H7069 H7069
To buy, purchase; to acquire, obtain (esp. wisdom); to create or possess (of God); passive: to be bought
One of the richest commercial-theological verbs in Hebrew, qanah spans the marketplace and the cosmos. In its most frequent sense it denotes straightforward buying — Abraham purchasing the cave of Machpelah (Gen 25:10), Jeremiah buying a field as a sign of hope (Jer 32:7-15). Yet Proverbs elevates the same root to acquiring wisdom, understanding, and truth (Prov 4:5, 7; 23:23), treating knowledge as a commodity worth any price. Most striking is the theological extension: God as qoneh shamayim wa'arets, 'Creator/Possessor of heaven and earth' (Gen 14:19, 22), and Wisdom declaring 'the LORD possessed/created me at the beginning' (Prov 8:22). The Cognate Ethiopic qaneya ('acquire, subjugate') and Arabic qana ('acquire, procure') confirm the ancient Semitic commercial core from which these theological meanings grew.
Senses
1. Buy, purchase — The dominant commercial sense — to buy or purchase through monetary transaction — accounting for 59 of 86 occurrences. Covers buying fields (Gen 25:10; 33:19; Jer 32:7-15), slaves (Gen 47:19; Lev 22:11; 25:44-45), goods, and livestock. The participial form qoneh functions as 'buyer' in market contexts. Spanish comprar, French acheter, and German kaufen unanimously confirm the transactional meaning. 59×
AR["اشتَراها","اشْتَرَاهَا","اشْتَرَى","اشْتَرِ","اشْتَرِ-","اشْتَرِهِ-","تَشْتَرِي","فَاشْتَرَى","قَانَ","لِ-أَشْتَرِيَ","لِيَشْتَرُوا","لِيَقْتَنِي","وَ-اشْتَرَى","يَشْتَرِهَا"]·ben["আর-কিনল","এবং-কিনলেন","এবং-সে-কিনল","কিনতে","কিনবে","কিনে-নাও","কিনে-নাও-","কিনেছিল","কিনেছিলেন","কেন","কেন-","কেনার-জন্য","কেনো","যাকোব","সে-কিনল"]·DE["Rohr","du-soll-kaufen","er-bought","erwarb","gekauft-hatte","kaufen","kaufte","kaufte-er","und-er-bought","und-kaufte","zu-buy"]·EN["and-he-bought","bought","buy","he-bought","to-acquire","to-buy","you-shall-buy"]·FR["[לקנות]","acheta","acheter","acquérir","et-il-acheta","il-acheta","tu-devra-acheter","à-achète","à-acquérir"]·heb["ו-יקן","ו-קנה","ל-קנה","ל-קנות","קנה","תקנה"]·HI["और-खरीदा","खरीद","खरीद-","खरीदने","खरीदने-के-लिए","खरीदा","खरीदी","खरीदो","खरीदो-","ख़रीदी","तू खरीदेगा"]·ID["Belilah","Belilah-","Dan-ia-membeli","belilah","belilah-","dan-membeli","dia-beli","dibeli","ia-beli","kamu-akan-membeli","membeli","untuk-membeli"]·IT["[לקנות]","a-buy","acquistare","comprare","comprò","e-egli-comprò","egli-comprò","per-acquistare","tu-dovra-comprare"]·jav["Lan-piyambakipun-mundhut","dipuntumbas","kagem-tumbas","kanggé-tumbas","lan-Daud-tumbas","lan-tumbas","sira-tumbas","tumbas","tumbas-"]·KO["-사려고","그리고-샀다","너는-살지니라","사라","사라-","사려고","산","샀다","샀던","을-사려고"]·PT["E-comprou","compra","compra-","comprarás","comprou","e-comprou","para-comprar","¶ E-comprou"]·RU["И-купил","Купи","Купи-","и-купил","купи","купи-","купил","купить","покупай","покупать","чтобы-приобретать"]·ES["Y-compró","compra","compra-","comprarás","compró","para-comprar","y-compró"]·SW["Nunua","akaweza","alinunua","kununua","kwa-sababu","liknwot","na-akanunua","nunua","utanunua"]·TR["Ve-satın-aldı","satın-al","satın-al-","satın-alacaksın","satın-aldı","satın-almak-için","ve-satın-aldı","İbrahim"]·urd["اور-خریدا","خرید","خریدا","خریدا-تھا","خریدنے","خریدنے-کو","خریدو","خریدی"]
2. Acquire, get, obtain — A broader sense of acquiring or obtaining non-commercial goods — particularly wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and truth in Proverbs (1:5; 4:5, 7; 16:16; 23:23). Also used for God 'acquiring' a people (Exod 15:16; Ps 74:2; 78:54) where the purchase metaphor becomes theological — Israel as God's treasured possession. Spanish adquirir and French acquerir distinguish this from the market-specific comprar/acheter. 16×
AR["اقْتَنَتْهُ","اقْتَنَيْتَها","اقْتَنَيْتَهُ","اقْتَنَيْتُ","اِقْتَنِ","اِقْتِناءُ-","لِـ-يَقْتَنِيَ","مُقْتَنٍ","مُقْتَنٍ-","وَ-اِقْتِناءُ","يَقْتَني-","يَكْتَسِبُ"]·ben["-কেনার-জন্য","অধিকার-করেছে","অর্জন-কর","অর্জন-করবে","অর্জন-করে","আমি-অর্জন-করেছি","এবং-অর্জন-কর","ক্রয়-করলাম","তুমি-অধিকার-করেছ","তুমি-কিনেছিলে","যে-অর্জন-করে","লাভ-করে"]·DE["Du-acquired","acquired","du-purchased","er-erwirbt","erwarb","ich-habe-erworben","kaufen","und-erwarb"]·EN["I-acquired","I-have-acquired","You-acquired","You-purchased","acquire","acquired","acquires","and-getting","getting","is-acquire","let-him-acquire","to-acquire"]·FR["Je-avoir-acquit","Tu-acquit","acquérir","et-acquérir"]·heb["ו-קנות","יקנה","יקנה־","ל-קנות","קונה","קונה־","קנה","קנוה־","קנית","קניתי","קנתה"]·HI["और-प्राप्त-करना","के-मोल-लेने","को-प्राप्त-किया","प्राप्त-करता-है","प्राप्त-करता-है-","प्राप्त-करना","प्राप्त-करनेवाला-","प्राप्त-करे","प्राप्त-किया-मैंने","मैंने-खरीदे","मोल-लिए-तूने","मोल-ले"]·ID["Aku-membeli","Dapatkan","Engkau-beli","Memperoleh","Siapa-memperoleh","adalah-Dapatkan","akan-memperoleh","aku-telah-memperoleh","dan-memperoleh","dapatkan","memperoleh","untuk-menebus","yang-Engkau-peroleh"]·IT["Tu-acquired","acquistare","acquisto'","comprare","e-acquistare","io-avere-acquired"]·jav["Panjenengan-sampun-tumbas","dipuntumbas","ingkang-Panjenengan-tumbas","kangge-nuku","kula-sampun-pikantuk","kula-tumbas","lan-tumbas","pikantuk","tiyang-kang-pikantuk","tumbas"]·KO["그리고-얻는-것이","사셨나이다","사시려고","샀다","얻느니라-","얻는-것이-","얻는-자는-","얻는-자이니라","얻었다","얻으라","얻으셨다","얻을-것이다","주께서-사신"]·PT["Adquire","Adquiri","Adquirir-","O-que-adquire-","adquire","adquire-","adquiri","adquirirá","adquiriu","e-adquirir","para-adquirir","que-adquiriste","que-adquiriste."]·RU["Приобрети","Приобрёл-я","и-приобретение","приобрела","приобрела-я","приобретает","приобретает-","приобретающий-","приобретение-","приобрети","приобретёт.","приобрёл-Ты","чтобы-приобрести"]·ES["Adquiere","Adquirir","Adquirí","El-que-adquiere-","adquiere","adquirirá","adquiriste","adquirió","adquirí","para-adquirir","y-adquirir"]·SW["Nilinunua","anapata","anayepata","apate","kupata","kuwakomboa","na-kupata","nimepata","pata","ulinunuliwa-na","ulionunua","uliponunua","unapata"]·TR["edin","edindim","edinen-","edinir","edinir-","edinsin","elde-et-","kazandı","satin-aldim","satin-almak-icin","satın-aldın","satın-aldığın","ve-elde-etmek"]·urd["اور-حاصل-کرنا","تُو-نے-خریدا","حاصل-کر","حاصل-کرتا-ہے","حاصل-کرنا","حاصل-کرنے-والا-","حاصل-کرے","حاصل-کرے-گا-","حاصل-کیا","حاصل-کیا-میں-نے","خریدنے-کے-لیے","خریدی-تو-نے","خریدے"]
Gen 4:1, Exod 15:16, Ps 74:2, Ps 78:54, Prov 1:5, Prov 4:5, Prov 4:5, Prov 4:7, Prov 4:7, Prov 15:32, Prov 16:16, Prov 16:16 (+4 more)
3. Create, produce, possess — A theological-cosmological sense where God is the originator or sovereign possessor — 'Creator/Possessor of heaven and earth' (Gen 14:19, 22), 'he who made/formed you' (Deut 32:6), 'you knit me together in my mother's womb' (Ps 139:13), and Wisdom's declaration 'the LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work' (Prov 8:22). Six occurrences carry this sense, where acquisition shades into creation itself. German Schopfer ('Creator') signals the full semantic leap from commerce to cosmogony. 6×
AR["الَّذِي-اقْتَنَاكَ","اِقْتَنَانِي","خَالِقِ","خَلَقْتَ","قَانِيَهُ"]·ben["অধিকারী","আমাকে-সৃষ্টি-করলেন","তার-মালিককে","যিনি-কিনেছেন-তোমাকে","সৃষ্টি-করেছ"]·DE["dem-Schöpfer","der-acquired-du","erwarb","gebildet","kaufen"]·EN["formed","its-owner","possessed-me","possessor-of","who-acquired-you"]·FR["acquérir","acquérir-moi","possessor-de","qui-acquired-tu"]·heb["קונהו","קנה","קנית","קנך","קנני"]·HI["अपने-स्वामी-को","खरीदा-तुझे","बनाया","बनाया-मुझे","सवमि"]·ID["Pemilik","membentuk","memiliki-aku","pemiliknya","yang-menciptakan-engkau"]·IT["acquistare-mio","acquisto'","che-acquired-tu","comprare","possessor-di"]·jav["damel","ingkang-damel-panjenengan","ingkang-kagungan","ingkang-tumbas-ipun","ndarbeni-kula"]·KO["그-주인을","너를-창조한","소유자","얻으셨다","지으셨나이다"]·PT["Possuidor-de","dono-seu","formaste","me-possuiu","te-criou"]·RU["Владыке","Владыкой","владельца-своего","приобрёл-тебя","сотворил","сотворил-меня"]·ES["a-su-dueño","creador-de","formaste","me-poseía","que-te-creó"]·SW["Muumba-wa","alinimiliki","aliyekuumba","mmiliki-wake","umeumba"]·TR["edindi-beni","oluşturdun","sahibi","sahibini","satın-aldı-seni"]·urd["اپنے-مالک-کو","خریدا-تجھے-جس-نے","مالک","مجھے-بنایا","نے-بنایا"]
4. Be bought (Nifal passive) — The Nifal passive — 'to be bought' — with three occurrences, all in Jeremiah's prophecy of restoration: 'fields shall be bought in this land' (Jer 32:15, 43, 44). The passive voice shifts focus from buyer to the transaction itself as a sign of hope — land will again change hands in a restored Judah. Spanish se compraran confirms the reflexive-passive construction. 3×
AR["تُشْتَرَى","وَتُشْتَرَى","يَشْتَرُونَ"]·ben["আর-কেনা-হবে","কেনা-হবে"]·DE["kaufen","und-kaufen"]·EN["and-will-be-bought","they-will-buy","will-be-bought"]·FR["acquérir","et-acquérir"]·heb["ו-נקנה","ייקנו","יקנו"]·HI["और-खरीदे-जाएंगे","खरीदे-जाएंगे"]·ID["akan-dibeli","dan-akan-dibeli"]·IT["comprare","e-comprare"]·jav["dipun-tumbas","lan-dipun-tumbas"]·KO["그리고-사지리라","사리라","사지리라"]·PT["E-será-comprado","comprarão","serão-comprados"]·RU["И-будут-покупаться","будут-покупать","будут-покупаться"]·ES["comprarán","se-comprarán","y-se-comprarán"]·SW["Na-yatanunuliwa","yatanunuliwa","zitanunuliwa"]·TR["satın-alınacak","ve-satın-alınacak"]·urd["اور-خریدی-جائے-گی","خریدیں-گے-وہ","خریدے-جائیں-گے"]
5. sense 5 — A single puzzling occurrence in Ezekiel 8:3, where the noun semel haqqin'ah ('the image of jealousy / the provoking image') appears related to qanah through the nominal form qin'ah. Spanish la que provoca celos ('that which provokes jealousy') points to the qin'ah derivation rather than a direct verbal use of qanah, suggesting this sense reflects a denominative or etymological connection to provocation/jealousy rather than purchase. 1×
AR["الـ-مُغيرِ"]·ben["-ঈর্ষা-উদ্দীপক"]·DE["kaufen"]·EN["the-provoking"]·FR["acheter"]·heb["ה-מקנה"]·HI["जलन-जगानेवाली"]·ID["yang-membangkitkan-cemburu"]·IT["comprare"]·jav["ingkang-ndadosaken-cemburu"]·KO["그-질투를-일으키는"]·PT["o-que-provoca-ciúme"]·RU["возбуждающего"]·ES["la-que-provoca-celos"]·SW["inayochochea-wivu"]·TR["heykelinin"]·urd["غیرت-دلانے-والا"]
6. sense 6 — A single occurrence in Zechariah 13:5 — 'a man caused me to acquire (land)' or 'a man bought me' — in the context of a false prophet denying his vocation, claiming to have been a farmer since youth. English 'caused to acquire me' and Spanish me compro point to a commercial-servitude meaning, potentially 'someone acquired me as a slave/servant,' linking back to the core purchase sense in a biographical-confessional context. 1×
AR["امْتَلَكَنِي"]·ben["আমাকে-অধিকারে-করেছে"]·DE["erwarb"]·EN["caused-to-acquire-me"]·FR["acheter"]·heb["הקנני"]·HI["मुझे-खरीदा"]·ID["memiliki-aku"]·IT["comprare"]·jav["tumbas-kula"]·KO["내를-사였음이라"]·PT["comprou-me"]·RU["приобрёл-меня"]·ES["me-compró"]·SW["alinimiliki"]·TR["satın-aldı-beni"]·urd["خریدا-مجھے"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)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×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. קָנָה84 vb. get, acquire (NH = BH; Ph. (Pun.) מקנא, property [in cattle]; Assyrian ḳanû, gain, acquire, MeissnSuppl. 85; Arabic قَنَا (و, ى) acquire, procure; Sab. קני acquire, possess, CIS iv, no. 89, 5, 6, קני n. property id. ib. no. 3, 8, 29, 3; Ethiopic ቀነየ: acquire, subjugate; Aramaic קְנָא, ܩܢܳܐ, acquire);— Qal81 Pf. 3 ms. ק׳ Gn 25:10 +; sf. קָנֶ֑ךָ Dt 32:6, קָנָהוּ Lv 27:24; 3 fs.…