H3548. kohen

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

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

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

3 priests of special orders in Israel:

a. Micah in the hill-country of Ephraim consecrated his own son לְכֹהֵן וַיְהִילֿוֺ‎ Judges 17:5; but so soon as he could secure Jonathan ben Gershom, a descendant of Moses (see VB 18:30), he consecrated him, ל ׳היה לכהן‎ 17:10, 12, 13; 18:4, 19; הַכֹּהֵן‎ 18:6; 18:17; 18:18; 18:20; 18:24; 18:27. He was captured by the Danites, and he and his line became priests at Dan until the Exile, 18:19; 18:19; 18:30.

b. Jeroboam כהנים עשׂה‎ 1 Kings 12:31 of those not לוי מבני‎, as ׳כ (הַ)בָּמוֺת‎ priests of (the) high places 12:32; 13:2, 33 (twice in verse) = ׳כ לבמות‎2 Chronicles 11:15; Amaziah (of this class) was ׳כ ביתאֿל‎ Amos 7:10; see also 2 Chronicles 13:9; called by Chronicler ׳כ אלהים לְלֹא‎ 13:9; yet Hosea rebukes them as priests of ׳י‎ Hosea 4:4, 9; 5:1; 6:9; at the Exile they were deported by the Assyrians 2 Kings 17:27-28,.

c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves ׳כ במות‎ 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; 4:3, 9, 10, 17, 18 (twice in verse); 6:4 (twice in verse); 6:6 (twice in verse); 6:8-9, 12, 13, 16 (all J E), 1 Kings 8:3, 6, 10, 11; Eli was הכהן‎ 1 Samuel 1:9; 2:11; ׳כ יהוה‎ 14:3; and his sons ׳כ ליהוה‎ 1:3; a הַכֹּהֲנִים מִשְׁמַּט‎ 2:13 mentions the ministering priest הכהן‎ and the הַכ ׳נַעַר‎ 2:13-14, 15 (twice in verse), Ahijah was ׳הַכּ‎ in time of Saul 14:19 (twice in verse); 14:36; Abimelech ׳הַכּ‎ at Nob, a priestly center, 21:2; 21:3; 21:5; 21:6; 21:7; 21:10; 22:11; where were many י ׳כֹּהֲנֵי‎ 22:17 (twice in verse); 22:21, all slain by Saul except Abiathar son of Ahimelech 22:11, 18 (twice in verse); 22:19, who became ׳הַכּ‎ 23:9; 30:7; 1 Kings 1:7, 19, 25, 42; 2:22, 26; Zadok later was ׳הַכּ‎ 2 Samuel 15:27; 1 Kings 1:8, 26, 32, 34, 38, 39, 44, 45; 2:35; 3:2; 1 Chronicles 16:39; 24:6: so that the two were (ה)כהנים‎ 2 Samuel 8:17 = 1 Chronicles 18:16 (read בֶּןאֿח ׳וְאֶבְיָתָר‎ 2 Samuel 8:17 ᵑ6‎ We Dr, and correct 1 Chronicles 18:16 accordingly) 2 Samuel 15:35 (twice in verse); 17:15; 19:12; 20:25; 1 Kings 4:4; Solomon removed Abiathar 2:27 and Zadok was anointed לְכֹהֵן‎ according to 1 Chronicles 29:22; compare prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of ׳כ נֶאֱמָן‎ 1 Samuel 2:28, 35; Jehoiada ׳הַכּ‎ led the revolution against Athaliah 2 Kings 11:9 (twice in verse); 11:10, 15 (twice in verse); 11:18; 12:3; 12:8; 12:10 2 Chronicles 22:11; 23:8 (twice in verse); 23:9, 14 (twice in verse); 24:2, 20, 25, perhaps also Jeremiah 29:26; הכהנים‎ sustaining him in his reforms 2 Kings 12:5; 12:6; 12:7; 12:8; 12:9; 12:10; 12:17; Uriah was ׳הַכּ‎ in the reign of Ahaz 16:10-11, (twice in verse); 16:15-16, Isaiah 8:2; Hilkiah of Josiah 2 Kings 22:10, 12, 14; 23:24; 2 Chronicles 34:14, 18. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin Jeremiah 20:1; Zephaniah of Zedekiah 21:1; 29:25-26, 29; 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; 6:13; 8:10; 14:18; 23:11, 33, 34; 26:7-8, 11, 16; 29:1; Lamentations 2:20; 4:13; priests and elders 1:19; 4:16; king and priest 2:6; kings, priests, and prophets Jeremiah 13:13; kings, princes, and priests 1:18; princes, eunuchs, and priests 34:19; priest, sage, and prophet 18:18; chiefs, priests, and prophets Micah 3:11; prophets, priests, and elders Ezekiel 7:26; kings, princes, priests, and prophets Jeremiah 2:26; 4:9; 8:1; 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; 2:8; 27:16; 28:1, 5; 29:25; 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 99:6 includes Moses (against P). Zion's priests clothed with righteousness and salvation 132:9; 132:16 2 Chronicles 6:41, probably here also.

5 Levitical priests הַלְוִיִּם הַכֹּהֲנִים‎ Deuteronomy 17:9, 18; 18:1; 24:8; 27:9; Joshua 3:3; 8:33 (all D), Jeremiah 33:18 (inverted), 33:21 (neither in ᵐ5‎), 2 Chronicles 5:5 (= ׳וְהַלּ ׳הַכּ‎ 1 Kings 8:4: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading), Ezekiel 43:19; 44:15 (compare

6); ׳הַכּ לִוֵי בְּנֵי‎ Deuteronomy 21:5; 31:9; לכ ׳לקח ׳לל‎ Isaiah 66:21 take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are: הַכֹּהֲנִים‎ Deuteronomy 18:3; 19:17; Joshua 3:6, 8; 4:11 (D); and הַכֹּהֵן‎, the priest officiating on a particular occasion Deuteronomy 18:3; 20:2; or holding a particular dignity 17:12; 26:3-4,. The כהנים‎ of the other cities of Judah, ׳כ הבמות‎, who were not allowed to minister in Jerusalem 2 Kings 23:8 (twice in verse); 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 הלוים הכהנים‎ those of the seed of Zadok, צָדוֺק בְּנֵי‎; all but the latter excluded by him from priesthood Ezekiel 40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11; the priests of his code being all Zadokites 40:45-46, 42:13-14, 43:24, 27; 44:21-22, 30 (twice in verse); 44:31; 45:4, 19; 46:2, 19, 20; 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; 22:10-11, 12, 13; הַכֹּהֵן‎ for Aaron 21:21, and for the official priest (acting for the priesthood, almost collective) 17:5-6, 22:14; 23:10-11, 20 (twice in verse); 27:8 (3 t. in verse); 27:11-12, (twice in verse); 27:14 (twice in verse); 27:18, 21, 23. The priests of P are אַהֲרֹן בְּנֵי‎ 1:5, 8, 11; 2:2; 3:2; 21:1; Numbers 3:3; 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 t., Eleazar 29 t., Phinehas Joshua 22:30 and elsewhere; 180 t. of ministering priests, or Generic of the priests; הכהנים‎ Leviticus 6:22; 7:6; 13:2; 16:33; Joshua 4:16; כהן‎ Leviticus 6:16. Chronicles distinguishes וְהַלְוִיִּם הַכֹּהֲנִים‎ 1 Chronicles 13:2; 15:11, 14; 23:2; 24:6, 31; 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); 31:4, 9; 34:30; 35:8, 18 (the variants without וְ‎23:18; 30:27 are due to copyists' errors), Ezra 1:5; 2:70; 3:8, 12; 6:20; 7:7; 8:29-30, 9:1; Nehemiah 7:72; 8:13; 11:3; 12:1, 30, 44 (twice in verse); 13:30; והכהנים הלוים‎2 Chronicles 19:8; 30:21; priests, Levites, and others 1 Chronicles 9:2; Ezra 10:5; Nehemiah 10:1; 10:29; 10:35; 11:20; לֵוִי בְּנֵי‎ antith. to ׳הַכּ‎ Ezra 8:15; הלוים עם אהרן בן הכהן‎ Nehemiah 10:39; (ה)כהנים‎ in Chronicles 67 t. has the same reference, as also כֹּהֲנֵינוּ‎ Ezra 9:7; Nehemiah 9:32, 34; כֹּהֵן‎ Ezra 2:63 = Nehemiah 7:65; ׳כ ליחוה‎2 Chronicles 26:17; כהניו‎ His (God's) priests13:12; ׳כ מוֺרֶה‎ teaching priest15:3; 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; 10:10, 16; Nehemiah 8:2, 9; 12:26; Uriah Ezra 8:33; Eliashib Nehemiah 13:4; Shelemiah 13:13; הכהנים‎ Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17; Haggai 2:11-12, 13; Zechariah 7:5; Malachi 1:6; 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 22:4, 8; 23:4; 2 Chronicles 34:9; after the exile, of Joshua Haggai 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 4; Zechariah 3:1, 8; 6:11, and Eliashib Nehemiah 3:1, 20; 13:28. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil Leviticus 21:10 (H; ׳הכ מֵאֶחָיו הַגָּדוֺל‎), Numbers 35:25, 28 (twice in verse); Joshua 20:6, and so ׳הַכּ הַמָּשִׁיחַ‎ Leviticus 4:3, 5, 16; 6:15, compare 16:32. ׳כ הָראֹשׁ‎ is used of Seraiah 2 Kings 25:18 = Jeremiah 52:24; and, in Chronicler, of Amariah 2 Chronicles 19:11, Jehoiada 24:11, Azariah 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 6:35-38.) A priest of second rank (כֹּהֵן (ה)מִשְׁנֶה‎) appears in 2 Kings 23:4 (construct plural incorrect), 25:18 = Jeremiah 52:24; הַכּ ׳זִקְנֵי‎ 2 Kings 19:2 = Isaiah 37:2; Jeremiah 19:1; הַכּ ׳שָׂרֵי‎2 Chronicles 36:14; Ezra 8:24, 29; 10:5; הַכּ ׳רָאשֵׁי‎ Nehemiah 12:7.

[כָּהֵן‎] noun masculine priest (see Biblical Hebrew כהן‎); — emphatic כָּהֲנָא‎ Ezra 7:12, 21; plural emphatic נַיָּא‎- 6:9, 16, 18; 7:16, 24; suffix (of Israel) נ֫וֺהִי‎- 7:13.