כְּנָת
𐤊𐤍𐤕
kᵉnâth
H3675 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Title-fellow, colleague; one who holds the same office or status within a professional, administrative, or official context. Used specifically for individuals who share an equivalent role or designation, emphasizing parity in position, particularly in formal lists of officials.
Semantic Range
colleague of equal rank, official holding the same office, title-fellow, co-appointee; companion in the sense of professional peer
Root / Etymology
From the root כנא (uncertain formation), likely corresponding to the Hebrew כְּנֶה (kᵉneh), 'to be acquired, to be established as a matching counterpart.' Forms the Aramaic noun כְּנָת to denote one of equal standing or appointment in official listings. The exact etymology is uncertain; possible relation to the idea of 'establishing by designation.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term appears exclusively in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Daniel 3:2–3) in administrative contexts, especially listing various officials in Babylonian state structure. The term designates someone who shares the same title or office with another, as opposed to subordinates or assistants. The English 'colleague' or 'companion' in the sense of 'title-fellow' captures the nuance but may miss the formality and officialness of the term in its original usage. Unlike the broader Hebrew term רֵעַ (rea‘, 'companion, friend'), כְּנָת refers specifically to a peer within an official or bureaucratic framework. Its usage is restricted and attested mainly during the Achaemenid and later Near Eastern administrative contexts reflected in Daniel.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to כְּנָת; {a colleague (as having the same title)}; companion.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כנא (k-n-ʾ) — establish counterpart, assign equivalent, appoint as match
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3675-03 |
וּ/כְנָוָתְ/ה֑וֹן | ukhenavatehon | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
and their companions | and their fellow-officials | 4 |
H3675-01 |
כְּנָוָתְ/ה֑וֹן | kenavatehon | ANcmpc/Sp3mp |
of their companions | their fellow-officials | 2 |
H3675-02 |
וּ/כְנָ֣וָתֵ֔/הּ | ukhenavateh | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-associates | and his fellow-officials | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3675-01 |
Ezra 4:9 | כְּנָוָתְ/ה֑וֹן | kenavatehon | ANcmpc/Sp3mp |
their associates | their fellow-officials |
H3675-01 |
Ezra 4:17 | כְּנָוָ֣תְ/ה֔וֹן | kenavatehon | ANcmpc/Sp3ms |
of their companions | their fellow-officials |
H3675-03 |
Ezra 4:23 | וּ/כְנָוָתְ/ה֑וֹן | ukhenavatehon | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
and their companions | and their fellow-officials |
H3675-03 |
Ezra 5:3 | וּ/כְנָוָתְ/ה֑וֹן | ukhenavatehon | AC/Ncmsc/Sp3mp |
and their companions | and their fellow-officials |
H3675-02 |
Ezra 5:6 | וּ/כְנָ֣וָתֵ֔/הּ | ukhenavateh | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-associates | and his fellow-officials |
H3675-03 |
Ezra 6:6 | וּ/כְנָוָ֣תְ/ה֔וֹן | ukhenavatehon | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
and-your-companions | and their fellow-officials |
H3675-03 |
Ezra 6:13 | וּ/כְנָוָתְ/ה֑וֹן | ukhenavatehon | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
and their associates | and their fellow-officials |