The meaning of “קָנָה”
Understanding qânâh reveals the original theological depth often simplified in translation.
attain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, [idiom] surel...
קָנָה
attain, buy(-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, [idiom] surely, [idiom] verily. - to erect, i.e. create - by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell) - by implication to own 1) to get, acquire, create, buy, possess 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to get, acquire, obtain 1a1a) of God originating, creating, redeeming His people 1a1a1) possessor 1a1b) of Eve acquiring 1a1c) of acquiring knowledge, wisdom 1a2) to buy 1b) (Niphal) to be bought 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to possess
Occurrences in the Bible
| Reference | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 47:19 | “Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.” Word: קָנָה (qânâh) | |
| Joshua 24:32 | “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.” Word: קָנָה (qânâh) | |
| 2 Kings 22:6 | “Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.” Word: קָנָה (qânâh) | |
| Psalms 78:54 | “And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.” Word: קָנָה (qânâh) | |
| Jeremiah 32:8 | “So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.” Word: קָנָה (qânâh) |
Theological Word Study: Redeem
Old Testament Usage
Meaning: To redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer
The Hebrew gaal (גָּאַל) means to redeem or act as kinsman-redeemer (go'el)—buying back family property or relatives. It foreshadows Christ redeeming His people through His blood.
New Testament Usage
Meaning: To redeem, ransom
The Greek lutroo (λυτρόω) means to redeem or ransom—purchasing freedom by paying a price. Christ redeemed us 'with the precious blood' (1 Peter 1:18-19), the ransom for sin.