כָּנַס (ka.nas)
ka.nas
to gather
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb kanas simply means to gather or collect things together. It appears nine times in the Old Testament, with notable uses in Psalms and Ecclesiastes. In Psalm 147:2, for example, it describes God gathering Israel’s exiles back to their land, emphasizing a purposeful assembly of scattered people.
Its core sense is physical collection, but it also carries the idea of wrapping or enclosing, as seen in its related forms where one might wrap oneself up. This dual nuance suggests that gathering is not just about bringing items into a pile, but creating a unified whole from separate parts. In Nehemiah 10:28, it refers to the people binding themselves together in a covenant, highlighting social cohesion.
The word’s root implies movement toward a center. Unlike terms for random accumulation, kanas often suggests intentional gathering under authority or for a specific purpose. Translators typically render it as "gather," which captures its straightforward nature without adding theological weight beyond the text’s immediate context.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word kanas carries a simple but profound image: bringing scattered pieces into a single, unified whole. It is not merely about collecting items, but about intentional assembly under authority. When we see God described as the one who gathers, it speaks to His desire to restore order from chaos and community from isolation.
In Psalm 147:2, this verb describes Yahweh gathering the outcasts of Israel. This is not a random accumulation, but a purposeful act of restoration. For believers today, this reminds us that our lives are not meant to remain fragmented or alone. God actively draws us together, whether in physical community or in spiritual unity with Christ.
Even in Ecclesiastes, where the word appears in the context of accumulating wealth, the underlying structure remains the same: things are being brought together. Yet Solomon shows that only what is gathered for God’s pleasure endures. This invites us to consider what we are gathering in our own lives and whether it aligns with His purposes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ gather2×
- when/ wraps oneself up1×
- to gather1×
- he gathers1×
- gather1×
- and/ to/ collect1×
- [he is] gathering1×
- I gathered1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/כְנוֹס֙1×
- לִ/כְנ֨וֹס1×
- כֹּנֵ֣ס1×
- כָּנַ֤סְתִּי1×
- כְּנ֨וֹס1×
- כְּנ֣וֹס1×
- כְּ/הִתְכַּנֵּֽס\׃1×
- יְכַנֵּֽס\׃1×
- וְ/לִ/כְנ֗וֹס1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 147:2
Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
This verse highlights God’s active role in restoring scattered people, showing that gathering is an act of divine rebuilding and care for the outcast.
-
Esther 4:16
“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
Here the word underscores communal solidarity in crisis, as Esther calls for a unified fast before facing danger, emphasizing collective dependence on God.
-
Psalms 33:7
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
The imagery of gathering waters into heaps demonstrates God’s sovereign control over creation, using the same verb to show order imposed on chaos.