H3675 H3675
kenat -- companion, associate; an Aramaic noun used exclusively in Ezra for official colleagues
The noun kenat ('companion, associate') belongs to the Aramaic stratum of the Hebrew Bible, appearing exclusively in the book of Ezra within the official correspondence between Persian provincial officials and the royal court. All seven occurrences follow the same pattern: a named official 'and his/their companions' (Ezra 4:9, 17, 23; 5:3, 6; 6:6, 13). The word is cognate with Old Aramaic knt and possibly borrowed from Akkadian kinatu ('associate'). Its formulaic usage in bureaucratic letters gives it an almost technical flavor -- these are not casual friends but official colleagues sharing administrative authority. Spanish companeros, French compagnon, and German Gefaehrten all render the term consistently as 'companions.'
Senses
1. and their companions — An associate or official companion, used exclusively in the Aramaic sections of Ezra to denote the colleagues of Persian provincial administrators like Rehum and Tattenai (Ezra 4:9, 17, 23; 5:3, 6; 6:6, 13). The term has a quasi-technical administrative register, always appearing with possessive suffixes ('his companions,' 'their companions') in the fixed formulaic language of imperial correspondence. Spanish compañeros, French compagnon, and German Gefaehrten converge on 'companion/associate,' while the Aramaic cognate evidence -- Old Aramaic knt and possibly Akkadian kinatu -- anchors the word in the vocabulary of official partnership. 7×
AR["رُفَقَائِهِم", "وَ-رُفَقاؤُكُم", "وَ-رُفَقاؤُهُ", "وَ-رُفَقاؤُهُم", "وَ-رُفَقَائِهِم"]·ben["আর-তাদের-সঙ্গীরা", "আর-তাদের-সহকর্মীদের", "তাদের-সহকর্মীরা"]·DE["Gefaehrten", "und-Gefaehrten"]·EN["and-his-companions", "and-their-companions", "and-your-companions", "their-companions"]·FR["compagnon", "et-compagnon"]·heb["ו-כנותה-ו", "ו-כנותהון-ם", "כנותהון-ם"]·HI["उनके-साथियों", "उनके-साथी", "और-उनके-साथियों-के", "और-उनके-साथियों-ने", "और-उनके-साथी", "और-उसके-साथी"]·ID["dan-rekan-rekan-mereka", "dan-rekan-rekannya", "rekan-rekan-mereka"]·IT["compagno", "e-compagno"]·jav["dhateng-Yerusalem", "kang-para-hakim", "lan-kancanipun", "lan-makaten", "manggen"]·KO["그들-의-동료들", "그리고-그-의-동료들", "그리고-그들-의-동료들"]·PT["e-seus-colegas", "e-seus-companheiros", "seus-colegas"]·RU["и-товарищами-их", "и-товарищи-его", "и-товарищи-их", "товарищам-их", "товарищи-их"]·ES["sus-compañeros", "y-sus-compañeros"]·SW["na-wenzake", "na-wenzao", "wenzao"]·TR["arkadaslarinin", "ve-arkadaslari", "ve-arkadaslarinin"]·urd["اور-ساتھی-ان-کے", "اور-ساتھیوں-ان-کے", "اور-ساتھیوں-اُس-کے", "ساتھی-ان-کے", "ساتھیوں-ان-کے"]
Related Senses
H5971a 1. people, nation (1836×)H5973a 1. accompaniment, together with (956×)H0854 1. with (accompaniment) (665×)H1471a 1. nations, peoples (plural/collective) (466×)G3326 1. with (368×)H1285 1. covenant, pact, treaty (284×)G2453 1. Jewish person, Jew (194×)H4150 1. meeting (tent of meeting) (151×)G2992 1. people/nation (an ethnic or political community) (142×)G4862 1. (129×)G1484 1. Gentiles, non-Jewish nations (128×)H1471a 2. nation, people-group (singular) (98×)H3162b 1. together (97×)H1616 1. sojourner, resident alien (92×)H0567 1. Amorite (people group) (87×)H3064 1. Jew, Jewish person (81×)H3669a 1. Canaanite (ethnic designation) (70×)G1122 1. scribe / expert in the Law (63×)H2114a 1. stranger, foreigner (person) (54×)H5608b 1. scribe, royal secretary (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [כְּנָת] n.m. Ez 4:17 associate (Old Aramaic id., Lzb 298 SAC65; S-CB 6; Syriac ܟܢܳܬ; Chr-Pal. [ܟܢܐ, ܟܢܬ] SchwallyIdiot. 46 SchulthLex. 95; √ appar. כנה K§ 56, α) β2 M-A§ 74 c; Buhl makes loan-wd. from Assyrian kinâtu, ‘Genosse,’ but v. DlWB 338 ZimM p. 66);—associate, pl. sf. בְנָוָתֵהּ Ezr 5:6, -תְהוֹן 4:9, 17, 23; 5:3; 6:6, 13.