קֶ֫רֶן (qe.ren)
qe.ren
horn
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qeren literally means "horn," referring to the hard, pointed growth on the heads of animals like cattle or goats. In the Old Testament, it appears in everyday descriptions of livestock, but its most significant usage is symbolic. It serves as a powerful metaphor for strength, power, and authority, drawing on the horn’s natural function as a weapon or tool for defense.
This symbolic weight is especially prominent in the book of Daniel, where visions feature horns representing kingdoms or rulers. For instance, the horns emerging from beasts in Daniel 7 depict successive empires rising with force and dominance. The imagery connects physical power with political influence, suggesting that authority is not merely abstract but carries the capacity to act and exert control.
Translators typically render qeren as "horn" when referring to animals or objects, such as the altar in Exodus 29:12, which had horns on its corners. In prophetic contexts, however, the term often conveys a sense of exalted power or victory. The metaphor remains consistent across uses: just as a horn signifies an animal’s might, so too does it represent the strength of a nation or leader in biblical narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qeren brings together two very different images: the sharp horn of a wild animal and the loud blast of a musical instrument. In ancient Israel, this single term covered both physical strength and public announcement. When you read about horns in Scripture, you are encountering a symbol of power that is immediate and undeniable. It reminds us that true authority does not whisper; it acts with decisive force.
For your faith, this duality offers comfort. God’s strength is like the horn of an ox—steady, protective, and unbreakable. At the same time, His voice cuts through noise like a trumpet blast. In Daniel 3, the horn signals a demand for worship, but in God’s own narrative, it often marks the moment He steps in to save. You can trust that when God raises up strength, it is always aligned with justice and truth.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- horn/ the5×
- horns/ the2×
- and/ horn/ the2×
- and/ horns/ the1×
- and/ horns1×
- a horn1×
- [were] on/ horn/ the1×
- <in>/ horns/ the1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קַרְנָ֣/א3×
- קַרְנָ֖/א1×
- קַרְנָ/א֩1×
- קַרְנַיָּ֤/א1×
- קַרְנַיָּ/א֙1×
- קֶ֣רֶן1×
- וְ/קַרְנָ֨/א1×
- וְ/קַרְנָ֣/א1×
- וְ/קַרְנַיָּ֣/א1×
- וְ/קַרְנַ֥יִן1×
- בְּ/קַרְנָ/א\־1×
- בְּ/קַרְנַיָּ֗/א1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:7
“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.
This verse establishes the horn as a symbol of political power, listing ten horns on a terrifying beast to represent successive kingdoms.
-
Daniel 7:8
“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.
Here the horn is personified with eyes and a mouth, showing that this power is not just brute force but involves arrogant speech and intent.
-
Daniel 3:5
that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
This occurrence shifts the meaning to sound, where the horn acts as a command signal for mandatory public worship under threat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'horn' in the Bible always mean literal animal anatomy?
Why are horns so prominent in Daniel’s visions?
How is the horn used in Daniel 3 different from Daniel 7?
Every Occurrence (10 verses across 1 books)
Daniel 10 verses
that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down…
Daniel 3:7Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all…
Daniel 3:10You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and…
Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music…
Daniel 7:7“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly…
Daniel 7:8“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the…
Daniel 7:11“I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the…
Daniel 7:20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even…
Daniel 7:21I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them,
Daniel 7:24As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise out of this kingdom. Another will arise after them; and he will be different…