Lexical Definition

‎כֹּהֵן‎ kôhên (ko-hane') priest ^H:N-M
active participle of ‎כָּהַן‎

chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.

• literally one officiating, a priest
• also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (‎כ‎ָּ‎ה‎ֵ‎ן‎ "priest" כָּהֵן)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: כָּהֵן
‎כֹּהֵן‎₇₅₀ noun masculine priest (Late Hebrew ‎כֹּהֵן‎; Aramaic ‎כָּהֵין‎, ‎כַּהֲנָא‎, , ; Ethiopic all id.; on Phoenician and Arabic see above); — ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Gen 14:18 + 439 t.; plural ‎כֹּהֲנִים‎ Exod 19:6 + 272 t.; construct ‎כֹּהֲנֵי‎ 1Sam 5:5 + 13 t.; suffix ‎כֹּהֲנַי‎ Lam 1:19 + 22 t. suffixes —

1. priest-king: e.g. Melchizedek Gen 14:18 (E ?), compare Ps 110:4 (the Messianic priest-king like Melchizedek); Zech 6:13 (Messianic priest and king); Israel ‎מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים‎ Exod 19:6 (E) a kingdom of priests (priests and kings at once in their relation to the nations); compare Isa 61:6 (of Israel ministering as a priest); or a chieftain (exercising priestly functions) ‎כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן‎ Exod 2:16; Exod 3:1; Exod 18:1 (all J E); so also probably the sons of David 2Sam 8:18, his grandson 1Kgs 4:5, and Ira the Jairite 2Sam 20:26, who as princes performed priestly functions. With these we may class the ‎כהנים‎ Exod 19:22; Exod 19:24 (J).

2. priests of other religions than ‎׳‎‎י‎ 's: Potiphera ‎אֹן‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Gen 41:45; Gen 41:50 (E), Gen 46:20 (P); Egyptian ‎כהנים‎ Gen 47:22 (twice in verse); Gen 47:26 (J); ‎דָגוֺן‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 1Sam 5:5 Philistine ‎כהנים וקסמים‎ 1Sam 6:2 ‎כֹּהֲנָיו‎ his priests: e.g. of Baal 2Kgs 10:19 = of Ahab 2Kgs 10:11 of Chemosh Jer 48:7 of Malcam Jer 49:3 Mattan was ‎הבעל‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 2Kgs 11:18 = 2Chr 23:17 ‎הכמרים עם‎ ‎הכהנים‎ Zeph 1:4 Josiah burned the bones of the priests of the Baalim and Asherim 2Chr 34:5.

3. priests of special orders in Israel:
a. Micah in the hill-country of Ephraim consecrated his own son ‎וַיְהִילֿוֺ לְכֹהֵן‎ Judg 17:5 but so soon as he could secure Jonathan ben Gershom, a descendant of Moses (see VB Judg 18:30), he consecrated him, ‎לכהן‎ ‎׳‎‎היה ל‎ Judg 17:10; Judg 17:12; Judg 17:13; Judg 18:4; Judg 18:19 ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎ vJudg 18:6 vJudg 18:17 vJudg 18:18 vJudg 18:20 vJudg 18:24 vJudg 18:27. He was captured by the Danites, and he and his line became priests at Dan until the Exile, vJudg 18:19 vJudg 18:19 vJudg 18:30.
b. Jeroboam ‎עשׂה כהנים‎ 1Kgs 12:31 of those not ‎מבני לוי‎, as ‎(הַ)בָּמוֺת‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ priests of (the) high places 1Kgs 12:32; 1Kgs 13:2; 1Kgs 13:33 (twice in verse) = ‎לבמות‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 2Chr 11:15 Amaziah (of this class) was ‎ביתאֿל‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ Amos 7:10 see also 2Chr 13:9 called by Chronicler ‎לְלֹא אלהים‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ v2Chr 13:9 yet Hosea rebukes them as priests of ‎׳‎‎י‎ Hos 4:4; Hos 4:9; Hos 5:1; Hos 6:9 at the Exile they were deported by the Assyrians 2Kgs 17:27; 2Kgs 17:28.
c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves ‎במות‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ to worship ‎׳‎‎י‎ the God of the land 2Kgs 17:32.

4. priests in Israel ‎הכהנים‎ who bore the ark and the trumpets Josh 3:13; Josh 3:14; Josh 3:15; Josh 3:17; Josh 4:3; Josh 4:9; Josh 4:10; Josh 4:17; Josh 4:18 (twice in verse); Josh 6:4 (twice in verse); Josh 6:6 (twice in verse); Josh 6:8; Josh 6:9; Josh 6:12; Josh 6:13; Josh 6:16 (all J E), 1Kgs 8:3; 1Kgs 8:6; 1Kgs 8:10; 1Kgs 8:11 Eli was ‎הכהן‎ 1Sam 1:9; 1Sam 2:11 ‎יהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 1Sam 14:3 and his sons ‎ליהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 1Sam 1:3 a ‎מִשְׁפַּט הַכֹּהֲנִים‎ 1Sam 2:13 mentions the ministering priest ‎הכהן‎ and the ‎׳‎‎נַעַר הַכ‎ 1Sam 2:13; 1Sam 2:14; 1Sam 2:15 (twice in verse), Ahijah was ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ in time of Saul 1Sam 14:19 (twice in verse); 1Sam 14:36 Abimelech ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ at Nob, a priestly center, 1Sam 21:2*; 1Sam 21:3*; 1Sam 21:5*; 1Sam 21:6*; 1Sam 21:7*; 1Sam 21:10*; 1Sam 22:11 where were many ‎׳‎‎כֹּהֲנֵי י‎ 1Sam 22:17 (twice in verse); 1Sam 22:21, all slain by Saul except Abiathar son of Ahimelech 1Sam 22:11; 1Sam 22:18 (twice in verse); 1Sam 22:19, who became ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ 1Sam 23:9; 1Sam 30:7; 1Kgs 1:7; 1Kgs 1:19; 1Kgs 1:25; 1Kgs 1:42; 1Kgs 2:22; 1Kgs 2:26 Zadok later was ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ 2Sam 15:27; 1Kgs 1:8; 1Kgs 1:26; 1Kgs 1:32; 1Kgs 1:34; 1Kgs 1:38; 1Kgs 1:39; 1Kgs 1:44; 1Kgs 1:45; 1Kgs 2:35; 1Kgs 3:2; 1Chr 16:39; 1Chr 24:6: so that the two were ‎(ה)כהנים‎ 2Sam 8:17 = 1Chr 18:16 (read ‎׳‎‎וְאֶבְיָתָר בֶּןאֿח‎ 2Sam 8:17 ᵑ6 We Dr, and correct 1Chr 18:16 accordingly) 2Sam 15:35 (twice in verse); 2Sam 17:15; 2Sam 19:12*; 2Sam 20:25; 1Kgs 4:4 Solomon removed Abiathar 1Kgs 2:27 and Zadok was anointed ‎לְכֹהֵן‎ according to 1Chr 29:22 compare prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of ‎נֶאֱמָן‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 1Sam 2:28; 1Sam 2:35 Jehoiada ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ led the revolution against Athaliah 2Kgs 11:9 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 11:10; 2Kgs 11:15 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 11:18; 2Kgs 12:3*; 2Kgs 12:8*; 2Kgs 12:10* = 2Chr 22:11; 2Chr 23:8 (twice in verse); 2Chr 23:9; 2Chr 23:14 (twice in verse); 2Chr 24:2; 2Chr 24:20; 2Chr 24:25, perhaps also Jer 29:26 ‎הכהנים‎ sustaining him in his reforms 2Kgs 12:5*; 2Kgs 12:6*; 2Kgs 12:7*; 2Kgs 12:8*; 2Kgs 12:9*; 2Kgs 12:10*; 2Kgs 12:17* Uriah was ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ in the reign of Ahaz 2Kgs 16:10; 2Kgs 16:11 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 16:15; 2Kgs 16:16; Isa 8:2 Hilkiah of Josiah 2Kgs 22:10; 2Kgs 22:12; 2Kgs 22:14; 2Kgs 23:24; 2Chr 34:14; 2Chr 34:18. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin Jer 20:1 Zephaniah of Zedekiah Jer 21:1; Jer 29:25; Jer 29:26; Jer 29:29; Jer 37:3 ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ is Ezekiel's title Ezek 1:3. Priests are classed with officials of state: prophets and priests 2Kgs 23:2; Isa 28:7; Jer 5:31; Jer 6:13; Jer 8:10; Jer 14:18; Jer 23:11; Jer 23:33; Jer 23:34; Jer 26:7; Jer 26:8; Jer 26:11; Jer 26:16; Jer 29:1; Lam 2:20; Lam 4:13 priests and elders Lam 1:19; Lam 4:16 king and priest Lam 2:6 kings, priests, and prophets Jer 13:13 kings, princes, and priests Jer 1:18 princes, eunuchs, and priests Jer 34:19 priest, sage, and prophet Jer 18:18 chiefs, priests, and prophets Mic 3:11 prophets, priests, and elders Ezek 7:26 kings, princes, priests, and prophets Jer 2:26; Jer 4:9; Jer 8:1; Jer 32:32 princes, judges, prophets, and priests Zeph 3:4 seeming to exclude any other officials. Apparently in the same generic sense ‎הכהנים‎ Jer 1:1; Jer 2:8; Jer 27:16; Jer 28:1; Jer 28:5; Jer 29:25; Jer 31:14 ‎כַּכֹּהֵן‎ Isa 24:2 ‎כהנים‎ Job 12:19 ‎כהניה‎ Lam 1:4; Ezek 22:26 ‎כהניו‎ Ps 78:64. Moses and Aaron among his priests Ps 99:6 includes Moses (against P). Zion's priests clothed with righteousness and salvation Ps 132:9; Ps 132:16 = 2Chr 6:41, probably here also.

5. Levitical priests ‎הַכֹּהֲנִים‎ ‎הַלְוִיִּם‎ Deut 17:9; Deut 17:18; Deut 18:1; Deut 24:8; Deut 27:9; Josh 3:3; Josh 8:33 (all D), Jer 33:18 (inverted), vJer 33:21 (neither in ᵐ5), 2Chr 5:5 (= ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ ‎׳‎‎וְהַלּ‎ 1Kgs 8:4: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading), Ezek 43:19; Ezek 44:15 (compare 6); ‎בְּנֵי לִוֵי‎ ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ Deut 21:5; Deut 31:9 ‎׳‎‎לל‎ ‎׳‎‎לקח לכ‎ Isa 66:21 take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are: ‎הַכֹּהֲנִים‎ Deut 18:3; Deut 19:17; Josh 3:6; Josh 3:8; Josh 4:11 (D); and ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎, the priest officiating on a particular occasion Deut 18:3; Deut 20:2 or holding a particular dignity Deut 17:12; Deut 26:3; Deut 26:4. The ‎כהנים‎ of the other cities of Judah, ‎הבמות‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎, who were not allowed to minister in Jerusalem 2Kgs 23:8 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 23:9; 2Kgs 23:20, may be an attempt to enforce an exclusion from the priesthood of all but Levitical priests.

6. Zadokite priests: Ezekiel distinguishes among ‎הכהנים הלוים‎ those of the seed of Zadok, ‎בְּנֵי צָדוֺק‎; all but the latter excluded by him from priesthood Ezek 40:46; Ezek 43:19; Ezek 44:15; Ezek 48:11 the priests of his code being all Zadokites Ezek 40:45; Ezek 40:46; Ezek 42:13; Ezek 42:14; Ezek 43:24; Ezek 43:27; Ezek 44:21; Ezek 44:22; Ezek 44:30 (twice in verse); Ezek 44:31; Ezek 45:4; Ezek 45:19; Ezek 46:2; Ezek 46:19; Ezek 46:20; Ezek 48:10; Ezek 48:13.

7. Aaronic priests. In H. it is taken for granted that a priest is of the seed of Aaron; the plural is never used; ‎כֹּהֵן‎ is used for any priest Lev 21:9; Lev 22:10; Lev 22:11; Lev 22:12; Lev 22:13 ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎ for Aaron Lev 21:21, and for the official priest (acting for the priesthood, almost collective) Lev 17:5; Lev 17:6; Lev 22:14; Lev 23:10; Lev 23:11; Lev 23:20 (twice in verse); Lev 27:8 (3 t. in verse); Lev 27:11; Lev 27:12 (twice in verse); Lev 27:14 (twice in verse); Lev 27:18; Lev 27:21; Lev 27:23. The priests of P are ‎בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן‎ Lev 1:5; Lev 1:8; Lev 1:11; Lev 2:2; Lev 3:2; Lev 21:1; Num 3:3; Num 10:8; Josh 21:19 so in Chronicles 2Chr 13:9; 2Chr 13:10; 2Chr 26:18; 2Chr 29:21; 2Chr 31:19; 2Chr 35:14 (twice in verse); ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎ is used of Aaron 22 t., Eleazar 29 t., Phinehas Josh 22:30 and elsewhere; 180 t. of ministering priests, or generic of the priests; ‎הכהנים‎ Lev 6:22*; Lev 7:6; Lev 13:2; Lev 16:33; ‎כהן‎ Lev 6:16*. Chronicles distinguishes ‎הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם‎ 1Chr 13:2; 1Chr 15:11; 1Chr 15:14; 1Chr 23:2; 1Chr 24:6; 1Chr 24:31; 1Chr 28:13; 1Chr 28:21; 2Chr 8:15; 2Chr 11:13; 2Chr 13:9; 2Chr 13:10; 2Chr 23:4; 2Chr 24:5; 2Chr 29:4; 2Chr 30:15; 2Chr 30:25; 2Chr 31:2 (twice in verse); 2Chr 31:4; 2Chr 31:9; 2Chr 34:30; 2Chr 35:8; 2Chr 35:18 (the variants without ‎וְ‎ 2Chr 23:18; 2Chr 30:27 are due to copyists' errors), Ezra 1:5; Ezra 2:70; Ezra 3:8; Ezra 3:12; Ezra 6:20; Ezra 7:7; Ezra 8:29; Ezra 8:30; Ezra 9:1; Neh 7:72*; Neh 8:13; Neh 11:3; Neh 12:1; Neh 12:30; Neh 12:44 (twice in verse); Neh 13:30 ‎הלוים והכהנים‎ 2Chr 19:8; 2Chr 30:21 priests, Levites, and others 1Chr 9:2; Ezra 10:5; Neh 10:1*; Neh 10:29*; Neh 10:35*; Neh 11:20 ‎בְּנֵי לֵוִי‎ antith. to ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ Ezra 8:15 ‎הכהן‎ ‎בן אהרן עם הלוים‎ Neh 10:39* ‎(ה)כהנים‎ in Chronicles 67 t. has the same reference, as also ‎כֹּהֲנֵינוּ‎ Ezra 9:7; Neh 9:32; Neh 9:34 ‎כֹּהֵן‎ Ezra 2:63 = Neh 7:65 ‎ליחוה‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ 2Chr 26:17 ‎כהניו‎ His (God's) priests 2Chr 13:12 ‎מוֺרֶה‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ teaching priest 2Chr 15:3 ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎ is used of Jehoiada in time of David 1Chr 27:5, and Azariah in the reign of Uzziah 2Chr 26:17. In the literature of the restoration ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎ is used of Ezra, Ezra 7:11; Ezra 10:10; Ezra 10:16; Neh 8:2; Neh 8:9; Neh 12:26 Uriah Ezra 8:33 Eliashib Neh 13:4 Shelemiah Neh 13:13 ‎הכהנים‎ Joel 1:9; Joel 1:13; Joel 2:17; Hag 2:11; Hag 2:12; Hag 2:13; Zech 7:5; Mal 1:6; Mal 2:1 priests and prophets Zech 7:3 ‎כהן‎ Mal 2:7.

8. the high priest: ‎הַכֹּהֵן‎ is frequently used (see 4) to designate the priest who was at the head of priestly affairs. The adjective ‎הַגָּדוֺל‎ first appears of Jehoiada 2Kgs 12:11*, then of Hilkiah 2Kgs 22:4; 2Kgs 22:8; 2Kgs 23:4; 2Kgs 2:9 after the exile, of Joshua Hag 1:1; Hag 1:12; Hag 1:14; Hag 2:2; Hag 2:4; Zech 3:1; Zech 3:8; Zech 6:11, and Eliashib Neh 3:1; Neh 3:20; Neh 13:28. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil Lev 21:10 (H; ‎הַגָּדוֺל מֵאֶחָיו‎ ‎׳‎‎הכ‎), Num 35:25; Num 35:28 (twice in verse); Josh 20:6, and so ‎הַמָּשִׁיחַ‎ ‎׳‎‎הַכּ‎ Lev 4:3; Lev 4:5; Lev 4:16; Lev 6:15*, compare Lev 16:32. ‎הָראֹשׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎כ‎ is used of Seraiah 2Kgs 25:18 = Jer 52:24 and, in Chronicler, of Amariah 2Chr 19:11, Jehoiada 2Chr 24:11, Azariah 2Chr 26:20; 2Chr 31:10 of Aaron, Ezra 7:5. (We also supposes ‎הרואה‎ in 2Sam 15:27 to be a corruption of ‎הראשׁ‎, which he regards as post-exilic insertion. The test is corrupt [see Dr^{Sm. 1.c}.]; but this correction is improbable. Lists of high priests occur 1Chr 5:30*-41; 1Chr 6:35-38.) A priest of second rank (‎(ה)מִשְׁנֶה כֹּהֵן‎) appears in 2Kgs 23:4 (construct plural incorrect), 2Kgs 25:18 = Jer 52:24 ‎׳‎‎זִקְנֵי הַכּ‎ 2Kgs 19:2 = Isa 37:2; Jer 19:1 ‎׳‎‎שָׂרֵי הַכּ‎ 2Chr 36:14; Ezra 8:24; Ezra 8:29; Ezra 10:5 ‎׳‎‎רָאשֵׁי הַכּ‎ Neh 12:7.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References