3668. Kenaanah

Lexical Summary

Kenaanah: Kenaanah

Original Word: כְּנַעֲנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Kna`anah
Pronunciation: keh-nah-ah-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (ken-ah-an-aw')
KJV: Chenaanah
NASB: Chenaanah
Word Origin: [feminine of H3667 (כְּנַעַן - Canaan)]

1. Kenaanah, the name of two Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Chenaanah

Feminine of Kna'an; Kenaanah, the name of two Israelites -- Chenaanah.

see HEBREW Kna'an

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from kana
Definition
two Isr.
NASB Translation
Chenaanah (5).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

כְּנַעֲנָה proper name, masculine 1. father of prophet Zedekiah 1 Kings 22:11,24 2Chronicles 18:10,23 (ᵐ5 Ξανααν, Ξαανα, Ξανανα).

2 a Benjamite 1 Chronicles 7:10 (ᵐ5 Ξανααν, Ξαναναν).

כנף √ of following (meaning dubious; Arabic fence in, enclose, and Aramaic כְּנַף collect, assemble, are denominative)

Topical Lexicon

Name and Biblical Setting

Kenaanah appears five times in the Old Testament record, attached to two distinct individuals who lived in different centuries and represented very different spiritual legacies. The name is linked to the Northern Kingdom in the time of Ahab (ninth century BC) and to an earlier Benjamite clan from the tribal genealogies (mid-second millennium BC). These brief mentions provide a window into prophetic conflict, royal politics, and tribal continuity in Israel.

Occurrences

• 1 Kings 22:11, 24
• 2 Chronicles 18:10, 23
• 1 Chronicles 7:10

Kenaanah the Father of Zedekiah (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18)

1. Prophetic confrontation. In the court of Ahab, Kenaanah’s son Zedekiah was one of four hundred prophets who urged the king to attack Ramoth-gilead. Micaiah son of Imlah stood alone in opposition. The episode illustrates the clash between a popular prophetic consensus and a solitary but faithful messenger of the LORD.
• “Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, ‘This is what the LORD says: “With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.”’” (1 Kings 22:11)
2. Symbolic actions. Zedekiah’s dramatic use of iron horns, presumably approved or inherited through family influence, shows the persuasive power of prophetic symbolism in Israel’s royal courts.
3. Violent rejection of truth. After Micaiah foretold defeat, “Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, ‘Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak to you?’” (1 Kings 22:24). The father’s name remains tied to this assault against God’s revelation.
4. Legacy. Scripture never condemns Kenaanah personally, but the placement of his name beside his son’s false prophecy casts a lasting shadow. It underscores the biblical principle that spiritual influence within families can encourage either fidelity or deception (compare Deuteronomy 13:1–5).

Kenaanah the Benjamite (1 Chronicles 7:10)

1. Genealogical importance. In listing the descendants of Benjamin, the chronicler records, “The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar” (1 Chronicles 7:10). The appearance of Kenaanah among the tribal heads demonstrates the continuance of Benjamite lines after the turmoil of the Judges and early monarchy.
2. Tribal resilience. Benjamin had suffered near annihilation in Judges 20–21 and civil war under King Saul’s dynasty. The chronicler’s inclusion of Kenaanah signals restoration and divine preservation of the tribe.
3. Possible connection. While nothing links the Benjamite Kenaanah to the father of Zedekiah, the recurrence of the name within Benjamin suggests that the later Northern prophet’s family may have Benjamite roots, explaining a social path to Samaria’s royal court.

Theological Themes

• Authentic versus counterfeit prophecy. Kenaanah’s household produced a prophet who spoke from his own spirit rather than the Spirit of the LORD, reminding readers to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1).
• Familial influence. Scripture stresses generational transmission of faith (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). The negative example tied to Kenaanah stands as a sober warning to parents, teachers, and ministry leaders.
• Divine sovereignty over history. Even as false prophets flourish, God’s word through Micaiah proved true, displaying the Lord’s unassailable authority despite human opposition.

Ministry Applications

1. Discernment in leadership. Churches and believers must weigh messages not by popularity or theatrical display but by conformity to revealed truth (Acts 17:11).
2. Courageous minority witness. Micaiah’s lonely stand urges pastors and believers alike to maintain fidelity when the majority drifts from Scripture.
3. Legacy and mentorship. Every household will either nurture faithfulness or foster compromise. The mention of Kenaanah challenges contemporary families to cultivate truth so that their “children’s children” (Psalm 103:17) will honor the Lord.

Conclusion

Although Kenaanah occupies only a few lines of Scripture, his name frames two contrasting narratives: the steadfast preservation of a Benjamite clan and the tragic rise of a false prophetic voice. Both streams converge to highlight the abiding call to uphold God’s word in every generation.

Forms and Transliterations

וּֽכְנַעֲנָה֙ וכנענה כְּנַעֲנָ֔ה כְּנַעֲנָ֖ה כנענה kə·na·‘ă·nāh kəna‘ănāh kenaaNah ū·ḵə·na·‘ă·nāh uchenaaNah ūḵəna‘ănāh

Englishman's Concordance

1 Kings 22:11
HEB: צִדְקִיָּ֥ה בֶֽן־ כְּנַעֲנָ֖ה קַרְנֵ֣י בַרְזֶ֑ל
NAS: the son of Chenaanah made
KJV: the son of Chenaanah made
INT: Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah horns of iron

1 Kings 22:24
HEB: צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בֶֽן־ כְּנַעֲנָ֔ה וַיַּכֶּ֥ה אֶת־
NAS: the son of Chenaanah came near
KJV: the son of Chenaanah went near,
INT: Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah and struck Micaiah

1 Chronicles 7:10
HEB: וּ֠בִנְיָמִן וְאֵה֤וּד וּֽכְנַעֲנָה֙ וְזֵיתָ֔ן וְתַרְשִׁ֖ישׁ
NAS: Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan,
KJV: and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan,
INT: Benjamin Ehud Chenaanah Zethan Tarshish

2 Chronicles 18:10
HEB: צִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ בֶֽן־ כְּנַעֲנָ֖ה קַרְנֵ֣י בַרְזֶ֑ל
NAS: the son of Chenaanah made
KJV: the son of Chenaanah had made
INT: Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah horns of iron

2 Chronicles 18:23
HEB: צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בֶֽן־ כְּנַעֲנָ֔ה וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־
NAS: the son of Chenaanah came near
KJV: the son of Chenaanah came near,
INT: Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah and struck Micaiah

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3668
5 Occurrences

kə·na·‘ă·nāh — 4 Occ.
ū·ḵə·na·‘ă·nāh — 1 Occ.