קָנָה
𐤒𐤍𐤄
Qanah
H7071 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Kanah—proper noun referring to a geographic feature and/or locality, typically interpreted as 'place of reeds' or 'reed brook.' The term denotes both a stream (possibly a wadi or perennial brook) and settlements near such a watercourse, deriving its name from local flora (reeds) associated with water sources.
Semantic Range
Kanah as a proper name for a stream; Kanah as a place name or locality characterized by reeds or a reedy brook; literally, 'reedy (place)'; never used in a common noun sense in the Hebrew Bible.
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root קנה (Q-N-H), commonly associated with the noun 'reed' or 'stalk' (קָנֶה). The formation קָנָה is a feminine noun used here as a toponym. The name likely conveys association with reeds or a reedy place.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, 'Kanah' appears as a place name connected to geographical features in cis-Jordan (e.g., Joshua 16:8; 17:9), often described as a boundary marker in territorial descriptions of Israelite tribal allotments. The name emphasizes the environmental characteristic of the locality, specifically the presence of reeds near water. Modern identification of the precise sites varies, but Kanah is generally understood to denote a stream (likely a wadi with reed growth) and nearby territories. English translations typically render the name directly (as 'Kanah'), often omitting the word's descriptive etymological sense; this occasionally obscures the physical or ecological character of the place that would have been evident to ancient audiences. The term is not used as a common noun but specifically as a proper noun in these geographic contexts. In translation tradition, the name has not been conflated with similarly sounding later locations (such as Cana in the New Testament), though caution is needed to keep biblical contexts distinct.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of קָנֶה; reediness; Kanah, the name of a stream and of a place in Palestine; Kanah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קנה (q-n-h) — to acquire, to obtain, reed
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4735 | מִקְנֶה | in the acquired livestock |
| H4736 | מִקְנָה | the acquisition |
| H4737 | מִקְנֵיָהוּ | and Yahweh-has-acquired |
| H7014 | קַיִן | the Acquired-one |
| H7066 | קְנָא | you will buy |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7071-01 |
קָנָ֔ה | qanah | HNp |
Kanah | Reed-Brook | 2 |
H7071-02 |
וְ/קָנָ֑ה | veqanah | HC/Np |
and Kanah | and Kanah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7071-01 |
Joshua 16:8 | קָנָ֔ה | qanah | HNp |
Kanah | Reed-Brook |
H7071-01 |
Joshua 17:9 | קָנָ֜ה | qanah | HNp |
Kanah | Reed-Brook |
H7071-02 |
Joshua 19:28 | וְ/קָנָ֑ה | veqanah | HC/Np |
and Kanah | and Kanah |