aramaic usage.

Historical & Contextual Notes

כְּנֵמָא occurs only in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible (primarily in Ezra and Daniel). The word reflects a shift from the Hebrew comparative particle כְּמוֹ, which typically means 'like' or 'as,' to a specialized Aramaic adverb meaning 'thus' or 'in this manner.' English translations often render it as 'so' or 'thus,' which adequately represents the sense in context, though the term focuses specifically on manner rather than comparison. There are no significant shifts in meaning across the periods of Aramaic represented in the biblical corpus. Its usage differs from כֵּן (ken) in both Hebrew and Aramaic, which can also mean 'thus' or 'so,' but כְּנֵמָא typically introduces reported speech, actions or explanatory asides. The term is not used in reference to identity or religious practice, and does not carry the implications of later liturgical or religious Aramaic usage. Standard translations capture its semantic range well, though its narrow Aramaic usage may be obscured in English.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to כְּמוֹ; so or thus; so, (in) this manner (sort), thus.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כנם (k-n-m) — to be so, to be thus, manner of being

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3660-01 כְּנֵֽמָא kenema AD thus thus 4
H3660-02 וּ/כְנֵ֥מָא ukhenema AC/D And thus and thus 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3660-01 Ezra 4:8 כְּנֵֽמָא kenema AD as follows thus
H3660-01 Ezra 5:4 כְּנֵ֖מָא kenema AD accordingly thus
H3660-01 Ezra 5:9 כְּנֵ֖מָא kenema AD thus thus
H3660-02 Ezra 5:11 וּ/כְנֵ֥מָא ukhenema AC/D And thus and thus
H3660-01 Ezra 6:13 כְּנֵ֖מָא kenema AD thus thus
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