כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an)
ke.na.an
Canaan; merchant
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 88 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun kenan refers primarily to the land west of the Jordan River, inhabited by the descendants of Canaan before Israel’s conquest under Joshua. The name itself suggests a lowland region, distinguishing it from the highlands. This territory is central to the early biblical narrative, appearing frequently in Genesis and the accounts of settlement in Numbers and Joshua.
Interestingly, the same word also carries the meaning of merchant or trader. Ancient sources note that this secondary sense arose because the Canaanites, particularly those along the Phoenician coast, were well known for their commercial activity. The term thus bridges geography and economy, describing both a place and the people who traded there.
At its root, kenan identifies a specific historical and ethnic group. It marks the land promised to Abraham’s descendants and later conquered by Joshua. The word appears in genealogies tracing Canaan’s lineage through Ham, linking him to other ancient nations. Its dual use reflects how place names often evolve to describe the people and their primary activities within that region.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Canaan appears throughout the early chapters of Genesis, marking the specific geography of God’s promise to Abraham. It is not merely a map coordinate but the setting where faith meets history. When Abram entered this land, he stepped into a future that would define his descendants for generations. The text traces the lineage of Ham through Canaan, grounding the narrative in real human families and their complex relationships.
Interestingly, the word also carries the meaning of merchant. This dual sense reminds us that places and people are often defined by their primary activities. In ancient times, the Canaanites were known for trade along the coast. For a reader today, this highlights how culture and commerce can shape identity. It invites reflection on what we value in our own communities and how our surroundings influence our spiritual journey.
Ultimately, the land of Canaan represents a place of transition and promise. It is where the patriarchs sojourned, facing both conflict and divine assurance. The narrative does not shy away from the difficulties of living in a foreign land. Instead, it shows how trust in God provides stability amidst uncertainty. This historical backdrop helps us understand the depth of the covenant that follows.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 88 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Canaan85×
- and/ Canaan4×
- merchants/ its1×
- O Canaan1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְּנָ֑עַן27×
- כְּנַ֔עַן22×
- כְּנָֽעַן\׃17×
- כְּנַ֖עַן4×
- כְּנַ֙עַן֙3×
- כְּנָֽעַן\׃\ \פ2×
- כְנָֽעַן\׃2×
- כְנַ֖עַן2×
- כְנַ֔עַן2×
- וּ/כְנָֽעַן\׃2×
- וּ/כְנַ֗עַן2×
- כִּנְעָנֶ֖י/הָ1×
Key Verses
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Genesis 17:8
I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”
This verse explicitly defines Canaan as the land given as an everlasting possession, anchoring the word in the concept of divine promise.
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Genesis 9:25
He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”
Here the term identifies a specific individual within Ham’s lineage, showing how the name functions as both a person and a tribal marker.
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Genesis 12:5
Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.
The repetition of entering the land of Canaan emphasizes the physical journey Abram took in response to God's call.
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Genesis 28:1
Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
This command not to marry daughters of Canaan highlights the distinct religious and cultural boundaries associated with the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word Canaan mean in Hebrew?
Why is Canaan mentioned in Genesis 9?
How is Canaan different from Israel?
Every Occurrence (88 verses across 11 books)
Genesis 45 verses
The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.
Genesis 9:22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 9:25He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”
Genesis 9:26He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.
Genesis 9:27May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.”
Genesis 10:6The sons of Ham were: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
Genesis 10:15Canaan became the father of Sidon (his firstborn), Heth,
Genesis 11:31Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife.…
Genesis 12:5Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom…
Genesis 13:12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
Genesis 16:3Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and…
Genesis 17:8I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an…
Genesis 23:2Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep…
Genesis 23:19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the…
Genesis 28:1Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
Genesis 28:6Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as…
Genesis 28:8Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father.
Genesis 31:18and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had…
Genesis 33:18Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped…
Genesis 35:6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
Genesis 36:2Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon, the Hittite; and Oholibamah the daughter…
Genesis 36:5Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 36:6Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his livestock, all his…
Genesis 37:1Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:5The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:7Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He…
Genesis 42:13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest…
Genesis 42:29They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,
Genesis 42:32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of…
Genesis 44:8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then…
Genesis 45:17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan.
Genesis 45:25They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.
Genesis 46:6They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob, and…
Genesis 46:12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez…
Genesis 46:31Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My…
Genesis 47:1Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all…
Genesis 47:4They also said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’…
Genesis 47:13There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan…
Genesis 47:14Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which…
Genesis 47:15When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and…
Genesis 48:3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Genesis 48:7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some…
Genesis 49:30in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with…
Genesis 50:5‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of…
Genesis 50:13for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham…