כְּרָן
𐤊𐤓𐤍
Keran
H3763 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Keran is a personal name designating an Edomite chieftain or clan leader, specifically identified as a descendant of Esau in the genealogical lists of Genesis. The term functions as a proper noun and does not readily yield a broader common-noun meaning. Its semantic range is limited to its role as a personal or clan name within genealogical contexts.
Semantic Range
personal name, name of an Edomite chieftain or clan, proper noun in genealogies
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain. The form כְּרָן does not clearly correspond to any known Hebrew root, and no likely cognate is attested in related Semitic languages. The name may be of non-Hebrew, possibly Edomite or otherwise local origin, preserved in Israelite tradition as a proper name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Keran appears in the genealogical lists of Genesis 36:26 and 1 Chronicles 1:41, where he is identified as a leader among the Edomite clans descended from Esau. The form and supposed meaning of the name are not transparent in Biblical Hebrew and may reflect a name adopted or transliterated from an older non-Hebrew substrate. The name signifies a specific chieftain or sub-tribe within the population of Edom/Idumaea during the patriarchal or early monarchic period. English translations historically render the name as 'Cheran,' but this is simply an English transliteration of the Masoretic Text. The designation of Keran as an 'aboriginal Idumaean' reflects the tradition that the Edomite clans preceded the rise of later settled kingdoms in the region. There is no evidence to connect this name with any later geographical or religious identity; its usage is strictly genealogical and limited to the Edomite context. As with many names in these genealogical lists, parallels or meanings outside the preserved biblical tradition are hard to ascertain.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; Keran, an aboriginal Idumaean; Cheran.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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כּרן (k-r-n) — uncertain; proper noun only
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3763-01 |
וּ/כְרָֽן | ukheran | HC/Np |
and Cheran | and Keran | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3763-01 |
Genesis 36:26 | וּ/כְרָֽן | ukheran | HC/Np |
and Cheran | and Keran |
H3763-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:41 | וּ/כְרָֽן | ukheran | HC/Np |
and Cheran | and Keran |