Lexicon :: Strong's H3548 - kōhēn

כֹּהֵן

Transliteration

kōhēn

Pronunciation

ko-hane'

Part of Speech

masculine noun

Root Word (Etymology)

Active participle of כָּהַן (H3547)

Dictionary Aids

TWOT Reference: 959a

Strong's Info

Strong’s Definitions

כֹּהֵן kôhên, ko-hane'; active participle of H3547; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman):—chief ruler, × own, priest, prince, principal officer.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 750x

The KJV translates Strong's H3548 in the following manner: priest (744x), own (2x), chief ruler (2x), officer (1x), princes (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 750x

The KJV translates Strong's H3548 in the following manner: priest (744x), own (2x), chief ruler (2x), officer (1x), princes (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage [?]

priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1. priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
2. pagan priests
3. priests of Jehovah
4. Levitical priests
5. Zadokite priests
6. Aaronic priests
7. the high priest

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)

Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon [?] (Jump to Scripture Index)

STRONGS H3548: Abbreviations

כֹּהֵן ₇₅₀ noun masculine priest (Late Hebrew כֹּהֵן; Aramaic כָּהֵין, כַּהֲנָא, , ; Ethiopic all id.; on Phoenician and Arabic see above); — כ׳ Genesis 14:18 + 439 times; plural כֹּהֲנִים Exodus 19:6 + 272 times; construct כֹּהֲנֵי 1 Samuel 5:5 + 13 times; suffix כֹּהֲנַי Lamentations 1:19 + 22 times suffixes —

†1. priest-king: e.g. Melchizedek Genesis 14:18 (E ?), compare Psalm 110:4 (the Messianic priest-king like Melchizedek); Zechariah 6:13 (Messianic priest and king); Israel מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים Exodus 19:6 (E) a kingdom of priests (priests and kings at once in their relation to the nations); compare Isaiah 61:6 (of Israel ministering as a priest); or a chieftain (exercising priestly functions) כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן Exodus 2:16; Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:1 (all J E); so also probably the sons of David 2 Samuel 8:18, his grandson 1 Kings 4:5, and Ira the Jairite 2 Samuel 20:26, who as princes performed priestly functions. With these we may class the כהנים Exodus 19:22, 24 (J).

2. priests of other religions than י׳ 's: Potiphera אֹן כ׳ Genesis 41:45, 50 (E), Genesis 46:20 (P); Egyptian כהנים Genesis 47:22 (twice in verse); Genesis 47:26 (J); דָגוֺן כ׳ 1 Samuel 5:5; Philistine כהנים וקסמים 1 Samuel 6:2; כֹּהֲנָיו his priests: e.g. of Baal 2 Kings 10:19 — 2 Kings 10:11; of Chemosh Jeremiah 48:7; of Malcam Jeremiah 49:3; Mattan was הבעל כ׳ 2 Kings 11:18 2 Chronicles 23:17; הכמרים עם הכהנים Zephaniah 1:4; Josiah burned the bones of the priests of the Baalim and Asherim 2 Chronicles 34:5.

3. priests of special orders in Israel:

a. Micah in the hill-country of Ephraim consecrated his own son וַיְהִילֿוֺ לְכֹהֵן Judges 17:5; but so soon as he could secure Jonathan ben Gershom, a descendant of Moses (see VB Judges 18:30), he consecrated him, לכהן היה ל׳ Judges 17:10, 12, 13; Judges 18:4, 19; הַכֹּהֵן Judges 18:6; Judges 18:17; Judges 18:18; Judges 18:20; Judges 18:24; Judges 18:27. He was captured by the Danites, and he and his line became priests at Dan until the Exile, Judges 18:19; Judges 18:19; Judges 18:30.

b. Jeroboam עשׂה כהנים 1 Kings 12:31 of those not מבני לוי, as (הַ)בָּמוֺת כ׳ priests of (the) high places 1 Kings 12:32; 1 Kings 13:2, 33 (twice in verse) = לבמות כ׳ 2 Chronicles 11:15; Amaziah (of this class) was ביתאֿל כ׳ Amos 7:10; see also 2 Chronicles 13:9; called by Chronicler לְלֹא אלהים כ׳ 2 Chronicles 13:9; yet Hosea rebukes them as priests of י׳ Hosea 4:4, 9; Hosea 5:1; Hosea 6:9; at the Exile they were deported by the Assyrians 2 Kings 17:27, 28.

c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves במות כ׳ to worship י׳ the God of the land 2 Kings 17:32.

†4. priests in Israel הכהנים who bore the ark and the trumpets Joshua 3:13, 14, 15, 17; Joshua 4:3, 9, 10, 17, 18 (twice in verse); Joshua 6:4 (twice in verse); Joshua 6:6 (twice in verse); Joshua 6:8, 9, 12, 13, 16 (all J E), 1 Kings 8:3, 6, 10, 11; Eli was הכהן 1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 2:11; יהוה כ׳ 1 Samuel 14:3; and his sons ליהוה כ׳ 1 Samuel 1:3; a הַכֹּהֲנִים מִשְׁפַּט 1 Samuel 2:13 mentions the ministering priest הכהן and the נַעַר הַכ׳ 1 Samuel 2:13, 14, 15 (twice in verse), Ahijah was הַכּ׳ in time of Saul 1 Samuel 14:19 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 14:36; Abimelech הַכּ׳ at Nob, a priestly center, 1 Samuel 21:2; 1 Samuel 21:3; 1 Samuel 21:5; 1 Samuel 21:6; 1 Samuel 21:7; 1 Samuel 21:10; 1 Samuel 22:11; where were many כֹּהֲנֵי י׳ 1 Samuel 22:17 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 22:21, all slain by Saul except Abiathar son of Ahimelech 1 Samuel 22:11, 18 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 22:19, who became הַכּ׳ 1 Samuel 23:9; 1 Samuel 30:7; 1 Kings 1:7, 19, 25, 42; 1 Kings 2:22, 26; Zadok later was הַכּ׳ 2 Samuel 15:27; 1 Kings 1:8, 26, 32, 34, 38, 39, 44, 45; 1 Kings 2:35; 1 Kings 3:2; 1 Chronicles 16:39; 1 Chronicles 24:6: so that the two were (ה)כהנים 2 Samuel 8:17 = 1 Chronicles 18:16 (read וְאֶבְיָתָר בֶּןאֿח׳ 2 Samuel 8:17 We Dr, and correct 1 Chronicles 18:16 accordingly) 2 Samuel 15:35 (twice in verse); 2 Samuel 17:15; 2 Samuel 19:12; 2 Samuel 20:25; 1 Kings 4:4; Solomon removed Abiathar 1 Kings 2:27 and Zadok was anointed לְכֹהֵן according to 1 Chronicles 29:22; compare prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of נֶאֱמָן כ׳ 1 Samuel 2:28, 35; Jehoiada הַכּ׳ led the revolution against Athaliah 2 Kings 11:9 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 11:10, 15 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 11:18; 2 Kings 12:3; 2 Kings 12:8; 2 Kings 12:10 2 Chronicles 22:11; 23:8 (twice in verse); 2 Chronicles 23:9, 14 (twice in verse); 2 Chronicles 24:2, 20, 25, perhaps also Jeremiah 29:26; הכהנים sustaining him in his reforms 2 Kings 12:5; 2 Kings 12:6; 2 Kings 12:7; 2 Kings 12:8; 2 Kings 12:9; 2 Kings 12:10; 2 Kings 12:17; Uriah was הַכּ׳ in the reign of Ahaz 2 Kings 16:10, 11 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 16:15, 16; Isaiah 8:2; Hilkiah of Josiah 2 Kings 22:10, 12, 14; 2 Kings 23:24; 2 Chronicles 34:14, 18. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin Jeremiah 20:1; Zephaniah of Zedekiah Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 29:25, 26, 29; Jeremiah 37:3; הַכּ׳ is Ezekiel's title Ezekiel 1:3. Priests are classed with officials of state: prophets and priests 2 Kings 23:2; Isaiah 28:7; Jeremiah 5:31; Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 8:10; Jeremiah 14:18; Jeremiah 23:11, 33, 34; Jeremiah 26:7, 8, 11, 16; Jeremiah 29:1; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:13; priests and elders Lamentations 1:19; Lamentations 4:16; king and priest Lamentations 2:6; kings, priests, and prophets Jeremiah 13:13; kings, princes, and priests Jeremiah 1:18; princes, eunuchs, and priests Jeremiah 34:19; priest, sage, and prophet Jeremiah 18:18; chiefs, priests, and prophets Micah 3:11; prophets, priests, and elders Ezekiel 7:26; kings, princes, priests, and prophets Jeremiah 2:26; Jeremiah 4:9; Jeremiah 8:1; Jeremiah 32:32; princes, judges, prophets, and priests Zephaniah 3:4; seeming to exclude any other officials. Apparently in the same generic sense הכהנים Jeremiah 1:1; Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 27:16; Jeremiah 28:1, 5; Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 31:14; כַּכֹּהֵן Isaiah 24:2; כהנים Job 12:19; כהניה Lamentations 1:4; Ezekiel 22:26; כהניו Psalm 78:64. Moses and Aaron among his priests Psalm 99:6 includes Moses (against P). Zion's priests clothed with righteousness and salvation Psalm 132:9; Psalm 132:16 2 Chronicles 6:41, probably here also.

†5. Levitical priests הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם Deuteronomy 17:9, 18; Deuteronomy 18:1; Deuteronomy 24:8; Deuteronomy 27:9; Joshua 3:3; Joshua 8:33 (all D), Jeremiah 33:18 (inverted), Jeremiah 33:21 (neither in ), 2 Chronicles 5:5 (= הַכּ׳ וְהַלּ׳ 1 Kings 8:4: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading), Ezekiel 43:19; Ezekiel 44:15 (compare 6); בְּנֵי לִוֵי הַכּ׳ Deuteronomy 21:5; Deuteronomy 31:9; לל׳ לקח לכ׳ Isaiah 66:21 take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are: הַכֹּהֲנִים Deuteronomy 18:3; Deuteronomy 19:17; Joshua 3:6, 8; Joshua 4:11 (D); and הַכֹּהֵן, the priest officiating on a particular occasion Deuteronomy 18:3; Deuteronomy 20:2; or holding a particular dignity Deuteronomy 17:12; Deuteronomy 26:3, 4. The כהנים of the other cities of Judah, הבמות כ׳, who were not allowed to minister in Jerusalem 2 Kings 23:8 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 23:9, 20, may be an attempt to enforce an exclusion from the priesthood of all but Levitical priests.

†6. Zadokite priests: Ezekiel distinguishes among הכהנים הלוים those of the seed of Zadok, בְּנֵי צָדוֺק; all but the latter excluded by him from priesthood Ezekiel 40:46; Ezekiel 43:19; Ezekiel 44:15; Ezekiel 48:11; the priests of his code being all Zadokites Ezekiel 40:45, 46; Ezekiel 42:13, 14; Ezekiel 43:24, 27; Ezekiel 44:21, 22, 30 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 44:31; Ezekiel 45:4, 19; Ezekiel 46:2, 19, 20; Ezekiel 48:10, 13.

7. Aaronic priests. In H. it is taken for granted that a priest is of the seed of Aaron; the plural is never used; כֹּהֵן is used for any priest Leviticus 21:9; Leviticus 22:10, 11, 12, 13; הַכֹּהֵן for Aaron Leviticus 21:21, and for the official priest (acting for the priesthood, almost collective) Leviticus 17:5, 6; Leviticus 22:14; Leviticus 23:10, 11, 20 (twice in verse); Leviticus 27:8 (3 times in verse); Leviticus 27:11, 12 (twice in verse); Leviticus 27:14 (twice in verse); Leviticus 27:18, 21, 23. The priests of P are בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן Leviticus 1:5, 8, 11; Leviticus 2:2; Leviticus 3:2; Leviticus 21:1; Numbers 3:3; Numbers 10:8; Joshua 21:19; so in Chronicles 2 Chronicles 13:9, 10; 26:18; 29:21; 31:19; 35:14 (twice in verse); הַכֹּהֵן is used of Aaron + 22 times, Eleazar + 29 times, Phinehas Joshua 22:30 and elsewhere; + 180 times of ministering priests, or Generic of the priests; הכהנים Leviticus 6:22; Leviticus 7:6; Leviticus 13:2; Leviticus 16:33; Joshua 4:16; כהן Leviticus 6:16. Chronicles distinguishes הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם 1 Chronicles 13:2; 1 Chronicles 15:11, 14; 1 Chronicles 23:2; 1 Chronicles 24:6, 31; 1 Chronicles 28:13, 21; 2 Chronicles 8:15; 11:13; 13:9, 10; 23:4; 24:5; 29:4; 30:15, 25; 31:2 (twice in verse); 2 Chronicles 31:4, 9; 34:30; 35:8, 18 (the variants without וְ 2 Chronicles 23:18; 30:27 are due to copyists' errors), Ezra 1:5; Ezra 2:70; Ezra 3:8, 12; Ezra 6:20; Ezra 7:7; Ezra 8:29, 30; Ezra 9:1; Nehemiah 7:72; Nehemiah 8:13; Nehemiah 11:3; Nehemiah 12:1, 30, 44 (twice in verse); Nehemiah 13:30; הלוים והכהנים 2 Chronicles 19:8; 30:21; priests, Levites, and others 1 Chronicles 9:2; Ezra 10:5; Nehemiah 10:1; Nehemiah 10:29; Nehemiah 10:35; Nehemiah 11:20; בְּנֵי לֵוִי antithetical to הַכּ׳ Ezra 8:15; הכהן בן אהרן עם הלוים Nehemiah 10:39; (ה)כהנים in Chronicles + 67 times has the same reference, as also כֹּהֲנֵינוּ Ezra 9:7; Nehemiah 9:32, 34; כֹּהֵן Ezra 2:63 = Nehemiah 7:65; ליחוה כ׳ 2 Chronicles 26:17; כהניו His (God's) priests 2 Chronicles 13:12; מוֺרֶה כ׳ teaching priest 2 Chronicles 15:3; הַכֹּהֵן is used of Jehoiada in time of David 1 Chronicles 27:5, and Azariah in the reign of Uzziah 2 Chronicles 26:17. In the literature of the restoration הַכֹּהֵן is used of Ezra, Ezra 7:11; Ezra 10:10, 16; Nehemiah 8:2, 9; Nehemiah 12:26; Uriah Ezra 8:33; Eliashib Nehemiah 13:4; Shelemiah Nehemiah 13:13; הכהנים Joel 1:9, 13; Joel 2:17; Haggai 2:11, 12, 13; Zechariah 7:5; Malachi 1:6; Malachi 2:1; priests and prophets Zechariah 7:3; כהן Malachi 2:7.

8. the high priest: הַכֹּהֵן is frequently used (see 4) to designate the priest who was at the head of priestly affairs. The adjective הַגָּדוֺל first appears of Jehoiada 2 Kings 12:11, then of Hilkiah 2 Kings 22:4, 8; 2 Kings 23:4; 2 Chronicles 34:9; after the exile, of Joshua Haggai 1:1, 12, 14; Haggai 2:2, 4; Zechariah 3:1, 8; Zechariah 6:11, and Eliashib Nehemiah 3:1, 20; Nehemiah 13:28. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil Leviticus 21:10 (H; הַגָּדוֺל מֵאֶחָיו הכ׳), Numbers 35:25, 28 (twice in verse); Joshua 20:6, and so הַמָּשִׁיחַ הַכּ׳ Leviticus 4:3, 5, 16; Leviticus 6:15, compare Leviticus 16:32. הָראֹשׁ כ׳ is used of Seraiah 2 Kings 25:18 = Jeremiah 52:24; and, in Chronicler, of Amariah 2 Chronicles 19:11, Jehoiada 2 Chronicles 24:11, Azariah 2 Chronicles 26:20; 31:10; of Aaron, Ezra 7:5. (We also supposes הרואה in 2 Samuel 15:27 to be a corruption of הראשׁ, which he regards as post-exilic insertion. The test is corrupt [see Dr^{Sm. 1. c.}]; but this correction is improbable. Lists of high priests occur 1 Chronicles 5:30-41 [1 Chronicles 6:4-15]; 1 Chronicles 6:35-38.) A priest of second rank ((ה)מִשְׁנֶה כֹּהֵן) appears in 2 Kings 23:4 (construct plural incorrect), 2 Kings 25:18 = Jeremiah 52:24; זִקְנֵי הַכּ׳ 2 Kings 19:2 = Isaiah 37:2; Jeremiah 19:1; שָׂרֵי הַכּ׳ 2 Chronicles 36:14; Ezra 8:24, 29; Ezra 10:5; רָאשֵׁי הַכּ׳ Nehemiah 12:7.

See related Aramaic BDB entry H3549.

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