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.
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"]
Exod 30:18, Exod 30:28, Exod 31:9, Exod 35:16, Exod 38:8, Exod 39:39, Exod 40:11, Lev 8:11, 1 Kgs 7:31, Isa 33:23
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
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"]
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…