H3548. kohen
כֹּהֵן750 noun masculine priest (Late Hebrew כֹּהֵן; Aramaic כַּהֲנָא כָּהֵין,, , ; Ethiopic all id.; on Phoenician and Arabic see above); — ׳כ [Gen 14:18] 439t.; plural כֹּהֲנִים [Exod 19:6] 272t.; construct כֹּהֲנֵי [1Sam 5:5] 13t.; suffix כֹּהֲנַי [Lam 1:19] [22]t. suffixes —
1 priest-king: e.g. Melchizedek [Gen 14:18] (E ?), compare [Psa 110:4] (the Messianic priest-king like Melchizedek); [Zech 6:13] (Messianic priest and king); Israel כֹּהֲנִים מַמְלֶכֶת [Exod 19:6] (E) a kingdom of priests (priests and kings at once in their relation to the nations); compare [Isa 61:6] (of Israel ministering as a priest); or a chieftain (exercising priestly functions) מִדְיָן כֹּהֵן [Exod 2:16]; [3:1]; [18:1] (all J E); so also probably the sons of David [2Sam 8:18], his grandson [1Kin 4:5], and Ira the Jairite [2Sam 20:26], who as princes performed priestly functions. With these we may class the כהנים [Exod 19:22], [24] (J).
2 priests of other religions than ׳י 's: Potiphera ׳כ אֹן [Gen 41:45], [50] (E), [46:20] (P); Egyptian כהנים [47:22] (twice in verse); [47:26] (J); ׳כ דָגוֺן [1Sam 5:5]; Philistine וקסמים כהנים [6:2]; כֹּהֲנָיו his priests: e.g. of Baal [2Kin 10:19] +? [10:11]; of Chemosh [Jer 48:7]; of Malcam [49:3]; Mattan was ׳כ הבעל [2Kin 11:18] [2Chr 23:17]; הכהנים עם הכמרים [Zeph 1:4]; Josiah burned the bones of the priests of the Baalim and Asherim [2Chr 34:5].
3 priests of special orders in Israel:
a. Micah in the hill-country of Ephraim consecrated his own son לְכֹהֵן וַיְהִילֿוֺ [Judg 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 [1Kin 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 לבמות[2Chr 11:15]; Amaziah (of this class) was ׳כ ביתאֿל [Amos 7:10]; see also [2Chr 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 [2Kin 17:27-28],.
c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves ׳כ במות to worship ׳י the God of the land [2Kin 17:32].
4 priests in Israel הכהנים who bore the ark and the trumpets [Josh 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), [1Kin 8:3], [6], [10], [11]; Eli was הכהן [1Sam 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]; [1Kin 1:7], [19], [25], [42]; [2:22], [26]; Zadok later was ׳הַכּ [2Sam 15:27]; [1Kin 1:8], [26], [32], [34], [38], [39], [44], [45]; [2:35]; [3:2]; [1Chr 16:39]; [24:6]: so that the two were (ה)כהנים [2Sam 8:17] = [1Chr 18:16] (read בֶּןאֿח ׳וְאֶבְיָתָר [2Sam 8:17] ᵑ6 We Dr, and correct [1Chr 18:16] accordingly) [2Sam 15:35] (twice in verse); [17:15]; [19:12]; [20:25]; [1Kin 4:4]; Solomon removed Abiathar [2:27] and Zadok was anointed לְכֹהֵן according to [1Chr 29:22]; compare prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of ׳כ נֶאֱמָן [1Sam 2:28], [35]; Jehoiada ׳הַכּ led the revolution against Athaliah [2Kin 11:9] (twice in verse); [11:10], [15] (twice in verse); [11:18]; [12:3]; [12:8]; [12:10] [2Chr 22:11]; [23:8] (twice in verse); [23:9], [14] (twice in verse); [24:2], [20], [25], perhaps also [Jer 29:26]; הכהנים sustaining him in his reforms [2Kin 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], [Isa 8:2]; Hilkiah of Josiah [2Kin 22:10], [12], [14]; [23:24]; [2Chr 34:14], [18]. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin [Jer 20:1]; Zephaniah of Zedekiah [21:1]; [29:25-26], [29]; [37:3]; ׳הַכּ is Ezekiel's title [Ezek 1:3]. Priests are classed with officials of state: prophets and priests [2Kin 23:2]; [Isa 28:7]; [Jer 5:31]; [6:13]; [8:10]; [14:18]; [23:11], [33], [34]; [26:7-8], [11], [16]; [29:1]; [Lam 2:20]; [4:13]; priests and elders [1:19]; [4:16]; king and priest [2:6]; kings, priests, and prophets [Jer 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 [Ezek 7:26]; kings, princes, priests, and prophets [Jer 2:26]; [4:9]; [8:1]; [32:32]; princes, judges, prophets, and priests [Zeph 3:4]; seeming to exclude any other officials. Apparently in the same Generic sense הכהנים [Jer 1:1]; [2:8]; [27:16]; [28:1], [5]; [29:25]; [31:14]; כַּכֹּהֵן [Isa 24:2]; כהנים [Job 12:19]; כהניה [Lam 1:4]; [Ezek 22:26]; כהניו [Psa 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] [2Chr 6:41], probably here also.
5 Levitical priests הַלְוִיִּם הַכֹּהֲנִים [Deut 17:9], [18]; [18:1]; [24:8]; [27:9]; [Josh 3:3]; [8:33] (all D), [Jer 33:18] (inverted), [33:21] (neither in ᵐ5), [2Chr 5:5] (= ׳וְהַלּ ׳הַכּ [1Kin 8:4]: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading), [Ezek 43:19]; [44:15] (compare
6); ׳הַכּ לִוֵי בְּנֵי [Deut 21:5]; [31:9]; לכ ׳לקח ׳לל [Isa 66:21] take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are: הַכֹּהֲנִים [Deut 18:3]; [19:17]; [Josh 3:6], [8]; [4:11] (D); and הַכֹּהֵן, the priest officiating on a particular occasion [Deut 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 [2Kin 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 [Ezek 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 [Lev 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]; [Num 3:3]; [10:8]; [Josh 21:19]; so in Chronicles [2Chr 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 [Josh 22:30] and elsewhere; 180 t. of ministering priests, or Generic of the priests; הכהנים [Lev 6:22]; [7:6]; [13:2]; [16:33]; [Josh 4:16]; כהן [Lev 6:16]. Chronicles distinguishes וְהַלְוִיִּם הַכֹּהֲנִים [1Chr 13:2]; [15:11], [14]; [23:2]; [24:6], [31]; [28:13], [21]; [2Chr 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 וְ[23:18]; [30:27] are due to copyists' errors), [Ezra 1:5]; [2:70]; [3:8], [12]; [6:20]; [7:7]; [8:29-30], [9:1]; [Neh 7:72]; [8:13]; [11:3]; [12:1], [30], [44] (twice in verse); [13:30]; והכהנים הלוים[2Chr 19:8]; [30:21]; priests, Levites, and others [1Chr 9:2]; [Ezra 10:5]; [Neh 10:1]; [10:29]; [10:35]; [11:20]; לֵוִי בְּנֵי antith. to ׳הַכּ [Ezra 8:15]; הלוים עם אהרן בן הכהן [Neh 10:39]; (ה)כהנים in Chronicles 67 t. has the same reference, as also כֹּהֲנֵינוּ [Ezra 9:7]; [Neh 9:32], [34]; כֹּהֵן [Ezra 2:63] = [Neh 7:65]; ׳כ ליחוה[2Chr 26:17]; כהניו His (God's) priests[13:12]; ׳כ מוֺרֶה teaching priest[15:3]; הַכֹּהֵן is used of Jehoiada in time of David [1Chr 27:5], and Azariah in the reign of Uzziah [2Chr 26:17]. In the literature of the restoration הַכֹּהֵן is used of Ezra, [Ezra 7:11]; [10:10], [16]; [Neh 8:2], [9]; [12:26]; Uriah [Ezra 8:33]; Eliashib [Neh 13:4]; Shelemiah [13:13]; הכהנים [Joel 1:9], [13]; [2:17]; [Hag 2:11-12], [13]; [Zech 7:5]; [Mal 1:6]; [2:1]; priests and prophets [Zech 7:3]; כהן [Mal 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 [2Kin 12:11], then of Hilkiah [22:4], [8]; [23:4]; [2Chr 34:9]; after the exile, of Joshua [Hag 1:1], [12], [14]; [2:2], [4]; [Zech 3:1], [8]; [6:11], and Eliashib [Neh 3:1], [20]; [13:28]. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil [Lev 21:10] (H; ׳הכ מֵאֶחָיו הַגָּדוֺל), [Num 35:25], [28] (twice in verse); [Josh 20:6], and so ׳הַכּ הַמָּשִׁיחַ [Lev 4:3], [5], [16]; [6:15], compare [16:32]. ׳כ הָראֹשׁ is used of Seraiah [2Kin 25:18] = [Jer 52:24]; and, in Chronicler, of Amariah [2Chr 19:11], Jehoiada [24:11], Azariah [26:20]; [31:10]; of Aaron, [Ezra 7:5]. (We also supposes הרואה in [2Sam 15:27] to be a corruption of הראשׁ, which he regards as post-exilic insertion. The test is corrupt [see DrSm. 1.c.]; but this correction is improbable. Lists of high priests occur 1 Chronicles 5:30-41; [1Chr 6:35-38].) A priest of second rank (כֹּהֵן (ה)מִשְׁנֶה) appears in [2Kin 23:4] (construct plural incorrect), [25:18] = [Jer 52:24]; הַכּ ׳זִקְנֵי [2Kin 19:2] = [Isa 37:2]; [Jer 19:1]; הַכּ ׳שָׂרֵי[2Chr 36:14]; [Ezra 8:24], [29]; [10:5]; הַכּ ׳רָאשֵׁי [Neh 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].