Hebrew word · H3547

כָּהַן

kihen

to minister

To serve or act as a priest (kōhēn). Elsewhere it is almost always used for actually performing priestly service.

Appears 23 times in 23 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to act as a priest, minister in a priest's office

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to minister as a priest, serve as a priest

1a2) to be or become a priest

1a3) to play the priest

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 61:10

Range of meaning

To serve or act as a priest (kōhēn). Elsewhere it is almost always used for actually performing priestly service.

Against the English

Translations divide: KJV 'decketh himself', WEB 'decks himself', YLT 'prepareth' all drop the priestly verb; BSB 'wears a priestly headdress', NIV 'adorns his head like a priest', ESV 'like a priest' keep it.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in Exodus–Leviticus for priestly ministry (Exod 28:1, 41). This metaphorical use for a bridegroom is unique. The LXX paraphrases ('he put a turban on me'), and the Vulgate has 'a bridegroom adorned with a crown' (decoratum corona).

From the study of Exodus 28:4

Range of meaning

A verb formed from the noun kohen, "priest". In the intensive form used here it means "to act as priest, perform priestly service". A kohen in Israel served at God's house. He handled offerings and blood, kept holy and common things apart, taught Torah, and gave oracles. The office was hereditary, passed down in Aaron's family.

Against the English

KJV and WEB: "minister unto me in the priest's office". BSB: "serve Me as priests". YLT: "for his being priest to Me". BSB and most modern versions make the pronoun plural ("they") to include the sons, but the Hebrew suffix is singular ("his").

How it drifted

"Minister" now suggests a pastor or preacher, and "priest" suggests later Christian clergy. The Israelite kohen was neither. He held an inherited household office in God's sanctuary, and his main job was not preaching.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same phrase lekhahano li, "for his serving me as priest", runs through Exodus 28–29 (28:1, 3, 41; 29:1, 44). In Exodus 40:13–15 the anointing creates "an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations".

From the study of Exodus 28:3

Range of meaning

A verb formed from kohen, 'priest': to act as priest, to perform priestly service. It is found almost entirely in the Pentateuch's priestly material and in later texts that depend on it.

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'minister unto me in the priest's office' turns one Hebrew verb into a six-word phrase. BSB 'serve Me as priest' is close and clean. YLT 'for his being priest to Me' keeps the Hebrew structure.

Used elsewhere in the period

The phrase 'to serve as priest to me' (lekhahano li) also occurs in 28:1, 4, 41; 29:1, 44; 30:30. It works almost as a refrain throughout the ordination instructions.

Where it appears

Exodus · 12

  1. Exodus 28:1 לְכַהֲנוֹ־ to serve as priest he

    “Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.

    Here: Literally 'for his acting-as-priest'. The verb is built from the noun kohen, 'priest', so it means doing the job of a priest. Notice 'his': it is singular. The office is framed first around Aaron, and the sons share in it through him.

  2. Exodus 28:3 לְכַהֲנוֹ־ to serve as priest he

    You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.

    Here: 'For him to act as priest': a verb formed from the noun kohen, 'priest'. It states the purpose of the consecration: active service in the sanctuary.

  3. Exodus 28:4 לְכַהֲנוֹ־ to serve as priest he

    These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.

    Here: A verb formed from kohen, "priest": "to act as priest". The suffix is singular ("his"), which focuses on Aaron even though his sons are included.

  4. Exodus 28:41 וְכִהֲנ֥וּ and they will serve as priests

    After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.

    Here: A verb made from the noun kohen, 'priest': 'and they shall do priest-work'. It is the goal the whole rite leads to.

  5. Exodus 29:1 לְכַהֵ֣ן to serve as priests

    “Now this is what you are to do to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without blemish,

    Here: A verb formed from the noun kohen, 'priest': 'to function as priest'. It states why they are being made holy: so they can do the job of a priest.

  6. Exodus 29:44 לְכַהֵ֥ן to serve as priests

    So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests.

  7. Exodus 30:30 לְכַהֵ֥ן to serve as priests

    Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve Me as priests.

  8. Exodus 31:10 לְכַהֵֽן׃ to serve as priests

    as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,

  9. Exodus 35:19 לְכַהֵֽן׃ to serve as priests

    and the woven garments for ministering in the holy place—both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.”

  10. Exodus 39:41 לְכַהֵֽן׃ to serve as priests

    and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.

  11. Exodus 40:13 וְכִהֵ֥ן and he will serve as a priest

    And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve Me as a priest.

  12. Exodus 40:15 וְכִהֲנ֖וּ and they will serve as priests

    Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.”

Leviticus · 2

  1. Leviticus 7:35 לְכַהֵ֖ן to serve as priests

    This is the portion of the food offerings to the LORD for Aaron and his sons since the day they were presented to serve the LORD as priests.

  2. Leviticus 16:32 לְכַהֵ֖ן to serve as priest

    The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments

Numbers · 2

  1. Numbers 3:3 לְכַהֵֽן׃ to serve as priests

    These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

  2. Numbers 3:4 וַיְכַהֵ֤ן and he served as priest

    Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 10:6 וַיְכַהֵ֛ן and he served as priest

    The Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar his son succeeded him as priest.

1 Chronicles · 2

  1. 1 Chronicles 6:10 כִּהֵ֔ן he served as a priest

    Johanan was the father of Azariah, who served as priest in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem,

  2. 1 Chronicles 24:2 וַֽיְכַהֲנ֔וּ and they served as priests

    But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 11:14 מִכַּהֵ֖ן from serving as priests

    For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 61:10 יְכַהֵ֣ן [who] he acts like a priest

    I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

    Here: Literally 'acts the priest' — the bridegroom puts on his headdress the way a priest puts on his turban. The bold verb lends priestly splendour to the wedding image (compare 61:6, 'you will be called priests of the LORD').

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 44:13 לְכַהֵ֣ן to serve as priests

    They must not approach Me to serve Me as priests or come near any of My holy things or the most holy things. They will bear the shame of the abominations they have committed.

    Here: A verb made from the noun kōhēn, 'priest': 'to do priest-work'. That means handling blood, offering at the altar and going into the inner sanctuary.

Hosea · 1

  1. Hosea 4:6 מִכַּהֵ֣ן from serving as a priest

    My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

    Here: 'From serving as priest.' The preposition 'from' means removal: the priest is dismissed from office.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.