Lexical Summary Kiyyun: Kiyyun Original Word: כִּיּוּן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Chiun From kuwn; properly, a statue, i.e. Idol; but used (by euphemism) for some heathen deity (perhaps corresponding to Priapus or Baal-peor) -- Chiun. see HEBREW kuwn NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a heathen god NASB Translation Kiyyun (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כִּיּוּן proper name, of deity Amos 5:26, probably = Assyrian kaivânu, planet Saturn (Arabic and Persian  Syriac  ), regarded as god; original pronunciation כֵּיוָן SchrCOT on the passage, compare Köii. 151 (pointing כִּיּוּן intended to suggest √ כון as something established, firm); kaimânu = kaiânu, according to JenCosm. iii. 502 who derives from כון (compare Thes; so ZimBP 17); > HptZA ii. 266, 281 f. reads כַּיָּוָן (for כְּאָמָן*), reading the Babylonian name Ka°âmânu; see also M-AJBL 1892, xi. 86 n. 39. כִּיּוֺר, see below I. כור. Topical Lexicon Single Old Testament Occurrence Amos 5:26 is the sole verse that names this pagan object of devotion: “You have taken along Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, the images you made for yourselves” (Berean Standard Bible). The prophet’s rebuke falls upon Northern Israel during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam the Second. While national life appeared outwardly secure, the people had fused formal Yahweh‐worship with veneration of celestial powers, bringing divine judgment to the threshold. Literary and Prophetic Context Amos 5 pronounces a funeral dirge over Israel. The denunciation of false worship (Amos 5:21-27) climaxes with the exposure of secret idolatry. Even as the population thronged to Bethel and Gilgal, they simultaneously carried portable shrines dedicated to “your king” (likely an astral title) and “your star god.” The prophet’s use of parallelism with Sakkuth and Kaiwan highlights a syncretistic pantheon hidden beneath orthodox language. Because the Lord tolerates no divided allegiance (Exodus 20:3-5), the people’s offerings became loathsome, and impending exile was decreed (Amos 5:27). Historical Background of Astral Worship Ancient Near Eastern cultures charted the skies both for calendar keeping and for divination. Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian texts record astral deities associated with Saturn, whose slow orbit earned the epithet “the star of the god Ninurta” among Mesopotamians. Political alliances and trade routes exposed Israel to these cults. By the eighth century BC, ornamental shrines—small enough to be carried—allowed the Israelites to blend Saturn-related rites with covenant festivals. Archaeological finds of astral symbols on seals from the period corroborate Amos’s indictment. Echo in the New Testament Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin quotes the Septuagint rendering of Amos 5:26, substituting the Greek name “Rephan” (Acts 7:43). The Holy Spirit thus connects eighth-century idolatry with first-century unbelief, proving that hardened hearts repeat the same rebellion despite greater revelation. The citation also confirms the harmony between Testaments: both declare that covert idol-keeping leads to exile—first to Assyria, later to Babylon, and ultimately to spiritual separation. Theological Significance 1. Exclusive Worship: The episode underscores the non-negotiable demand for undivided fidelity to the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:13-15). Practical Ministry Applications • Discernment in Worship: Leaders must guard congregational practices against modern forms of syncretism—whether cultural superstitions, astrology, or the elevation of personal success symbols. Summary The lone mention of this star god in Amos 5:26 illuminates a perennial human tendency: to mingle devotion to the Lord with the worship of created powers. Scripture exposes such compromise, warns of inevitable discipline, and calls every generation to wholehearted allegiance to the One who made the stars. Forms and Transliterations כִּיּ֣וּן כיון kî·yūn kiYun kîyūnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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