קָרַן
𐤒𐤓𐤍
qâran
H7160 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To emit rays or beams (of light); to project, be radiant, or send forth something outward, such as horns or rays. Used both literally of having or producing horns and figuratively of shining, particularly in reference to the radiant appearance of Moses' face after encountering the divine.
Semantic Range
to emit rays, to shine radiantly, to have or project horns, to send forth beams
Root / Etymology
From the root קרן (Q-R-N), which fundamentally means 'horn.' The verbal form derives denominatively from the noun קֶרֶן (qeren, 'horn'), expressing an action associated with projecting outward either as horns or as rays of light.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In its rare verbal usage in the Hebrew Bible, קָרַן primarily appears in Exodus 34:29-35, describing Moses' face as 'radiant' following his encounter with YHWH on Mount Sinai. The verb is distinctly denominative — rooted in קֶרֶן, meaning 'horn'— but in its biblical context, it clearly refers to the emission of radiant beams or rays, not literal horns. The description likely uses poetic imagery of light projecting outward from a central source, akin to horns projecting from the head of an animal, hence the figurative sense of 'rays.' The Septuagint and later Latin Vulgate, misunderstanding the root's figurative extension, rendered the term as 'having horns,' which led to later depictions (e.g., in medieval art) of Moses with horns. The verb does not occur outside this context and is not used for literal horn-growth elsewhere. Its semantic nuance thus bridges the physical concept of protrusion (horns) and the visual metaphor of radiance (light beams). The standard English rendering 'shine' or 'be radiant' best captures the intent in biblical usage, though a literalistic reading could mislead about the original imagery. Contrast with זָהַר (zāhar, 'to shine, be radiant'), which conveys simple luminescence without the connotation of projection from a point, and אור (’ôr, 'to give light'), which is even broader and more abstract.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to push or gore; used only as denominative from קֶרֶן,; to shoot out horns; figuratively, rays; have horns, shine.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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קרן (q-r-n) — horn, projection, emitting outward
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7161 | קֶרֶן | with his two horns |
| H7162 | קֶרֶן | in the horn |
| H7163 | קֶרֶן הַפּוּךְ | projecting horn |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7160-02 |
קָרַ֛ן | qaran | HVqp3ms |
had-beamed | he projected rays | 3 |
H7160-01 |
מַקְרִ֥ן | maqerin | HVhrmsa |
horned | ray-projecting one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7160-02 |
Exodus 34:29 | קָרַ֛ן | qaran | HVqp3ms |
had-beamed | he projected rays |
H7160-02 |
Exodus 34:30 | קָרַ֖ן | qaran | HVqp3ms |
was horned | he projected rays |
H7160-02 |
Exodus 34:35 | קָרַ֔ן | qaran | HVqp3ms |
had shone | he projected rays |
H7160-01 |
Psalms 69:32 | מַקְרִ֥ן | maqerin | HVhrmsa |
horned | ray-projecting one |