כֹּהֵן 750 noun masculine priest (Late Hebrew
כֹּהֵן; Aramaic
כָּהֵין,
כַּהֲנָא,
,
; Ethiopic
all
id.; on Phoenician and Arabic see above); —
כ׳ Genesis 14:18 +
439 times; plural
כֹּהֲנִים Exodus 19:6 +
272 times; construct
כֹּהֲנֵי 1 Samuel 5:5 +
13 times; suffix
כֹּהֲנַי Lamentations 1:19 +
22 times suffixes —
3. priests of special orders in Israel:
c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves
במות כ׳ to worship
י׳ the God of the land
2 Kings 17:32.
†4. priests in Israel הכהנים who bore the ark and the trumpets
Joshua 3:13,
14,
15,
17;
Joshua 4:3,
9,
10,
17,
18 (twice in verse);
Joshua 6:4 (twice in verse);
Joshua 6:6 (twice in verse);
Joshua 6:8,
9,
12,
13,
16 (all J E),
1 Kings 8:3,
6,
10,
11; Eli was
הכהן 1 Samuel 1:9;
1 Samuel 2:11;
יהוה כ׳ 1 Samuel 14:3; and his sons
ליהוה כ׳ 1 Samuel 1:3; a
הַכֹּהֲנִים מִשְׁפַּט 1 Samuel 2:13 mentions the ministering priest
הכהן and the
נַעַר הַכ׳ 1 Samuel 2:13,
14,
15 (twice in verse), Ahijah was
הַכּ׳ in time of Saul
1 Samuel 14:19 (twice in verse);
1 Samuel 14:36; Abimelech
הַכּ׳ at Nob, a priestly center,
1 Samuel 21:2;
1 Samuel 21:3;
1 Samuel 21:5;
1 Samuel 21:6;
1 Samuel 21:7;
1 Samuel 21:10;
1 Samuel 22:11; where were many
כֹּהֲנֵי י׳ 1 Samuel 22:17 (twice in verse);
1 Samuel 22:21, all slain by Saul except Abiathar son of Ahimelech
1 Samuel 22:11,
18 (twice in verse);
1 Samuel 22:19, who became
הַכּ׳ 1 Samuel 23:9;
1 Samuel 30:7;
1 Kings 1:7,
19,
25,
42;
1 Kings 2:22,
26; Zadok later was
הַכּ׳ 2 Samuel 15:27;
1 Kings 1:8,
26,
32,
34,
38,
39,
44,
45;
1 Kings 2:35;
1 Kings 3:2;
1 Chronicles 16:39;
1 Chronicles 24:6: so that the two were
(ה)כהנים 2 Samuel 8:17 =
1 Chronicles 18:16 (read
וְאֶבְיָתָר בֶּןאֿח׳ 2 Samuel 8:17 
We Dr, and correct
1 Chronicles 18:16 accordingly)
2 Samuel 15:35 (twice in verse);
2 Samuel 17:15;
2 Samuel 19:12;
2 Samuel 20:25;
1 Kings 4:4; Solomon removed Abiathar
1 Kings 2:27 and Zadok was anointed
לְכֹהֵן according to
1 Chronicles 29:22; compare prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of
נֶאֱמָן כ׳ 1 Samuel 2:28,
35; Jehoiada
הַכּ׳ led the revolution against Athaliah
2 Kings 11:9 (twice in verse);
2 Kings 11:10,
15 (twice in verse);
2 Kings 11:18;
2 Kings 12:3;
2 Kings 12:8;
2 Kings 12:10 2 Chronicles 22:11;
23:8 (twice in verse);
2 Chronicles 23:9,
14 (twice in verse);
2 Chronicles 24:2,
20,
25, perhaps also
Jeremiah 29:26;
הכהנים sustaining him in his reforms
2 Kings 12:5;
2 Kings 12:6;
2 Kings 12:7;
2 Kings 12:8;
2 Kings 12:9;
2 Kings 12:10;
2 Kings 12:17; Uriah was
הַכּ׳ in the reign of Ahaz
2 Kings 16:10,
11 (twice in verse);
2 Kings 16:15,
16;
Isaiah 8:2; Hilkiah of Josiah
2 Kings 22:10,
12,
14;
2 Kings 23:24;
2 Chronicles 34:14,
18. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin
Jeremiah 20:1; Zephaniah of Zedekiah
Jeremiah 21:1;
Jeremiah 29:25,
26,
29;
Jeremiah 37:3;
הַכּ׳ is Ezekiel's title
Ezekiel 1:3. Priests are classed with officials of state: prophets and priests
2 Kings 23:2;
Isaiah 28:7;
Jeremiah 5:31;
Jeremiah 6:13;
Jeremiah 8:10;
Jeremiah 14:18;
Jeremiah 23:11,
33,
34;
Jeremiah 26:7,
8,
11,
16;
Jeremiah 29:1;
Lamentations 2:20;
Lamentations 4:13; priests and elders
Lamentations 1:19;
Lamentations 4:16; king and priest
Lamentations 2:6; kings, priests, and prophets
Jeremiah 13:13; kings, princes, and priests
Jeremiah 1:18; princes, eunuchs, and priests
Jeremiah 34:19; priest, sage, and prophet
Jeremiah 18:18; chiefs, priests, and prophets
Micah 3:11; prophets, priests, and elders
Ezekiel 7:26; kings, princes, priests, and prophets
Jeremiah 2:26;
Jeremiah 4:9;
Jeremiah 8:1;
Jeremiah 32:32; princes, judges, prophets, and priests
Zephaniah 3:4; seeming to exclude any other officials. Apparently in the same generic sense
הכהנים Jeremiah 1:1;
Jeremiah 2:8;
Jeremiah 27:16;
Jeremiah 28:1,
5;
Jeremiah 29:25;
Jeremiah 31:14;
כַּכֹּהֵן Isaiah 24:2;
כהנים Job 12:19;
כהניה Lamentations 1:4;
Ezekiel 22:26;
כהניו Psalm 78:64.
Moses and Aaron among his priests Psalm 99:6 includes Moses (against P). Zion's priests clothed with righteousness and salvation
Psalm 132:9;
Psalm 132:16 2 Chronicles 6:41, probably here also.
†5. Levitical priests הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם Deuteronomy 17:9,
18;
Deuteronomy 18:1;
Deuteronomy 24:8;
Deuteronomy 27:9;
Joshua 3:3;
Joshua 8:33 (all D),
Jeremiah 33:18 (inverted),
Jeremiah 33:21 (neither in
),
2 Chronicles 5:5 (=
הַכּ׳ וְהַלּ׳ 1 Kings 8:4: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading),
Ezekiel 43:19;
Ezekiel 44:15 (compare
6);
בְּנֵי לִוֵי הַכּ׳ Deuteronomy 21:5;
Deuteronomy 31:9;
לל׳ לקח לכ׳ Isaiah 66:21 take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are:
הַכֹּהֲנִים Deuteronomy 18:3;
Deuteronomy 19:17;
Joshua 3:6,
8;
Joshua 4:11 (D); and
הַכֹּהֵן, the priest officiating on a particular occasion
Deuteronomy 18:3;
Deuteronomy 20:2; or holding a particular dignity
Deuteronomy 17:12;
Deuteronomy 26:3,
4. The
כהנים of the other cities of Judah,
הבמות כ׳, who were not allowed to minister in Jerusalem
2 Kings 23:8 (twice in verse);
2 Kings 23:9,
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
Ezekiel 40:46;
Ezekiel 43:19;
Ezekiel 44:15;
Ezekiel 48:11; the priests of his code being all Zadokites
Ezekiel 40:45,
46;
Ezekiel 42:13,
14;
Ezekiel 43:24,
27;
Ezekiel 44:21,
22,
30 (twice in verse);
Ezekiel 44:31;
Ezekiel 45:4,
19;
Ezekiel 46:2,
19,
20;
Ezekiel 48:10,
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
Leviticus 21:9;
Leviticus 22:10,
11,
12,
13;
הַכֹּהֵן for Aaron
Leviticus 21:21, and for the official priest (acting for the priesthood, almost collective)
Leviticus 17:5,
6;
Leviticus 22:14;
Leviticus 23:10,
11,
20 (twice in verse);
Leviticus 27:8 (
3 times in verse);
Leviticus 27:11,
12 (twice in verse);
Leviticus 27:14 (twice in verse);
Leviticus 27:18,
21,
23. The priests of P are
בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן Leviticus 1:5,
8,
11;
Leviticus 2:2;
Leviticus 3:2;
Leviticus 21:1;
Numbers 3:3;
Numbers 10:8;
Joshua 21:19; so in Chronicles
2 Chronicles 13:9,
10;
26:18;
29:21;
31:19;
35:14 (twice in verse);
הַכֹּהֵן is used of Aaron +
22 times, Eleazar +
29 times, Phinehas
Joshua 22:30 and elsewhere; +
180 times of ministering priests, or Generic of the priests;
הכהנים Leviticus 6:22;
Leviticus 7:6;
Leviticus 13:2;
Leviticus 16:33;
Joshua 4:16;
כהן Leviticus 6:16. Chronicles distinguishes
הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם 1 Chronicles 13:2;
1 Chronicles 15:11,
14;
1 Chronicles 23:2;
1 Chronicles 24:6,
31;
1 Chronicles 28:13,
21;
2 Chronicles 8:15;
11:13;
13:9,
10;
23:4;
24:5;
29:4;
30:15,
25;
31:2 (twice in verse);
2 Chronicles 31:4,
9;
34:30;
35:8,
18 (the variants without
וְ 2 Chronicles 23:18;
30:27 are due to copyists' errors),
Ezra 1:5;
Ezra 2:70;
Ezra 3:8,
12;
Ezra 6:20;
Ezra 7:7;
Ezra 8:29,
30;
Ezra 9:1;
Nehemiah 7:72;
Nehemiah 8:13;
Nehemiah 11:3;
Nehemiah 12:1,
30,
44 (twice in verse);
Nehemiah 13:30;
הלוים והכהנים 2 Chronicles 19:8;
30:21; priests, Levites, and others
1 Chronicles 9:2;
Ezra 10:5;
Nehemiah 10:1;
Nehemiah 10:29;
Nehemiah 10:35;
Nehemiah 11:20;
בְּנֵי לֵוִי antithetical to
הַכּ׳ Ezra 8:15;
הכהן בן אהרן עם הלוים Nehemiah 10:39;
(ה)כהנים in Chronicles +
67 times has the same reference, as also
כֹּהֲנֵינוּ Ezra 9:7;
Nehemiah 9:32,
34;
כֹּהֵן Ezra 2:63 =
Nehemiah 7:65;
ליחוה כ׳ 2 Chronicles 26:17;
כהניו His (God's)
priests 2 Chronicles 13:12;
מוֺרֶה כ׳ teaching priest 2 Chronicles 15:3;
הַכֹּהֵן is used of Jehoiada in time of David
1 Chronicles 27:5, and Azariah in the reign of Uzziah
2 Chronicles 26:17. In the literature of the restoration
הַכֹּהֵן is used of Ezra,
Ezra 7:11;
Ezra 10:10,
16;
Nehemiah 8:2,
9;
Nehemiah 12:26; Uriah
Ezra 8:33; Eliashib
Nehemiah 13:4; Shelemiah
Nehemiah 13:13;
הכהנים Joel 1:9,
13;
Joel 2:17;
Haggai 2:11,
12,
13;
Zechariah 7:5;
Malachi 1:6;
Malachi 2:1; priests and prophets
Zechariah 7:3;
כהן Malachi 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
2 Kings 12:11, then of Hilkiah
2 Kings 22:4,
8;
2 Kings 23:4;
2 Chronicles 34:9; after the exile, of Joshua
Haggai 1:1,
12,
14;
Haggai 2:2,
4;
Zechariah 3:1,
8;
Zechariah 6:11, and Eliashib
Nehemiah 3:1,
20;
Nehemiah 13:28. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil
Leviticus 21:10 (H;
הַגָּדוֺל מֵאֶחָיו הכ׳),
Numbers 35:25,
28 (twice in verse);
Joshua 20:6, and so
הַמָּשִׁיחַ הַכּ׳ Leviticus 4:3,
5,
16;
Leviticus 6:15, compare
Leviticus 16:32.
הָראֹשׁ כ׳ is used of Seraiah
2 Kings 25:18 =
Jeremiah 52:24; and, in Chronicler, of Amariah
2 Chronicles 19:11, Jehoiada
2 Chronicles 24:11, Azariah
2 Chronicles 26:20;
31:10; of Aaron,
Ezra 7:5. (We also supposes
הרואה in
2 Samuel 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
1 Chronicles 5:30-41 [
1 Chronicles 6:4-15];
1 Chronicles 6:35-38.) A priest of second rank (
(ה)מִשְׁנֶה כֹּהֵן) appears in
2 Kings 23:4 (construct plural incorrect),
2 Kings 25:18 =
Jeremiah 52:24;
זִקְנֵי הַכּ׳ 2 Kings 19:2 =
Isaiah 37:2;
Jeremiah 19:1;
שָׂרֵי הַכּ׳ 2 Chronicles 36:14;
Ezra 8:24,
29;
Ezra 10:5;
רָאשֵׁי הַכּ׳ Nehemiah 12:7.
See related Aramaic BDB entry
H3549.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com
BLB Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
Abbreviate Books
Use SBL Abbrev.
