כְּנַעַנִי
𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍𐤉
Kᵉnaʻanîy
H3669 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Denotes an inhabitant or native of the region of Canaan (כְּנַעַן, Kenaan), broadly referring to the ethnic groups who resided in that land prior to and during early Israelite settlement. In later and extended contexts, especially in prophetic and post-exilic texts, the term shifts in meaning to signify 'merchant' or 'trader,' likely based on the association of Canaanites with commercial activity.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Canaan, member of a Canaanite ethnic group; merchant, trader, trafficker
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root כָּנַע (כ-נ-ע), which carries the sense of 'to submit, to be humbled,' though its application to the toponym Canaan is debated and could reflect a folk etymology. The gentilic suffix -ִי is attached to signify an inhabitant or person associated with the place or group.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the earlier books of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Genesis, Exodus, Judges), כְּנַעַנִי refers specifically to a member of the ethnic groups inhabiting the region of Canaan, encompassing populations known as Amorites, Hittites, Jebusites, etc., in various biblical texts. The term is distinct from later terms like 'Judean.' In texts from the prophetic corpus (e.g., Isaiah 23:8; Zechariah 14:21) and in post-exilic writings, כְּנַעַנִי features the meaning 'merchant' or 'trader,' reflecting a developed semantic association between Canaanites and commerce due to their prominent role in ancient Near Eastern trade networks (notably the Phoenicians, descendants of Canaanites). Standard English Bible translations often use 'Canaanite' for the ethnic sense and 'merchant' or 'trafficker' for the commercial sense, but these renderings can obscure the word's original associations and evolving nuance. The term's development from ethnonym to occupational descriptor illustrates a broader trend in Hebrew and other ancient languages, where stative ethnonyms take on occupational meanings by association.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from כְּנַעַן; a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the Canaanites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans); Canaanite, merchant, trafficker.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כנע (k-n-ʿ) — to submit, to be humbled
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3665 | כָּנַע | I will bring into submission |
| H3666 | כִּנְעָה | your bundle of wares |
| H3667 | כְּנַעַן | Kena'an |
| H3668 | כְּנַעֲנָה | Kenaanah |
Word Forms
9 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3669-02 |
הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִֽי | hakenaani | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Canaanite | the Kenaanite | 47 |
H3669-09 |
וְ/הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | vehakenaani | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Canaanite | and the Canaanite | 12 |
H3669-01 |
בַּֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | bakenaani | HRd/Ngmsa |
against the Canaanite | in the Kenaanite | 3 |
H3669-04 |
הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִֽית | hakenaanit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Canaanite woman | the Canaanite woman | 3 |
H3669-08 |
לַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | lakenaani | HRd/Ngmsa |
the-Canaanite | to the Canaanite | 3 |
H3669-06 |
כְּנַעֲנִים֙ | kenaanim | HNgmpa |
merchants | Canaanites | 2 |
H3669-05 |
כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | kenaani | HNgmsa |
Canaanite | Kenaanite man | 1 |
H3669-03 |
הַ/כְּנַ֣עֲנִ֔ים | hakenaanim | HTd/Ngmpa |
the Canaanites | the Kenaanites | 1 |
H3669-07 |
כְנַעֲנִ֥י | khenaani | HNgmsa |
Canaanite | Kenaanite | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
73 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3669-02 |
Genesis 10:18 | הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִֽי | hakenaani | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Canaanites | the Kenaanite |
H3669-02 |
Genesis 10:19 | הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִי֙ | hakenaani | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Canaanites | the Kenaanite |
H3669-09 |
Genesis 12:6 | וְ/הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | vehakenaani | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Canaanite | and the Canaanite |
H3669-09 |
Genesis 13:7 | וְ/הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִי֙ | vehakenaani | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Canaanite | and the Canaanite |
H3669-02 |
Genesis 15:21 | הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֔י | hakenaani | HTd/Ngmsa |
Canaanites | the Kenaanite |
H3669-02 |
Genesis 24:3 | הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֔י | hakenaani | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Canaanites | the Kenaanite |
H3669-02 |
Genesis 24:37 | הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֔י | hakenaani | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Canaanites | the Kenaanite |
H3669-01 |
Genesis 34:30 | בַּֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | bakenaani | HRd/Ngmsa |
the Canaanites | in the Kenaanite |
H3669-05 |
Genesis 38:2 | כְּנַעֲנִ֖י | kenaani | HNgmsa |
Canaanite | Kenaanite man |
H3669-04 |
Genesis 46:10 | הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִֽית | hakenaanit | HTd/Ngfsa |
of a Canaanite woman | the Canaanite woman |