H3655 H3655
to give a title, surname, or epithet (Piel); to flatter with honorific titles
This verb in the Piel stem means to bestow a title, cognomen, or surname on someone. Isaiah uses it when God declares he has 'given a title' to Cyrus, calling him by name before Cyrus knew God. The term can carry either honorific force (bestowing a title of honor) or, negatively, the sense of flattering with undeserved titles. Elihu insists he will not 'give flattering titles' to any man, refusing the sycophantic practice of bestowing honorifics on the unworthy. The Aramaic and Arabic cognates similarly relate to surnames and epithets.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The Piel appears in four passages about naming and titling. God tells Cyrus, 'I have called you by your name, I have titled you' though Cyrus didn't know Yahweh (Isa 45:4), bestowing the honorific title on the Persian king. Isaiah describes how the future convert will 'title himself with the name Israel' (Isa 44:5), taking the covenant name as his own surname. Conversely, Elihu declares twice, 'I will not flatter any man' and 'I do not know how to flatter' (Job 32:21-22), using the verb for the negative practice of giving undeserved honorific titles. Spanish adular (to flatter) and se llamará (will call himself) track both the negative flattery and positive self-naming aspects, while French and German leave most forms in Hebrew brackets. 4×
AR["أُطري", "الإطراءَ", "لَقَّبْتُكَ", "يُلَقَّبُ"]·ben["আমি-তোমাকে-উপাধি-দিই", "তোষামোদ-করতে", "তোষামোদ-করব", "নাম-নেবে"]·DE["[אכנה]", "[אכנך]", "[יכנה]"]·EN["I-titled-you", "I-will-flatter", "to-flatter", "will-title-himself"]·FR["[אכנך]", "[יכנה]", "אכנה"]·heb["אכנה", "אכנך", "יכונה"]·HI["उपनाम-रखेगा", "चापलूसी-करना", "चापलूसी-करूँगा", "मैंने-उपाधि-दी"]·ID["Aku-memberi-engkau-gelar", "aku menyanjung", "ia-menyebut-diri", "menyanjung"]·IT["Io-will-flatter", "[אכנך]", "[יכנה]", "a-flatter"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-maringi-sesebutaning-kamulyan-dhateng-panjenengan", "badhé-kasebat", "kula-badhe-mbiji"]·KO["내가-아첨하리라", "아첨하리라", "일컴었으나-너를", "일컴으리라"]·PT["chamará", "dei-te-um-título", "lisonjarei", "lisonjear"]·RU["буду-льстить", "дал-тебе-почётное-имя", "льстить", "наречётся"]·ES["adular", "adularé", "se-llamará", "te-di-título-de-honor"]·SW["atajiita", "kusifu", "nimekupa-cheo", "nitasifu"]·TR["lakap-alacak", "lakap-verdim-sana", "yaltaklanmayı", "yaltaklanırım"]·urd["خود-کو-پکارے-گا", "خوشامد کرنا", "میں خوشامد کروں گا", "میں-نے-خطاب-کیا-تجھے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [כָּנָה] vb. Pi. betitle, title, give an epithet or cognomen (NH id.; Aramaic כְּנָא, ܟܢܳܐ; Arabic كَنَى)— Pi. Impf. 1 s. sf. וָאֶקְרָא לְךָ בִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ אֲכַנְּךָ Is 45:4 I have called thee by thy name, giving thee a title (of honour; cf. for construction Dr§ 163); 3 ms. וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה 44:5, and with the name Israel he titles (himself), is hardly poss.; abs. he betitles, or makes…