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כָּנַע

𐤊𐤍𐤏

kânaʻ

H3665 verb

SILEX Entry

Root כנע to bend down, to be lowered, to submit, to be humbled

Definition

To be or become low, humble, or subdued; to bring into submission or to humble oneself or another, whether through inward disposition or external circumstances. The term encompasses both voluntary humility and enforced subjugation. In some contexts it indicates the experience of being humbled by defeat, oppression, or circumstances, while in others it expresses the action of humbling oneself, either ritually, in prayer, or morally.

Semantic Range

to humble, to humble oneself, to be humbled, to subdue, to bring into subjection, to be brought low, to submit, to be subdued, to show deference, to be vanquished

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root כנע, which in its basic sense conveys the idea of being bowed down, made low, or brought into subjection. The physical imagery is of bending, stooping, or submitting. The root itself likely denotes curvature or the state of being lowered; from this core meaning, the verb developed senses of submission, subordination, and humility. The broader Northwest Semitic context shows similar developments, with related terms in Ugaritic and Aramaic conveying lowliness or defeat.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, כָּנַע is used both in active (causative) and reflexive (hithpael) conjugations. In historical narrative texts, it frequently denotes the subjugation of enemy peoples by Israelite or foreign rulers, or the humbling of Israelite kings and populace by external powers or calamity. In wisdom literature and prayers, the word shifts toward voluntary humility or self-abasement before YHWH, emphasizing submission in a moral or religious sense. While English translations typically use 'humble,' 'subdue,' 'bring low,' or 'subject,' these renderings sometimes flatten the dynamic range of the Hebrew term, which may always have associations with loss of status, autonomy, or dignity, whether imposed or self-chosen. The term is distinct from ענה (ʻanah, H6031), another root often translated 'afflict' or 'humble,' which more strongly implies physical distress, suffering, or oppression. כָּנַע often focuses more on the social or relational aspect of status and submission. Over time, in post-biblical Hebrew, the term became less associated with military defeat and more with inner humility.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish; bring down (low), into subjection, under, humble (self), subdue.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

כנע (k-n-ʿ) — to bend down, to be lowered, to submit, to be humbled

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3666 כִּנְעָה your bundle of wares
H3667 כְּנַעַן Kena'an
H3668 כְּנַעֲנָה Kenaanah
H3669 כְּנַעַנִי in the Kenaanite

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3665-16 וַ/יִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ vayikaneu HC/VNw3mp and they were subdued and they were humbled 6
H3665-12 וַ/תִּכָּנַ֤ע vatikana HC/VNw3fs and you humbled yourself and she was humbled 4
H3665-06 נִכְנַ֥ע nikhena HVNp3ms he has humbled he was humbled 4
H3665-15 וַ/יִּכָּנַ֣ע vayikana HC/VNw3ms and-he-humbled and he was humbled 3
H3665-14 וַ/יַּכְנִיעֵ֑/ם vayakheniem HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp and subdued them and he brought them low 2
H3665-13 וַ/יַּכְנַ֤ע vayakhena HC/Vhw3ms and He humbled and he subdued 2
H3665-08 נִכְנְע֖וּ nikheneu HVNp3cp humbled themselves they were humbled 2
H3665-17 וְ/הִכְנַ֖עְתִּי vehikhenaeti HC/Vhq1cs and-I-will-subdue and I will bring low 1
H3665-01 אַכְנִ֑יעַ akhenia HVhi1cs I would subdue I will bring into submission 1
H3665-03 הִכָּנְע֑/וֹ hikaneo HVNc/Sp3ms his humbling his being humbled 1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3665-20 Leviticus 26:41 יִכָּנַ֗ע yikana HVNi3ms will be humbled he will be humbled
H3665-19 Deuteronomy 9:3 יַכְנִיעֵ֖/ם yakheniem HVhi3ms/Sp3mp will subdue them he will bring them low
H3665-12 Judges 3:30 וַ/תִּכָּנַ֤ע vatikana HC/VNw3fs was subdued and she was humbled
H3665-13 Judges 4:23 וַ/יַּכְנַ֤ע vayakhena HC/Vhw3ms and-subdued and he subdued
H3665-15 Judges 8:28 וַ/יִּכָּנַ֣ע vayikana HC/VNw3ms was subdued and he was humbled
H3665-16 Judges 11:33 וַ/יִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ vayikaneu HC/VNw3mp and they were subdued and they were humbled
H3665-16 1 Samuel 7:13 וַ/יִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ vayikaneu HC/VNw3mp and were subdued and they were humbled
H3665-14 2 Samuel 8:1 וַ/יַּכְנִיעֵ֑/ם vayakheniem HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp and subdued them and he brought them low
H3665-06 1 Kings 21:29 נִכְנַ֥ע nikhena HVNp3ms he has humbled he was humbled
H3665-06 1 Kings 21:29 נִכְנַ֣ע nikhena-2 HVNp3ms he has humbled he was humbled
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