H7160 H7160
to shine, send out rays; to grow horns
This verb operates in two semantic domains through denominative use: from 'horn' it means 'display horns' (fully developed); from 'ray' it means 'send out rays, shine.' Most famously, it describes Moses' face shining after encountering God's glory on Sinai—a passage that influenced artistic depictions (including Michelangelo's horned Moses, based on Latin cornuta). The semantic overlap between horns and rays reflects ancient iconography where divine radiance was depicted as horn-like projections.
Senses
1. sense 1 — In Exodus 34:29-30, 35, the Qal describes Moses' face as 'sending out rays' (קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו) after speaking with God—a radiant shining that terrified the Israelites. In Psalm 69:31-32, the Hiphil participle describes an ox 'having horns' (מַקְרִן), meaning fully developed, mature. The two meanings share the root קֶרֶן, which can denote both horn and ray. Multilingual glosses split: for Moses, Spanish 'resplandecía,' French 'resplendit' (shone); for the ox, Spanish 'con-cuernos,' German 'having-Hörner' (having horns). The Vulgate's translation 'cornuta' (horned) for Moses' face became famous in Christian art. 4×
AR["أَشرَقَ", "ذي-قُرونٍ"]·ben["উজ্জ্বল-হয়েছিল", "শিংযুক্ত"]·DE["having-Hörner", "shone"]·EN["having-horns", "shone"]·FR["de-rayonner", "resplendit"]·heb["מקרין", "קרן"]·HI["चमक-रही-थी"]·ID["bersinar", "bertanduk"]·IT["da-corno", "shone"]·jav["mancorong", "mawi-sungu"]·KO["빛났다", "뿜-있는"]·PT["com-chifres", "resplandecia"]·RU["рогатый", "сияла"]·ES["con-cuernos", "resplandecía"]·SW["ilikuwa-iking'aa", "mwenye-pembe"]·TR["boynuzlu", "parladı"]·urd["سینگوں-والے", "چمک-رہی-تھی", "چمکتی-تھی"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† קָרַן vb. Qal denom. of קֶרֶן 5, send out rays;—Pf. 3 ms. קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו Ex 34:29, 30, 35 (P). Hiph.denom. of קֶרֶן 1 a, display (grow) horns (be fully developed), Pt. פָּר מַקְרִן מַפְרִים ψ 69:32.