כֵּן (ken)
ken
thus
A:ConjQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:Conj
Word Overview
The word ken functions as an adverb meaning "thus," "so," or "as follows." It appears in six verses, primarily within the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra. In these contexts, it serves a straightforward connective role, linking actions to their results or introducing a specific manner of doing something.
As the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew ken, it carries no hidden theological weight or complex nuance. Translators typically render it simply as "so" or "thus," reflecting its direct and practical usage in narrative and decree texts. Its presence helps clarify the logical flow of events without adding interpretive layers.
Its limited occurrence reflects the specific linguistic needs of the biblical authors in these books. When used, it points directly to the preceding statement, ensuring the reader understands the immediate consequence or method described. This simplicity allows the text to move forward with clarity and precision.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ken appears primarily in the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra, functioning simply as "thus" or "so." It acts as a bridge, connecting an action to its result or introducing how something was done. You will find it in narrative passages where events unfold with clear cause and effect, such as when officials report findings or kings issue decrees.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God’s work often proceeds through straightforward, historical moments. In Daniel 2, for instance, the word links Daniel’s request to his ability to interpret the king’s dream. It shows that clarity comes from trusting God in the midst of complex situations. The text moves forward with precision, helping readers understand exactly what happened and why.
When you encounter such simple connective words in Scripture, they invite you to pay attention to the flow of God’s story. They ground the narrative in reality, showing that divine purposes are worked out through specific, tangible events. This clarity can bring comfort, knowing that the biblical authors recorded these details so we might understand God’s faithfulness in history.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ as follows5×
- as follows1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/כֵן֙2×
- וְ/כֵ֣ן2×
- כֵּן֮1×
- וְ/כֵן\־1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:24
Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.”
The word introduces Daniel's direct instruction to Arioch, linking his presence before the king to the promise of providing the interpretation.
-
Daniel 2:25
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
It connects Arioch's haste in bringing Daniel to the king with the specific message that a captive from Judah holds the key to the dream.
-
Daniel 7:5
“Behold, there was another animal, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said this to it: ‘Arise! Devour much flesh!’
The word signals the command given to the bear-like beast, clearly stating the action of devouring much flesh as part of the vision's description.