כְּנַעֲנִי (ke.na.a.ni)
ke.na.a.ni
Canaanite; merchant; Canaanitess
N:N--LGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 69 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--LG
Word Overview
The word kənāʿănî functions as both an adjective and a noun to describe people from Canaan or those engaged in trade. In most biblical contexts, it identifies an inhabitant of the land promised to Israel, appearing frequently in Genesis and Joshua to distinguish local populations from the patriarchs and the Israelites. The term also carries a commercial sense, referring specifically to a merchant or trader who moves goods across regions.
Its usage often highlights cultural and religious boundaries. When the text mentions Canaanites, it usually underscores the distinct identity of these groups, particularly in narratives about marriage alliances or military conquests. For instance, Genesis 12:6 notes that the Canaanites were then in the land, setting the stage for later conflicts over territory and worship practices.
Translators sometimes render kənāʿănî as "merchant" to reflect its economic dimension, a meaning supported by its root association with trade networks. This dual nature—geographic and occupational—shows how the term captures both where people lived and what they did, linking land ownership with commercial activity in the ancient Near East.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The term Canaanite identifies the original inhabitants of the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants. In Genesis, this label marks a clear distinction between the patriarchs and the local populations. It highlights that while God’s people were sojourners, the land was already occupied by established communities with their own customs and identities.
This word also carries a commercial nuance, referring to traders who moved goods across regions. In Genesis 34:30, Jacob fears his small family will be overwhelmed by these inhabitants, showing how cultural boundaries created real tension. The term reminds us that faith often involves navigating complex social landscapes where different ways of life intersect.
Understanding this word helps readers see the historical context of Israel’s entry into the Promised Land. It underscores the reality of living as a minority in a land with established traditions. This awareness invites reflection on how God’s people maintain their identity while engaging with surrounding cultures.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 69 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Canaanite[s]44×
- and/ the/ Canaanite[s]12×
- to the/ Canaanite[s]2×
- the/ Canaanite [woman]2×
- the/ Canaanite2×
- against the/ Canaanite[s]2×
- a Canaanite2×
- to the/ merchants1×
- the/ Canaanites1×
- among the/ Canaanite[s]1×
- [will be] Canaanites1×
- <the>/ Canaanite [woman]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִי֙12×
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י8×
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֔י7×
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֛י4×
- וְ/הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִי֙3×
- וְ/הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֔י3×
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֗י3×
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֜י2×
- הַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֑ית2×
- הַ/כְּנַעֲנִ֨י2×
- לַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִֽי\׃1×
- לַֽ/כְּנַעֲנִ֖י1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 12:6
Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.
This verse establishes the presence of Canaanites in the land at the time of Abram’s journey, setting the stage for future territorial and cultural interactions.
-
Genesis 24:3
I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
Abraham’s command to avoid marrying within the Canaanite community highlights the importance of maintaining religious and cultural distinctiveness for his lineage.
-
Genesis 34:30
Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. They will gather themselves together against me and strike me, and I will be destroyed, I and my house.”
Jacob’s fear that his family is too few to withstand the Canaanites illustrates the vulnerability of God’s people amidst established local powers.
-
Exodus 3:8
I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
God lists the Canaanite among the nations He intends to displace, framing their presence as part of the broader narrative of deliverance and inheritance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word Canaanite mean in the Bible?
Why are Canaanites mentioned so often in Genesis?
How is Canaanite different from other tribes like Amorite or Hittite?
Every Occurrence (69 verses across 14 books)
Genesis 11 verses
the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.
Genesis 10:19The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon—as you go toward Gerar—to Gaza—as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and…
Genesis 12:6Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.
Genesis 13:7There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the…
Genesis 15:21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
Genesis 24:3I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son…
Genesis 24:37My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose…
Genesis 34:30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the…
Genesis 38:2There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.
Genesis 46:10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
Genesis 50:11When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous…