Lexical Summary ken: follows, thus Original Word: כֵּן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thus (Aramaic) corresponding to ken; so -- thus. see HEBREW ken NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to ken Definition thus, as follows NASB Translation follows (5), thus (3). Topical Lexicon Entry: Ken (כֵּן, Aramaic “thus,” “so,” “in this manner”)Linguistic and Canonical Placement Ken occurs only eight times, all within the Aramaic portions of Ezra and Daniel (Ezra 5:3; Ezra 6:2; Daniel 2:24; Daniel 2:25; Daniel 4:14; Daniel 6:6; Daniel 7:5; Daniel 7:23). Aramaic served as the diplomatic and imperial language of the Persian and early Hellenistic periods; therefore the term is found in contexts that record official correspondence, court proceedings, and visionary oracles. Its presence underscores Scripture’s historical accuracy: the inspired writers employed the lingua franca of their age when recounting events that unfolded in foreign courts. Range of Sense and Literary Function Ken signals an action or reality that is fixed, definite, and in accord with a prior word or decree. The term can mark: 1. Affirmation of a regulatory decree (“so,” “in this way it is ordered”). Because Aramaic ken normally introduces or endorses an authoritative statement, it highlights the reliability of what follows—whether the speaker is a Persian governor, a Babylonian herald, or the Most High Himself. Ken in Governmental Decrees and Administrative Records • Ezra 5:3 records Persian officials questioning the legitimacy of the rebuilding project: “Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?” The embedded ken conveys, “On what basis—thus—are you acting?” The challenge anticipates the discovery of Cyrus’s original edict (Ezra 6:2), where ken again appears in the memorandum that authenticates the Jews’ right to proceed. Ken in Narrative Action • Daniel 2:24-25 uses ken twice as Daniel requests an audience with Nebuchadnezzar and is hastily escorted before the throne. The Aramaic particle links each rapid movement to the LORD’s sovereign disclosure of the dream, reinforcing that events unfold exactly “so” as heaven has determined. Ken in Apocalyptic Revelation • Daniel 7:5 and Daniel 7:23 bracket two angelic explanations of the beasts. “Thus he said” (ken ’amar) introduces interpretations that map directly onto unfolding world empires. Ken here functions as a prophetic marker, assuring readers that what Daniel sees is not speculative but certain. The culminating vision (Daniel 7:23)—“Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom…’”—forecasts a global power that will be judged by the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:26-27). Ken binds the prophecy to its divinely guaranteed fulfillment and, by extension, to the hope of believers awaiting the everlasting kingdom. Theological Emphases 1. Reliability of Revelation: Whether uttered by a pagan official or an angelic herald, ken underscores that what has been spoken stands firm. In Scripture’s providential tapestry, even secular decrees serve the redemptive plan (Ezra 6:3-12). Ministry and Discipleship Applications • Confidence in Scripture: Ken reminds preachers and teachers that every divine utterance is settled; the church therefore proclaims “the whole counsel of God” without hesitation. Summary Ken, though a small Aramaic particle, carries weighty theological freight. Every time it appears Scripture invites the reader to pause and heed what follows, for what is about to be spoken or enacted stands fixed by decree—whether human or divine, immediate or eschatological. The word therefore becomes a subtle yet persistent testimony to the unbreakable reliability of God’s sovereign purposes from the courts of Persia to the consummation of the ages. Forms and Transliterations וְכֵ֣ן וְכֵן֙ וְכֵן־ וכן וכן־ כֵּן֮ כן ken kên veChen wə·ḵên wə·ḵên- wəḵên wəḵên-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 5:3 HEB: בּוֹזְנַ֖י וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן וְכֵן֙ אָמְרִ֣ין לְהֹ֔ם NAS: to them and spoke to them thus, Who KJV: and said thus unto them, INT: and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues thus and spoke Who Ezra 6:2 Daniel 2:24 Daniel 2:25 Daniel 4:14 Daniel 6:6 Daniel 7:5 Daniel 7:23 8 Occurrences |
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