H3653 H3653
Base, pedestal, or stand (especially of the tabernacle laver); position or office; likewise, so
The Hebrew noun ken (III) denotes a firm base or support — most concretely the pedestal of the bronze laver in the tabernacle, mentioned repeatedly across Exodus and Leviticus (Exod 30:18, 28; 38:8; Lev 8:11). From this physical foundation the word extends to mean one's appointed station or office, as when Joseph interprets the cupbearer's dream: 'within three days Pharaoh will restore you to your position' (Gen 40:13). Daniel uses it for the royal succession: one rises 'in his place' (Dan 11:7, 20, 21). Arabic qaa'ida ('base/pedestal') and Hebrew maqom ('place') together illuminate the concrete-to-abstract arc. A lone adverbial usage in 1 Kings 7:29, meaning 'likewise' or 'so,' rounds out the semantic range.
Senses
1. base, stand, pedestal (physical support) — The concrete architectural sense: a base, stand, or pedestal that physically supports another object. Nearly all instances refer to the bronze stand of the laver (kiyor) in the tabernacle (Exod 30:18, 38:8, Lev 8:11). Isaiah 33:23 uses it for the socket or support of a ship's mast. Arabic qaa'ida ('base/pedestal') is a close equivalent. Spanish base and German Gestell both capture the idea of a firm supporting structure. The Priestly source uses this term with formulaic consistency across the tabernacle legislation. 10×
AR["قاعِدَتَها", "قاعِدَتَهُ", "قَاعِدَةَ", "قَاعِدَتَهَا", "كَذَلِكَ", "وَ-قاعِدَتَها"]·ben["এবং-এর-পায়া", "এর-পায়া", "তার-পায়া", "তার-পায়া।", "তার-ভিত্তি", "পায়া-তার", "ভিত্তি-", "মত"]·DE["pedestal", "sein-stehen", "so", "und-sein-stehen"]·EN["and-its-stand", "its-stand", "pedestal", "the-base"]·FR["ainsi", "et-son-se-tenir", "pedestal", "son-se-tenir"]·heb["ו-כנו", "כן", "כנו"]·HI["आधार-के", "उसका-आधार", "उसकी-कुर्सी", "उसकी-चौकी-को", "उसके-आधार", "ऐसे-", "और-उसका-आधार"]·ID["alas", "alasnya", "dan-alasnya", "dengan-demikian"]·IT["cosi", "e-suo-stare-in-piedi", "pedestal", "suo-stare-in-piedi"]·jav["alas", "cekelénipun", "dhasaripun", "lan-cekelénipun", "landeyanipun;", "sikilipun", "tetep-"]·KO["그-받침대를", "그것의-받침을", "그리고-그것의-받침을", "기둥을-", "받침대의"]·PT["assim-", "base", "base-dela", "base-sua", "e-base-dele", "sua-base"]·RU["и-подножие-его", "основание-", "подножие-его", "подставки", "подставку-его", "подставку-её"]·ES["base", "base-de", "base-suya", "su-base", "y-su-base-de"]·SW["dhiraa", "kitako-chake", "msingi-wa-", "na-kitako-chake"]·TR["-ayaklığını", "ayaklığını", "diregi-", "kaide", "kaidesini", "ve-kaidesi"]·urd["اور-اُس-کی-چوکی", "اُس-کی-چوکی", "بنیاد", "پایہ-کے-اس", "کہڑے کا"]
2. place, position, office — The abstract positional sense: one's appointed place, station, or office. The cupbearer is restored 'to his position' (Gen 40:13), and Joseph recounts his own restoration 'to my place' (Gen 41:13). Daniel employs it for royal succession, where each ruler rises 'in his place' or is replaced by another who stands 'in his position' (Dan 11:7, 20, 21). Arabic makaanihi ('his place') and Spanish puesto ('post/position') both reflect this institutional meaning. 6×
AR["مَكَانَهُ", "مَكَانِكَ", "مَكَانِهِ", "مَكَانِي"]·ben["আমার-পদে", "তার-স্থানে", "তোমার-পদে"]·DE["[כנו]", "deinen-Platz", "meinen-Platz"]·EN["his-place", "in-his-place", "my-position", "position-your"]·FR["base", "mon-position", "position-ton"]·heb["כנו", "כני-י", "כנך-ך"]·HI["उसकी-जगह", "तेरे-पद-पर", "मेरे-पद-पर"]·ID["di-tempatnya", "jabatanku", "jabatanmu", "tempatnya"]·IT["il-suo-posto", "mio-position", "position-tuo"]·jav["ing-panggènan-ipun", "kalungguhan-kula", "kalungguhan-panjenengan", "panggènan-ipun"]·KO["그의-자리에", "나의-자리에", "당신의-자리"]·PT["cargo-meu", "em-seu-lugar", "posição-tua", "seu-lugar"]·RU["должность-мою", "место-его", "место-твоё", "на-место-его"]·ES["en-lugar-su", "lugar-su", "puesto-mío", "puesto-tuyo"]·SW["cheo-chako", "cheo-changu", "mahali-pake"]·TR["yerime", "yerinde", "yerine"]·urd["اُس-کی-جگہ", "عہدے-تیرے", "عہدے-میرے"]
3. likewise, so (adverbial) — A rare adverbial usage meaning 'likewise,' 'so,' or 'in the same manner,' where the noun's sense of 'standing, basis' has been extended to mean 'on that basis, thus.' It appears in 1 Kings 7:29 in the description of the ornamental work on the stands. The semantic trajectory from 'foundation' to 'accordingly' is paralleled by Arabic kadhalika ('likewise/thus'). This usage is marginal but lexicographically worth distinguishing from the noun senses. 1×
AR["كَذَلِكَ"]·ben["তাই"]·DE["likewise"]·EN["likewise"]·FR["likewise"]·heb["כן"]·HI["ऐसे-ही"]·ID["demikian"]·IT["likewise"]·jav["mekaten"]·KO["그렇게"]·PT["assim"]·RU["так"]·ES["así"]·SW["hivyo"]·TR["öyle"]·urd["ایسے ہی"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† III. כֵּן n.m. base, pedestal, office (NH כַּנָּה; Aramaic כַּנְתָּא, ܟܰܢܳܐ )—abs. כ׳ Is 33:23 1 K 7:31 (but v. infr.); sf. כַּנּוֹ Ex 30:18 + 11 times; כַּנֶּ֑ךָ Gn 40:13; כַּנִּי 41:13;— 1. lit. base, pedestal, 1 K 7:31 (like) the work of a pedestal (Th VB), according to StaZAW iii, 1883, 161, 162 מַעֲשֵׂה־כֵן is in wrong place, being orig. part of a gloss to v 35;—כ׳ in v 29 = thus, or is…