English · KJV
H7160

קָרַן

qâran /kaw-ran'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto push or gore; used only as denominative from קֶרֶן,; to shoot out horns; figuratively, rays
KJV usagehave horns, shine.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qâran — 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 qâran, represented by H7160, is a primitive root used to describe something shooting out, like horns or rays of light. Its primary meanings are to have horns or to shine. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses, highlighting its specific and powerful applications in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The biblical usage of H7160 is split between two distinct contexts. The most prominent use is in Exodus, where it repeatedly describes the supernatural radiance of Moses's face. After Moses came down from Mount Sinai, the skin H5785 of his face H6440 shone because he had been speaking with God Exodus 34:29. This phenomenon was so striking that the people of Israel were afraid to come near him Exodus 34:30. The word is also used literally in the Psalms to describe a sacrificial animal, specifically a bullock H6499 that hath horns and hoofs Psalms 69:31.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H7160 is found:

  • H5785 ʻôwr (skin): This is the word used for the surface of Moses' face that shone Exodus 34:29. It directly links the action of H7160 to a physical part of a person.
  • H6440 pânîym (face): This specifies the location of the shining skin. The repeated phrase "skin of his face shone" Exodus 34:30 emphasizes the source of this divine reflection.
  • H6499 par (bullock): This term identifies the creature that hath horns in Psalms. It connects H7160 to the literal imagery of a strong, mature animal used in worship Psalms 69:31.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7160 is significant in its dual application:

  • The Radiance of Holiness: The primary theological point is its use to describe the physical aftereffect of a divine encounter. The fact that Moses's face shone Exodus 34:35 served as visible, undeniable proof of his proximity to God's glory.
  • Symbol of Strength in Offerings: In its literal sense, having horns signifies maturity and strength in an animal. The mention of a bullock that hath horns Psalms 69:31 points to a valuable and complete sacrifice, which is then used as a benchmark for what truly pleases God.
  • A Bridge Between Power and Glory: The word links the concept of physical power, represented by horns, with the spiritual power of divine light. Both are projections of an inner quality—one of animal strength, the other of heavenly glory.

Summary

In summary, H7160 is a potent word that, despite its infrequent use, conveys powerful imagery. It illustrates both the literal attribute of an animal's horns and the figurative, radiant glory reflecting from a person who has been in God's presence. Through its two distinct uses, qâran connects the ideas of projected strength and projected holiness, showing how a single root can describe both earthly power and the awe-inspiring evidence of a divine meeting.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • קָרַן
  • מַקְרִן

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.

H5785 עוֹר from עוּר; skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather; hide, leather, skin. H6440 פָּנִים plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a gre H6499 פַּר or פָּר; from פָּרַר; a bullock (apparently as breaking forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof); ([phra

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

3
Exodus
1
Psalms

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.