כֹּהֵן
priest
‘priest’ is one of 8 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Absolute-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Every verse where H3548 appears in the Book of Jeremiah — 38 distinct verses. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Jeremiah
- Jeremiah 1:1 הַ/כֹּֽהֲנִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
- Jeremiah 1:18 לְ/כֹהֲנֶ֖י/הָ prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs For, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes of it, against the priests of it, and against the people of the land.
- Jeremiah 2:8 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֗ים ptcl def.art + n c mp The priests didn't say, Where is Yahweh? and those who handle the law didn't know me: the rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
- Jeremiah 2:26 וְ/כֹהֲנֵי/הֶ֖ם conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;
- Jeremiah 4:9 הַ/כֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It shall happen at that day, says Yahweh, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
- Jeremiah 5:31 וְ/הַ/כֹּהֲנִים֙ conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will you do in the end of it?
- Jeremiah 6:13 כֹּהֵ֔ן n c ms For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
- Jeremiah 8:1 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֜ים ptcl def.art + n c mp At that time, says Yahweh, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;
- Jeremiah 8:10 כֹּהֵ֔ן n c ms Therefore will I give their wives to others, and their fields to those who shall possess them: for everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely.
- Jeremiah 13:13 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then shall you tell them, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
- Jeremiah 14:18 כֹּהֵ֛ן n c ms If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.
- Jeremiah 18:18 מִ/כֹּהֵ֗ן prep + n c ms Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
- Jeremiah 19:1 הַ/כֹּהֲנִֽים ptcl def.art + n c mp Thus said Yahweh, Go, and buy a potter's earthen bottle, and [take] of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests;
- Jeremiah 20:1 הַ/כֹּהֵ֔ן ptcl def.art + n c ms Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Yahweh, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
- Jeremiah 21:1 הַ/כֹּהֵ֖ן ptcl def.art + n c ms The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when king Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,
- Jeremiah 23:11 כֹּהֵ֖ן n c ms for both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in my house have I found their wickedness, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 23:33 כֹהֵן֙ n c ms When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask you, saying, What is the burden of Yahweh? then shall you tell them, What burden! I will cast you off, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 23:34 וְ/הַ/כֹּהֵן֙ conj + ptcl def.art + n c ms As for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, who shall say, The burden of Yahweh, I will even punish that man and his house.
- Jeremiah 26:7 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֥ים ptcl def.art + n c mp The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 26:8 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֧ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, You shall surely die.
- Jeremiah 26:11 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֤ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
- Jeremiah 26:16 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then said the princes and all the people to the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.
- Jeremiah 27:16 הַ/כֹּהֲנִים֩ ptcl def.art + n c mp Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Don't listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of Yahweh's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
- Jeremiah 28:1 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֛ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It happened the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of Yahweh, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
- Jeremiah 28:5 הַ/כֹּֽהֲנִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of Yahweh,
- Jeremiah 29:1 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֤ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,
- Jeremiah 29:25 הַ/כֹּהֵ֔ן הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c ms ptcl def.art + n c mp Thus speaks Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
- Jeremiah 29:26 כֹהֵ֗ן הַ/כֹּהֵ֔ן n c ms ptcl def.art + n c ms Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the house of Yahweh, for every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.
- Jeremiah 29:29 הַ/כֹּהֵ֖ן ptcl def.art + n c ms Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
- Jeremiah 31:14 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 32:32 כֹּהֲנֵי/הֶ֖ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 33:18 וְ/לַ/כֹּהֲנִים֙ conj + prep det + n c mp neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to burn meal-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
- Jeremiah 33:21 הַ/כֹּהֲנִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
- Jeremiah 34:19 וְ/הַ/כֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf;
- Jeremiah 37:3 הַ/כֹּהֵ֔ן ptcl def.art + n c ms Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now to Yahweh our God for us.
- Jeremiah 48:7 כֹּהֲנָ֥י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also shall be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
- Jeremiah 49:3 כֹּהֲנָ֥י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run back and forth among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
- Jeremiah 52:24 כֹּהֵ֣ן כֹּהֵ֣ן n c ms cs n c ms cs The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
כהן — transliterated kôhên — is a Hebrew noun carrying the sense “priest.” The lexicon spreads it across several senses; see its full sense range. Spanning 652 verses in 29 books, it ranks among the most common words of the Hebrew Bible. Its earliest occurrence is Genesis 14:18. Sharing its root, it stands alongside כהן, כהנה and כהן. See the sense tree, 652-verse concordance, and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H3548 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 652
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 652 distinct verses.
- 29 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 29 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #67
- by frequency
- Top 100 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 67 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 652 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Leviticus 153 verses 23%
- 2 Chronicles 72 verses 11%
- Numbers 62 verses 10%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 652 distinct verses.
- Torah (Pentateuch) 245 verses · 38%
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 239 verses · 37%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 168 verses · 26%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Priest 392×, Priests 243×, Priest's 7×
- American Standard Version: Priest 383×, Priests 232×, Were priests 6×
- Berean Standard Bible: Priest 380×, Priests 255×, Way the priest 8×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Priest 410×, Priests 271×, The 30×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H3548 across 750 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 58 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H3548 across 750 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 83 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H3548 across 725 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 37 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 25 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H3548 across 768 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 17 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
11 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 11 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- 1. priest-king: e.g. Melchizedek Gn 14:18 (E?), cf. ψ 110:4 (the Messianic priest-King like Melchizedek); Zc 6:13 (Messianic priest and king); Israel מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים Ex 19:6 (E) a kingdom of priests (priests and kings at once in their relation to the nations); cf. Is 61:6 (of Israel ministering as a priest); or a chieftain (exercising priestly functions) כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן Ex 2:16; 3:1; 18:1 (all JE); so also probably the sons of David 2 S 8:18, his grandson 1 K 4:5; and Ira the Jairite 2 S 20:26, who as princes performed priestly functions. With these we may class the כהנים Ex 19:22, 24 (J). e.g. Genesis 14:18
- 2. priests of other religions than י׳’s: Potiphera כ׳ אֹן Gn 41:45, 50 (E), 46:20 (P); Egyptian כהנים Gn 47:22(×2), 26 (J); כ׳ דָגוֹן 1 S 5:5; Philistine כהנים וקסמים 1 S 6:2; כֹּהֲנָיו his priests: e.g. of Baal 2 K 10:19 = of Ahab 2 K 10:11; of Chemosh Je 48:7; of Malcam Je 49:3; Mattan was כ׳ הבעל 2 K 11:18 = 2 Ch 23:17; הכמרים עם הכהנים Zp 1:4; Josiah burned the bones of the priests of the Baalim and Asherim 2 Ch 34:5. e.g. Genesis 41:45
- 3. priests of special orders in Israel:
- a. Micah in the hill-country of Ephraim consecrated his own son וַיְהִי־לוֹ לְכֹהֵן Ju 17:5; but so soon as he could secure Jonathan ben Gershom, a descendant of Moses (see VB Ju 18:30), he consecrated him, היה ל׳ לכהן Ju 17:10, 12, 13; 18:4, 19; הַכֹּהֵן v 6, 17, 18, 20, 24, 27. He was captured by the Danites, and he and his line became priests at Dan until the Exile, v 19(×2), 30. e.g. Judges 17:5
- b. Jeroboam עשׂה כהנים 1 K 12:31 of those not מבני לוי, as כ׳ (הַ)בָּמוֹת priests of (the) high places 1 K 12:32; 13:2, 33(×2) = כ׳ לבמות 2 Ch 11:15; Amaziah (of this class) was כ׳ בית־אל Am 7:10; v. also 2 Ch 13:9; called by Chr כ׳ לְלֹא אלהים v 9; yet Hosea rebukes them as priests of י׳ Ho 4:4, 9; 5:1; 6:9; at the Exile they were deported by the Assyrians 2 K 17:27, 28. e.g. 1 Kings 12:31
- c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves כ׳ במות to worship י׳ the God of the land 2 K 17:32. e.g. 2 Kings 17:32
- 4. priests in Israel הכהנים who bore the ark and the trumpets Jos 3:13, 14, 15, 17; 4:3, 9, 10, 17, 18(×2); 6:4(×2), 6(×2), 8, 9, 12, 13, 16 (all JE), 1 K 8:3, 6, 10, 11; Eli was הכהן 1 S 1:9; 2:11; כ׳ יהוה 14:3; and his sons כ׳ ליהוה 1 S 1:3; a מִשְׁפַּט הַכֹּהֲנִים 1 S 2:13 mentions the ministering priest הכהן and the נַעַר הַכּ׳ 1 S 2:13, 14, 15(×2), Ahijah was הַכּ׳ in time of Saul 1 S 14:19(×2); 36; Abimelech הַכּ׳ at Nob, a priestly centre, 1 S 21:2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10; 22:11; where were many כֹּהֲנֵי י׳ 1 S 22:17(×2), 21, all slain by Saul except Abiathar son of Ahimelech 1 S 22:11, 18(×2), 19, who became הַכּ׳ 1 S 23:9; 30:7 1 K 1:7, 19, 25, 42; 2:22, 26; Zadok later was הַכּ׳ 2 S 15:27 1 K 1:8, 26, 32, 34, 38, 39, 44, 45; 2:35; 3:2 1 Ch 16:39; 24:6: so that the two were (ה)כהנים 2 S 8:17 = 1 Ch 18:16 (read וְאֶבְיָתָר בֶּן־אח׳ 2 S 8:17 𝔖 We Dr, and correct 1 Ch 18:16 accordingly) 2 S 15:35(×2); 17:15; 19:12; 20:25 1 K 4:4; Sol. removed Abiathar 1 K 2:27 and Zadok was anointed לְכֹהֵן according to 1 Ch 29:22; cf. prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of כ׳ נֶאֱמָן 1 S 2:28, 35; Jehoiada הַכּ׳ led the revolution against Athaliah 2 K 11:9(×2), 10, 15(×2), 18; 12:3, 8, 10 = 2 Ch 22:11; 23:8(×2), 9, 14(×2); 24:2, 20, 25, perhaps also Je 29:26; הנהנים sustaining him in his reforms 2 K 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17; Uriah was הַכּ׳ in the reign of Ahaz 2 K 16:10, 11(×2), 15, 16 Is 8:2; Hilkiah of Josiah 2 K 22:10, 12, 14; 23:24 2 Ch 34:14, 18. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin Je 20:1; Zephaniah of Zedekiah Je 21:1; 29:25, 26, 29; 37:3; הַכּ׳ is Ezekiel’s title Ez 1:3. Priests are classed with officials of state: prophets and priests 2 K 23:2 Is 28:7 Je 5:31; 6:13; 8:10; 14:18; 23:11, 33, 34; 26:7, 8, 11, 16; 29:1; La 2:20; 4:13; priests and elders La 1:19; 4:16; king and priest La 2:6; kings, priests, and prophets Je 13:13; kings, princes, and priests Je 1:18; princes, eunuchs, and priests Je 34:19; priest, sage, and prophet Je 18:18; chiefs, priests, and prophets Mi 3:11; prophets, priests, and elders Ez 7:26; kings, princes, priests, and prophets Je 2:26; 4:9; 8:1; 32:32; princes, judges, prophets, and priests Zp 3:4; seeming to exclude any other officials. Apparently in the same generic sense הכהנים Je 1:1; 2:8; 27:16; 28:1, 5; 29:25; 31:14; כַּכֹּהֵן Is 24:2; כהנים Jb 12:19; כהניה La 1:4 Ez 22:26; כהניו ψ 78:64. Moses and Aaron among his priests ψ 99:6 includes Moses (against P). Zion’s priests clothed with righteousness and salvation ψ 132:9, 16 = 2 Ch 6:41, prob. here also. e.g. Joshua 3:13
- 5. Levitical priests הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם Dt 17:9, 18; 18:1; 24:8; 27:9; Jos 3:3; 8:33 (all D), Je 33:18 (inverted), v 21 (neither in 𝔊), 2 Ch 5:5 (= הַכּ׳ וְהַלּ׳ 1 K 8:4: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading), Ez 43:19; 44:15 (cf. 6); הַכּ׳ בְנֵי לֵוִי Dt 21:5; 31:9; לקח לכ׳ לל׳ Is 66:21 take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are: הַכֹּהֲנִים Dt 18:3; 19:17; Jos 3:6, 8; 4:11 (D); and הַכֹּהֵן, the priest officiating on a partic. occasion Dt 18:3; 20:2; or holding a partic. dignity 17:12; 26:3, 4. The כהנים of the other cities of Judah, כ׳ הבמות, who were not allowed to minister in Jerusalem 2 K 23:8(×2), 9, 20, may be an attempt to enforce an exclusion from the priesthood of all but Levitical priests. e.g. Deuteronomy 17:9
- 6. Zadokite priests: Ezekiel distinguishes among הכהנים הלוים those of the seed of Zadok, בְּנֵי צָדוֹק; all but the latter excluded by him from priesthood 40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11; the priests of his code being all Zadokites 40:45, 46; 42:13, 14; 43:24, 27; 44:21, 22, 30(×2), 31; 45:4, 19; 46:2, 19, 20; 48:10, 13. e.g. Ezekiel 40:46
- 7. Aaronic priests. In H. it is taken for granted that a priest is of the seed of Aaron; the pl. is never used; כֹּהֵן is used for any priest Lv 21:9; 22:10, 11, 12, 13; הַכֹּהֵן for Aaron Lv 21:21, and for the official priest (acting for the priesthood, almost collective) Lv 17:5, 6; 22:14; 23:10, 11, 20(×2); 27:8(×3), 11, 12(×2), 14(×2), 18, 21, 23. The priests of P are בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן Lv 1:5, 8, 11; 2:2; 3:2; 21:1 Nu 3:3; 10:8 Jos 21:19; so in Chronicles 2 Ch 13:9, 10; 26:18; 29:21; 31:19; 35:14(×2); הַכֹּהֵן is used of Aaron 22 times, Eleazar 29 times, Phinehas Jos 22:30 and elsewhere; 180 times of ministering priests, or generic of the priests; הכהנים Lv 6:22; 7:6; 13:2; 16:33 Jos 4:16; כהן Lv 6:16. Chronicles distinguishes הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם 1 Ch 13:2; 15:11, 14; 23:2; 24:6, 31; 28:13, 21 2 Ch 8:15; 11:13; 13:9, 10; 23:4; 24:5; 29:4; 30:15, 25; 31:2(×2), 4, 9; 34:30; 35:8, 18 (the variants without וְ 2 Ch 23:18; 30:27 are due to copyists’ errors). Ezr 1:5; 2:70; 3:8, 12; 6:20; 7:7; 8:29, 30; 9:1 Ne 7:72; 8:13; 11:3; 12:1, 30, 44(×2); 13:30; הלוים והכהנים 2 Ch 19:8; 30:21; priests, Levites, and others 1 Ch 9:2 Ezr 10:5 Ne 10:1, 29, 35; 11:20; בְּנֵי לֵוִי antith. to הַכּ׳ Ezr 8:15; הכהן בן אהרן עם הלוים Ne 10:39; (ה)כהנים in Chr 67 times has the same reference, as also כֹּהֲנֵינוּ Ezr 9:7 Ne 9:32, 34; כֹּהֵן Ezr 2:63 = Ne 7:65; כ׳ ליהוה 2 Ch 26:17; כהניו His (God’s) priests 2 Ch 13:12; כ׳ מוֹרֶה teaching priest 2 Ch 15:3; הַכֹּהֵן is used of Jehoiada in time of David 1 Ch 27:5, and Azariah in the reign of Uzziah 2 Ch 26:17. In the literature of the restoration הַכֹּהֵן is used of Ezra, Ezr 7:11; 10:10, 16 Ne 8:2, 9; 12:26; Uriah Ezr 8:33; Eliashib Ne 13:4; Shelemiah Ne 13:13; הכהנים Jo 1:9, 13; 2:17 Hg 2:11, 12, 13 Zc 7:5 Mal 1:6; 2:1; priests and prophets Zc 7:3; כהן Mal 2:7. e.g. Leviticus 21:9
- 8. the high priest: הַכֹּהֵן is frequently used (see 4) to designate the priest who was at the head of priestly affairs. The adj. הַגָּדוֹל first appears of Jehoiada 2 K 12:11, then of Hilkiah 2 K 22:4, 8; 23:4; 2 Ch 34:9; after the exile, of Joshua Hg 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 4 Zc 3:1, 8; 6:11, and Eliashib Ne 3:1, 20; 13:28. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil Lv 21:10 (H; הכ׳ הַגָּדוֹל מֶאֶהָיו), Nu 35:25, 28(×2) Jos 20:6, and so הַכּ׳ הַמָּשִׁיהַ Lv 4:3, 5, 16; 6:15, cf. 16:32. כ׳ הָרֹאשׁ is used of Seraiah 2 K 25:18 = Je 52:24; and, in Chronicler, of Amariah 2 Ch 19:11, Jehoiada 2 Ch 24:11, Azariah, 2 Ch 26:20; 31:10; of Aaron Ezr 7:5. (We also supposes הרואה in 2 S 15:27 to be a corruption of הראשׁ, which he regards as postexilic insertion. The text is corrupt [see DrSm. l.c.]; but this correction is improbable. Lists of high priests occur 1 Ch 5:30–41; 6:35–38.) A priest of second rank (כֹּהֵן (ה)מִשְׁנֶה) appears in 2 K 23:4 (cstr. pl. incorrect), 25:18 = Je 52:24; זִקְנֵי הַכּ׳ 2 K 19:2 = Is 37:2, Je 19:1; שָׂרֵי הַכּ׳ 2 Ch 36:14 Ezr 8:24, 29; 10:5; רָאשֵׁי הַכּ׳ Ne 12:7. e.g. 2 Kings 12:11
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
n.m. priest (NH כֹּהֵן; Aramaic כָּהֵין, כַּהֲנָא ܟܳܗܶܢ, ܟܳܗܢܳܐ; Ethiopic ካህን, all id.; on Ph. and Arabic v. supr.);—כ׳ Gn 14:18 + 439 times; pl. כֹּהֲנִים Ex 19:6 + 272 times; cstr. כֹּהֲנֵי 1 S 5:5 + 13 times; sf. כֹּהֲנַי La 1:19 + 22 times; sfs.—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from כהן (kâhan) (H3547) — to serve as priest.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
כֹּהֵן
- , v. כּוּן; cmp. b. h. כַּן) [standing, stationed,] officer, esp. priest. Yoma 6ᵃ, a. fr. כ׳ גדול (abbr. כ"ג) high priest, כ׳ הדיוט ordinary priest. Meg. I, 9 כ׳ משוח an anointed high priest, contrad. to מרובה בגדים a high priest distinguished only by his robes (but not anointed, as in the days of the Second Temple). Ib. כ׳ משמש officiating highpriest, כ׳ שעבר a substitute of the high priest no longer required, ex-substitute. Hor. III, 8 ממזר … קודם לכ"ג ע"ה a bastard who is a scholar has the precedence of an ignorant high priest; a. v. fr.—Pl. כֹּהֲנִים. Yeb. 86ᵇ, a. e. בכ"ד מקומות נקראו הכ׳ וכ in twenty four Biblical passages the priests are designated as Levites; a. v. fr.—תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (abbr. ת"כ) Torath Kohănim, a) name of the third book of Moses, Leviticus. Kidd. 33ᵃ. Lev. R. s. 7 מפני מה … בת"כ why do we, in teaching children, commence with Leviticus? a. e.—b) name of an halachic commentary to Leviticus, also named Sifra. Yeb. 72ᵇ; a. fr.—Fem. כֹּהֶנֶת, כּוֹהֶ׳ a priest’s daughter or wife. Ḥull. 131ᵇ, sq.—Keth. IV, 8 ובכ׳ and in the case of a priest’s wife. Ib. VII, 1, sq. (70ᵃ) ובכ׳ Mish. a. Y. ed. (Bab. ed. ובכהן). Ib. 71ᵃ; a. fr.—Pl. כֹּהֲנוֹת, כּוֹהֲ׳. Ber. 44ᵃ. Yeb. III, 10 אם היו כ׳ (Y. ed. כוה׳) if they are daughters of priests; a. e.
כָּהַן
- , (b. h.), Nithpa. נִתְכַּהֵן (denom. of כֹּהֵן) to be appointed priest, to act as priest. Zeb. 101ᵇ לא נ׳ פנחס וכ׳ Phineas was not appointed high priest until &c. Ib. 102ᵃ לא נ׳ משה וכ׳ Moses acted as priest only during &c.
כָּהֵן
- Targ. Jer. XIV, 18. Targ. Mal. II, 7. Targ. Lev. I, 7; a. v. fr.—Snh. 110ᵃ, a. fr. כ׳ רבא high priest. Ḥull. 49ᵃ ישמעאל כ׳ מסייע כהני Ishmael, being a priest, favors the priests. Gitt. 59ᵇ קרי בכ׳ read from the Torah in the priest’s place, i.e. was called up the first; Meg. 22ᵃ Ms. O. (ed. בכהני pl.); a. fr.—Pl. כַּהֲנִין, כַּהֲנַיָּא, כַּהֲנֵי. Targ. Ex. XIX, 6. Targ. O. Lev. I, 5; a. fr.—Gitt. l. c. כ׳ חשיבי דא"י highly esteemed Palestinean priests; a. fr.—Fem. (כֹּהֶנֶת) כַּהַנְתָּא. Ḥull. 131ᵇ … יהיב לכ׳ gave priestly gifts to a priest’s daughter (married to an Israelite). Pes. 49ᵃ נסיב כ׳ married a priest’s daughter.—Pl. כַּהֲנָתָא. Ber. 44ᵃ
כָּהֵן ²
- (or כֹּהֵן), כַּהֲנָא II pr. n. m. Kahen, Kahăna, name of several Amoraim. Y. Ber. III, 6ᵃ, a. fr. ר׳ כהן.—B. Kam. 117ᵃ. Y. R. Hash. IV, beg. 59ᵇ; a. fr.—Erub. 8ᵇ רב כ׳ רביה דרב (v., however, Ms. M. a. Rabb. D. S. a. l. notes); a. fr.—v. Fr. M’bo, p. 109ᵇ, sq.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 161 distinct written forms H3548 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 101 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H3548, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Derived from this word
Compare all same-root words → They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 595 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 652 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 14:18
- Exodus 2:16
- Leviticus 1:5
- Numbers 3:3
- Deuteronomy 17:9
- Joshua 3:3
- Judges 17:5
- 1 Samuel 1:3
- 2 Samuel 8:17
- 1 Kings 1:7
- 2 Kings 10:11
- 1 Chronicles 9:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
