English · KJV
H3664

כָּנַס

kânaç /kaw-nas'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto collect; hence, to enfold
KJV usagegather (together), heap up, wrap self.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kânaç — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word kânaç, represented by H3664, is a primitive root meaning to collect, enfold, gather (together), heap up, or wrap self. It appears 12 times across 11 unique verses, illustrating its use in contexts of both divine action and human activity, from assembling people to accumulating resources.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H3664 describes various forms of collection. It is used for the gathering of people, whether for a sacred fast as commanded by Esther Esther 4:16, or by God Himself to restore the outcasts of Israel Psalms 147:2 and bring them back from captivity Ezekiel 39:28. The term also applies to the accumulation of material things, such as when Solomon gathered silver and gold Ecclesiastes 2:8 or when tithes were gathered for the Levites Nehemiah 12:44. In a different sense, it can mean to wrap oneself, as when a covering is too narrow to wrap oneself in Isaiah 28:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a broader context for the concept of gathering:

  • H622 ʼâçaph (to gather for any purpose): This is a close synonym used alongside H3664 to describe the sinner's work to gather and heap up wealth that God ultimately gives to the righteous Ecclesiastes 2:26.
  • H1760 dâchâh (to push down; ... outcast): This word identifies the subjects of God's redemptive gathering, as the Lord gathereth together the outcasts of Israel Psalms 147:2.
  • H7993 shâlak (to throw out, down or away): This verb serves as a direct antonym in the well-known passage describing a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together Ecclesiastes 3:5.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3664 is demonstrated in its application to God's sovereign acts.

  • Divine Restoration: A central theme is God's faithfulness to His people. He promises to gather them from captivity Ezekiel 39:28 and to gathereth together the outcasts of Israel Psalms 147:2, signifying national and spiritual restoration.
  • Sovereign Judgment: The act of gathering is also an instrument of divine wrath. God warns that He will gather people into the fire of His anger to be judged Ezekiel 22:21.
  • Creative Power: The term highlights God's authority over the natural world, as He "gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap" Psalms 33:7, demonstrating his role as Creator.
  • Sacred Assembly: Humans are also called to gather for holy purposes, such as when the Jews assembled to fast and seek God's intervention Esther 4:16.

Summary

In summary, H3664 is a dynamic word that signifies more than simple collection. It portrays the sovereign power of God to assemble His people for both redemption and judgment, to control the elements of creation, and to orchestrate the flow of resources. Whether referring to stones, wealth, or nations, kânaç illustrates a divine and human action of bringing together for a specific, often profound, purpose.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 11 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • כְנוֹס
  • כִנַּסְתִּי
  • הִתְכַּנֵּס
  • יְכַנֵּס
  • כְּנוֹס
  • כֹּנֵס
  • כָּנַסְתִּי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H622 אָסַף a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, r H1760 דָּחָה or דָּחַח; (Jeremiah 23:12), a primitive root; to push down; chase, drive away (on), overthrow, outcast, [idiom] sore, t H7993 שָׁלַךְ a primitive root; to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively); adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off, out),

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 11 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ecclesiastes (3 verses); never once in the other 32.

1
1 Chronicles
1
Nehemiah
1
Esther
2
Psalms
3
Ecclesiastes
1
Isaiah
2
Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.