כְּנַנְיָה
𐤊𐤍𐤍𐤉𐤄
Kenaneyah
H3663 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'Yahweh (Yah) has established' or 'Yahweh has bestowed,' borne by multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible. The form כְּנַנְיָה (Kenanyah) sometimes appears as כְּנַנְיָהוּ (Kenanyahu), utilizing the longer theophoric suffix. The name is assigned to several Levites, including a chief musician and other officials involved in worship and administration during the monarchic period.
Semantic Range
personal name, Yahweh has established, Yahweh has bestowed; name of Levites and officials; appears in liturgical, administrative, and genealogical contexts
Root / Etymology
From the root כָּנַן (kanan, to establish, to found, to bestow favor) combined with the theophoric suffix יָהּ (Yah, short for the divine name YHWH). The name thus invokes 'Yah(weh) has established/bestowed.' The formation is typical of Hebrew personal names involving a verb plus a divine element.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the biblical texts, individuals named Kenanyah or Kenanyahu appear mostly in ceremonial or administrative roles associated with the Jerusalem Temple or the royal court, notably in 1 Chronicles. The interchangeable use of the suffixes -יה (Yah) and -יהוּ (Yahu) reflects common variations in late First Temple and early post-exilic period personal names. English translations often render the name with the consonantal reading 'Chenaniah,' but this may obscure the original theophoric meaning. The use and spelling of the name aligns it closely with other theophoric Israelite names but should not be confused with similar forms lacking the divine element (such as כְּנַנְיָה without -יה). The use of 'Jew' for such figures is historically inaccurate in this context; these individuals are Levites and Israelite officials of the monarchic period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or כְּנַנְיָהוּ; from כָּנַן and יָהּ; Jah has planted; Kenanjah, an Israelite; Chenaniah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
כָּנַן (kânan) — to plant, to establish by planting
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3663-01 |
כְּנַנְיָ֣הוּ | kenaneyahu | HNp |
Chenaniah | Yah Has Established | Kenaneyah | 1 |
H3663-02 |
וּ/כְנַנְיָ֛ה | ukhenaneyah | HC/Np |
and Chenaniah | And Yah-has-established | and Kenaneyah | 1 |
H3663-03 |
וּ/כְנַנְיָ֥הוּ | ukhenaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Chenaniah | and Yahweh-has-established | and Kenaneyah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3663-03 |
1 Chronicles 15:22 | וּ/כְנַנְיָ֥הוּ | ukhenaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Chenaniah | and Yahweh-has-established | and Kenaneyah |
H3663-02 |
1 Chronicles 15:27 | וּ/כְנַנְיָ֛ה | ukhenaneyah | HC/Np |
and Chenaniah | And Yah-has-established | and Kenaneyah |
H3663-01 |
1 Chronicles 26:29 | כְּנַנְיָ֣הוּ | kenaneyahu | HNp |
Chenaniah | Yah Has Established | Kenaneyah |