What does כָּנַע (kānaʿ) mean in the Bible?
כָּנַע (kānaʿ): Physical submission (bending knee) becomes metaphor for total defeat, subjugation, and humiliation in warfare and covenant contexts.
Hebrew · H3665
כָּנַע
Properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate , vanquish
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כָּנַעH3665
Pronunciationkānaʿ
What does כָּנַע (kānaʿ) mean in the Bible?
כָּנַע (kānaʿ): Physical submission (bending knee) becomes metaphor for total defeat, subjugation, and humiliation in warfare and covenant contexts.
Full entry for כָּנַע (H3665) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3665?
The BSB source-word alignment has 36 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include humbled (3), were subdued (3), and you humbled yourself (2), humble himself (2), subdued them (2).
Where does כָּנַע (kānaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 26:41. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (16), Judges (4), 1 Chronicles (3), Psalms (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ithumbled3×2 Chronicles 28:19, 2 Chronicles 30:11, 2 Chronicles 32:26
were subdued3×Judges 11:33, 1 Samuel 7:13, 2 Chronicles 13:18
and you humbled yourself2×2 Kings 22:19, 2 Chronicles 34:27
humble himself2×2 Chronicles 33:23, 2 Chronicles 36:12
subdued them2×2 Samuel 8:1, 1 Chronicles 18:1
was subdued2×Judges 3:30, Judges 8:28
[had done]1×2 Chronicles 33:23
and because you have humbled yourself1×2 Chronicles 34:27
and humble him1×Job 40:12
And I will subdue1×1 Chronicles 17:10
and subdue them1×Deuteronomy 9:3
and subdued them1×Psalms 106:42
and the Philistines were subdued1×1 Chronicles 20:4
Because Rehoboam humbled himself1×2 Chronicles 12:12
has humbled himself1×1 Kings 21:29
he has humbled himself1×1 Kings 21:29
He humbled1×Psalms 107:12
he humbled himself1×2 Chronicles 33:19
humble themselves1×2 Chronicles 7:14
humbled himself1×2 Chronicles 33:12
humbled themselves1×2 Chronicles 12:6
I would subdue1×Psalms 81:14
subdued1×Judges 4:23
they had humbled themselves1×2 Chronicles 12:7
They have humbled themselves1×2 Chronicles 12:7
will be humbled1×Leviticus 26:41
You subdue1×Isaiah 25:5
You subdued1×Nehemiah 9:24
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 26:41יִכָּנַ֗עtowill be humbledVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 9:3יַכְנִיעֵ֖םtoand subdue themVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralJudges 3:30וַתִּכָּנַ֤עtowas subduedConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularJudges 4:23וַיַּכְנַ֤עtosubduedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJudges 8:28וַיִּכָּנַ֣עtowas subduedConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJudges 11:33וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙towere subduedConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1 Samuel 7:13וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙towere subduedConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural2 Samuel 8:1וַיַּכְנִיעֵ֑םtosubdued themConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural1 Kings 21:29נִכְנַ֥עtohas humbled himselfVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular1 Kings 21:29נִכְנַ֣עtohe has humbled himselfVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLeviticus 26:41
Aligned rows36
Books represented13
Leviticus1Deuteronomy1Judges41 Samuel12 Samuel11 Kings22 Kings11 Chronicles32 Chronicles16Nehemiah1Job1Psalms3Isaiah1
Source forms
וַיַּכְנִיעֵ֑ם2xway·yaḵ·nî·‘êm2 Samuel 8:1, 1 Chronicles 18:1
וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע2xway·yik·kā·na‘Judges 8:28, 2 Chronicles 33:12
וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙2xway·yik·kā·nə·‘ūJudges 11:33, 1 Samuel 7:13
וַיִּכָּנְע֥וּ2xway·yik·kā·nə·‘ū2 Chronicles 12:6, 2 Chronicles 13:18
וַתִּכָּנַ֣ע׀2xwat·tik·kā·na‘2 Kings 22:19, 2 Chronicles 34:27
אַכְנִ֑יעַ1x’aḵ·nî·a‘Psalms 81:14
הִכְנִ֤יעַ1xhiḵ·nî·a‘2 Chronicles 28:19
הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ1xhaḵ·nî·‘ê·hūJob 40:12
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural6xJudges 11:33, 1 Samuel 7:13, 1 Chronicles 20:4, 2 Chronicles 12:6
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular4x1 Kings 21:29, 2 Chronicles 33:23, 2 Chronicles 36:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular3x2 Kings 22:19, 2 Chronicles 34:27
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular3xJudges 8:28, 2 Chronicles 32:26, 2 Chronicles 33:12
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural3x2 Chronicles 12:7, 2 Chronicles 30:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2xJudges 4:23, Psalms 107:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural2x2 Samuel 8:1, 1 Chronicles 18:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular1x1 Chronicles 17:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical submission (bending knee) becomes metaphor for total defeat, subjugation, and humiliation in warfare and covenant contexts.
Strong'sH3665
Lexical occurrences36 versesWord forms2 forms11 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkJeremiah 44:7-10Source Gloss
properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate , vanquish
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical submission (bending knee) becomes metaphor for total defeat, subjugation, and humiliation in warfare and covenant contexts.
properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish BDB: be humble Usage: bring down (low), into subjection, under, humble (self), subdue.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms11
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action8×
Perfect1Kgs 21:29 · 2Chr 33:23 · 2Chr 36:12 · 2Chr 12:7 · 2Chr 30:117×
ImperfectLev 26:411×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action3×
ImperfectIsa 25:5 · Ps 81:152×
Perfect2Chr 28:191×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to bring oneself low, to submit or yield to humiliation
Showing 1 selected witness from 36 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כָּנַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.