BDB4076 [H3651]

I. כֵּן adverb so (PH. Late Hebrew ᵑ7 id.; Syriac is then, Arabic , , but: probably from the demonstrative √ ka, found in כִּי etc., ii. 1, 254); (הִיא) כֶּןהֿוּא Gen 44:10 + 4 t.: — so (i.e. usually, as has been described or commanded, with reference to what has preceded), mostly of manner, but sometimes also of quantity, quality, or degree:

1. a. Judg 5:31 כן יאבדו so perish thy enemies, Job 5:27 הִיאכֶּןֿ, Job 8:13 כן ארחות כל שׁכחי אל, Prov 6:29; Prov 8:13; 2Sam 16:23; Isa 36:6; Isa 47:15 כן היו לך, Num 13:33 וכן היינו בעיניהם; Num 9:16 כָן יהיה תמיד Exod 10:14 (twice in verse) לא היה כן ארבה׳כמהו וג (i. e. in such numbers), 1Kgs 10:12 כן עצי אלמגים לא בא, v1Kgs 10:20; 2Chr 1:12 (twice in verse), Judg 21:14 להם כןולא מצאו and they did not suffice for them so (namely in such numbers of them as there were); 1Kgs 6:26 וכן הכרוב השׁני, Ezek 41:7 ׳וכן ל Exod 27:11; 1Kgs 10:29; Ezek 40:16; 2Chr 35:12, compare 1Chr 23:30 ׳כן ל Exod 25:33 (compare Exod 26:24), Josh 21:40.
\ \ b. the force of כֵּן has sometimes to be elicited from the context : 1Kgs 2:7 כי כן קרבו אלי (that is, with kindness such as that enjoined in va), 1Kgs 20:40 כן משׁפטך, Jer 14:10 לנועכן אהבו (i.e. not less than ׳י has withdrawn from them vJer 14:9, Gf Ke; Gie proposes אָכֵן), Ps 61:9 שִׁמְךָכֵּן אֲזַמְּרָה (Hi כְּצִדְקְךָ, implied in vJer 14:6-8), Ps 63:3 חֲזִיתִךָכֵּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ (that is, with the longings of vPs 63:2), vPs 63:5 אֲבָרֶכְךָ בְחַיָּיכֵּן (that is כְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ vPs 63:4), Ps 65:10 כִּי כֵן תְּכִינֶהָ (i.e. so generously, vPs 65:10), Ps 90:12 לִמְנוֺת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֺדַע (Hi ׳כְּיִרְאַת י vPs 90:11), Ps 127:2 כֵּן יִתֵּן לִידִידוֺ שֵׁנָא (that is, as abundantly; but Che אָכֵן), Prov 24:14 (see vProv 24:13), Isa 52:14 כֵּן מִשְׁחַת מֵאִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ (sufficiently to justify שׁממו עליך רבים).
\ \ c. כן occurs frequently in particular phrases, as
\ \ \ (a) with הָיָה, especially ויהי כן and it was so Gen 1:7; Gen 1:9; Gen 1:11 +, 2Kgs 2:10 if thou seest me taken from thee יהילֿך כן let it be to thee so (that is, as thou desirest), 2Kgs 7:20, with עשׂה (especially וַיַּעַשׂ, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ) Gen 29:28; Gen 42:20; Gen 45:21 + often, Judg 7:16 וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּמִמֶּנִּי תִּרְאוּ, + ׳ל Gen 42:25 ויעשׂ להם כן, Exod 22:29; Exod 23:11 ׳כן תעשׂה ל, Deut 22:3; 2Sam 12:31; 1Kgs 11:8 (compare 1Kgs 6:33; 1Kgs 7:18); Gen 29:26 לא יֵעָשֶׂה כן במקומנו, Gen 34:7; 2Sam 13:12 rarer usages, דִּבֶּר כֵּן Exod 6:9, אמר כן 1Kgs 22:8, כֵּן אמרתם Ezek 11:5; Ezek 33:10, ׳אָמֵן כֵּן יאֹמַר י 1Kgs 1:36 (compare Jer 28:6), וגם שׁאול אבי יֹדֵעַ כֵּן 1Sam 23:17 אָהֵב כֵּן (idiomatic) to love (it) so, Jer 5:31; Amos 4:5
\ \ \ (b) Gen 50:3 ימלאו ימי החנֻטים כי כן (compare Judg 14:10; 2Sam 13:18; Esth 2:12);
\ \ \ (c) alone, אִם כֵּן if it be so Gen 25:22; Gen 43:11 כִּיכֵֿןוַיִּרְאוּ 1Sam 5:7, יָדַעְתִּי כִּיכֵֿן Job 9:2
\ \ \ (d) לא כן not so (namely as has been described or implied), with a substantive Num 12:7 לא כן עבדי משׁה, 2Sam 20:21; 2Sam 23:5; Ps 1:4; Job 9:35b כילֿאכֿן אנכי עמדי not so am I with myself (i.e. I am not conscious of being one who would fear him, va), with a verb Deut 18:14 ואתה ׳לא כן נתן לך י (not so, — namely as implied in va), 2Sam 18:14; Isa 10:7 לא כן יְדַמֶּה, לא כן יחשׁב, absolute Gen 48:18 לא כן אבי, Exod 10:11.

2. Often, to emphasize the agreement, in answer to כְּ, and כַּאֲשֶׁר: namely
\ \ a. כְּ ֗֗֗ כֵּן,
\ \ \ (a) Gen 44:10 = Josh 2:21 כדבריכם כֶּןהֿוּא according to your words, so be it, 1Sam 25:25 כי כשׁמו כֶּןהֿוּא, Ps 48:11; Prov 23:7 כֶּןהֿוּא (after conjunction כְּמוֺ), Ezek 42:11 כְּאָרְכָּן כֵּן רָחְבָּן;
\ \ \ (b) Lev 27:12 כְּעֶרְכְּךָ כֵּן יִהְיֶה, 2Sam 13:35; Num 8:4; Num 9:14; Num 15:20; Deut 8:20; Judg 11:10, so after כְּפִי Num 6:21
\ \ \ (c) כְּכֹל ֗֗֗ כֵּן ֗֗֗ 1Sam 8:8; 2Sam 7:17; Jer 42:5
\ \ \ (d) in similes,
\ \ \ (a) 2Sam 14:17 כן ׳אדני המלךכמלאך הא, Jer 18:6; Ps 123:2; Ps 127:4; Prov 10:26; Prov 26:8; Prov 26:19; Prov 27:8; Prov 27:19; Song 2:2; Song 2:3 (β) Joel 2:4 כְּפָרָשִׁים כֵּן יְרוּצוּן, Isa 31:5; Isa 38:14; Ps 103:15; Prov 26:1; Prov 26:2 (γ) Ps 42:2 כאיל תערג ֗֗֗ כן׳נפשׁי וג like the hind which etc., Ps 83:16; Isa 61:11; Isa 63:14; Job 7:3, so after כמו Isa 26:17 (δ) Jer 2:26 גַּנָּב ֗֗֗ כֵּן הוֺבִישׁוּכְּבשֶׁת, Jer 6:7; Jer 34:5 (read כְּמשׂרפות), Ezek 22:22 (compare vEzek 22:20), Ezek 23:44; Ezek 34:12 compare (of degree) Ezek 35:15 (omitted by ᵐ5 Co), Hos 4:7 כְּרֻבָּם כֵּן חָָֽטְאוּ לִי. Of time (un-common) 1Sam 9:13 כְּבֹאֲכֶם הָעִיר כֵּן תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתוֺ.
\ \ b. Ezra 10:12 כן כדבריך עלינו לעשׂות.
\ \ c. ֗֗֗ כֵּן ֗֗֗ כַּאֲשֶׁר,
\ \ \ (a) Exod 7:6 כן עשׂו ׳כאשׁר צוה י, Exod 12:28; Exod 12:50; Exod 39:43 (compare Exod 27:8), Num 8:22 (compare Num 5:4), Num 17:26; Num 36:10; Josh 14:5 (all P); Gen 41:13 כאשׁר פתר כן היה, Josh 10:1; Josh 10:39; Josh 11:15; Judg 1:7; Judg 15:11b Ps 48:9
\ \ \ (b) (frequently) Num 2:17 כֵּן יִסָּ֑עוּכאשׁר יַחֲנוּ, Exod 1:12 (of degree = the more . . . the more) כַּאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֺ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ;
\ \ \ (c) Gen 6:22 אשׁר צוה אתו אלהים כן עשׂהככל, Exod 39:32; Exod 39:42; Exod 40:16; Num 1:54; Num 2:34; Num 8:20; Num 9:5 (all P), compare Exod 25:9 (וְכֵן), simil. 2Sam 9:11; 2Kgs 16:11, compare Josh 1:17; Jer 42:20
\ \ \ (d) Exod 27:8 הֶרְאָה אתך כן יעשׂוכאשׁר, 2Sam 16:19; 1Kgs 2:38; Isa 20:4; Isa 52:14f.; with the same verb repeated Lev 24:19; Lev 24:20; Deut 28:63 כאשׁר שׂשׂ ֗֗֗ כן ישׂישׂ, Josh 23:15; 1Sam 15:33; 1Sam 26:24; 1Kgs 1:37; Isa 10:11; Jer 5:19; Jer 31:28; Jer 32:42; Jer 42:18; Ezek 12:11; Ezek 20:36; Zech 7:13; Prov 24:29; Num 14:28 אעשׂהאם לא כאשׁר דברתם כן, Isa 14:24, so after הלא Isa 10:11, after asseverative כי 2Sam 3:9; 1Kgs 1:30 so ֗֗֗ כֵּן ׳כָּלעֻֿמַּת שֶׁ Eccl 5:15
\ \ \ (e) Judg 7:17b כאשׁר אעשׂה כן תעשׂון, Lev 27:14; Num 15:14, compare Jer 39:12
\ \ \ (f) in similes, Deut 12:22; Deut 22:26; Amos 3:12; Isa 65:8; Jer 13:11.
\ \ d. כן כאשׁר ֗֗֗ ,
\ \ \ (a) Exod 7:10 ׳ויעשׂו כן כאשׁר צוה י, vExod 7:20; Josh 4:8; 2Sam 5:25; Ezek 12:7, compare Gen 50:12; Num 8:3 iron. Amos 5:14 אתּכם כאשׁר ׳אמרתם יהי כן י, Exod 10:10
\ \ \ (b) Gen 18:5 כן תעשׂה כאשׁר דברת, Neh 5:12. — Occasionally in poetry כאשׁר is not expressed : Isa 54:9 (De), Isa 55:9; Jer 3:20; Job 7:9; Hos 11:2 קראו להם כן הלכו מפניהם (of degree: so = in the same proportion), Ps 48:6 המה ראו כן תמהו (i.e. in the same measure that they saw); Jer 33:22 (according to many, but dubious; read probably כאשׁר Gie) it is represented by אשׁר (so Isa 54:9 Hi Ew Di): Judg 5:15 כ is not expressed. — Nah 1:12 is probably corrupt; Zech 11:11 for כן עניי read כְּנַעֲנֵי. — כֹּה, כָּכָה, כָּזֹאת are synonyms, but differ considerably in usage.

3. With prepositions: —
\ \ a. אַחַרכֵּֿן, אַחֲרֵיכֵֿן, מֵאַחֲרֵיכֵֿן, literally after so, i.e. afterwards: see אַחַר.
\ \ b. בְּכֵן (late), literally in such circumstances, i.e. thereupon, then, Eccl 8:10; Esth 4:16 (ᵑ7 בְּכֵין often for אָז; e.g. Exod 15:1 SyrJerusalem = τότε).
\ \ c. כֵּןכְּמוֺֿ Isa 51:6, according to some, like so, i.e. (Vrss Rabb) in like manner, or (De) like this (accompanied by a contemptuous gesture) = like a mere nothing: but see IV. כֵּן.
\ \ d. לָכֵן200 according to such conditions, that being so, therefore Num 16:11; 1Sam 27:6; Ps 16:9; Ps 73:6; Ps 73:10 especially in prophets, where it often introduces, after statement of the grounds, a divine declaration or command: Judg 10:13; 2Kgs 1:6; Amos 4:12; Isa 5:13; Isa 5:14; Isa 5:24; Isa 7:14; Isa 10:16; Isa 16:7; Isa 27:9; Jer 6:15; Jer 8:10 etc.; ׳לכן כה אמר י 2Kgs 21:12; Isa 10:24; Isa 28:16; Isa 29:22; Isa 30:12; Isa 37:33; Jer 5:14; Jer 6:21 + often; followed by נאם האדון Isa 1:24 ׳נאם י 1Sam 2:30; Jer 2:9 ׳לכן הנה ימים באים נאם י Jer 7:32; Jer 16:14; Jer 19:6 +; ׳לכן חי אני נאם י Ezek 5:11; Ezek 35:6; Ezek 35:11; Zeph 2:9 הנני ֗֗֗ לכן 1Kgs 14:10; Hos 2:8; Hos 2:16; Isa 29:14; Jer 16:21; Ezek 16:37; Ezek 22:19 b Ezek 25:4; Ezek 25:7; Ezek 25:9 +; לכן אֱמֹר Exod 6:6; Num 25:12 (both P), Ezek 11:16; Ezek 11:17; Ezek 14:6; Ezek 20:30; Ezek 33:25; Ezek 36:22 לָכֵן דַּבֵּר Ezek 14:4; Ezek 20:27 לָכֵן הִנָּכֵא Ezek 11:4; Ezek 36:3; Ezek 36:6; Ezek 37:12; Ezek 38:14 . . . . לָכֵן שִׁמְעוּ Isa 28:14; Isa 51:21; Jer 6:18; Jer 44:26 +. In answer to יען, Num 20:12 (P), 1Kgs 14:10; 2Kgs 1:16; 2Kgs 21:12; 2Kgs 22:20; Isa 29:14; Isa 30:13; Jer 19:6 +, Ezek 5:8; Ezek 13:23 +; so, once, וְלָכֵן Isa 8:7 to כי Isa 28:16; Jer 35:17 על Jer 9:14 אם Jer 23:38; Jer 42:15. Special usages: —
\ \ \ (a) idiomatic, in conversation, in reply to an objection, to state the ground upon which the answer is made; Gen 4:15 therefore — this being so — whoso killeth Cain, etc., Gen 30:15; Judg 8:7; Judg 11:8; 1Sam 28:2; 1Kgs 22:19; Job 20:2 (ᵐ5 in Genesis Kings Job, not perceiving the idiom, renders οὐχοὕτως (as though לאכֿן): so also strangely, elsewhere, as 1Sam 3:14; 2Kgs 1:4; 2Kgs 1:6; 2Kgs 21:12).
\ \ \ (b) inferring the cause from the effect, or developing what is logically involved in a statement, Isa 26:14b (compare De) therefore thou hast visited and destroyed them (not a consequence of va 'the dead rise not,' but the development of what is implicit in it), Isa 61:7; Jer 2:33; Jer 5:2 (because namely אין אמונה vJer 5:1), Job 34:25; Job 42:3. — Zech 11:7 read לִכְנַעֲנֵי הַצּאֹן.
\ \ e. עַדכֵּֿן hitherto (of time), as yet Neh 2:16. feminine עַלכֵּֿן145 upon ground of such conditions, therefore (introducing, more generally than לָכֵן, the statement of a fact, rather than a declaration: never used in the phrases noted under לָכֵן), Gen 20:6; Gen 42:21; Exod 5:8; Exod 5:17; Exod 16:29; Exod 20:11; 1Sam 20:29; 1Sam 28:18; 2Sam 7:22; 2Sam 7:27; 1Kgs 20:23; Isa 5:25; Isa 9:16; Isa 13:7; Isa 13:13; Isa 15:4; Isa 15:7; Isa 16:9; Isa 16:11; Isa 17:10; Isa 21:3; Isa 10:21; Isa 12:8; Isa 20:11; Isa 31:3; Isa 31:20; Isa 22:4; Isa 31:5 etc., Ps 1:5; Ps 42:7; Ps 45:3 c (the poet's inference from va. b), vPs 1:8; Ps 110:7; Job 6:3; Job 9:22; Job 17:4; Job 20:21 etc., Song 1:3 and regularly where the origin of a name, or custom, or proverb is assigned, Gen 2:24 ׳עלכֿן יעזב אישׁ וג, Gen 10:9 יֵאָמַ֔רעלכֿן, Gen 11:9 עלכֿן קרא שׁמה בבל, Gen 16:14; Gen 19:22; Gen 21:31; Gen 25:30; Gen 26:33; Gen 29:34; Gen 29:35; Gen 30:6; Gen 32:33; Gen 47:22; Exod 13:15; Exod 15:23; Num 18:24; Num 21:14; Num 21:27; Deut 10:9 (compare Deut 15:11; Deut 15:15; Deut 19:7; Deut 24:18; Deut 24:22), Josh 7:26; Josh 14:14; Judg 15:19; Judg 18:12; 1Sam 5:5; 1Sam 10:12; 1Sam 23:28 (? read so 1Sam 27:6) 2Sam 5:8; 2Sam 5:20 etc.; הַעַלכֵּֿן Hab 1:17. — Esth 9:26 the 2nd על כן (unless dittograph) points unusually onwards to האגרתעל כל דברי on this account, on account, namely, etc.


The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
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