כֹּהֵן

כֹּהֵן

Part of Speech	Noun
Occurrences
Possible Meanings	Priest Distinguished individual –
Related Words	כהן

Possible Meanings

1. Priest

• Biblical verses – The vast majority of the occurrences of both the noun כֹּהֵן and verb כהן refer to a priest who works in the service of either Hashem or an idolatrous god.
• Additional data –

2. Distinguished individual

• Biblical verses – In Shemuel II 8:18,¹ כֹּהֵן does not speak of a priest, but rather of a different type of distinguished individual – see below for options. See also Yeshayahu 61:10 where the verb yekhahen does not mean to serve as a priest, but rather to be adorned or clothed (perhaps, like a priest).
• Additional data – 

Commentators who adopt the position that a kohen does not always mean a priest, must further decide whether in these cases the term signifies a distinguished person or a person who serves:

• An important person – RashiBereshit 47:22About Rashi, AbarbanelShemot 18About Abarbanel, Hoil MosheBereshit 47:22About Hoil Moshe.
• A person who serves – R. Yonah ibn JanachSefer HaShorashim (כהן)About Ibn Janach, Ibn EzraBereshit 41:45About Ibn Ezra, RadakSefer HaShorashim (כהן)About Radak, RambanBereshit 41:45About Ramban.

Disputed Cases

There are a number of cases where commentators disagree as to whether the term kohen is a religious or secular title (in many of these the kohen is in the service of a king):

Bereshit 41:45

• A priest for the Egyptian god – Ibn EzraBereshit 41:45About Ibn Ezra, RambanBereshit 41:45About Ramban's understanding of the Midrash.
• A ruler – Targum OnkelosBereshit 41:45About Targum Onkelos, Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)Bereshit 41:45About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan), RashiBereshit 47:22About Rashi, RashbamBereshit 41:45About Rashbam, RambanBereshit 41:45About Ramban.

Bereshit 47:22

• Egyptian priests – Targum OnkelosBereshit 47:22About Targum Onkelos, Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)Bereshit 47:22About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan), RashiBereshit 47:22About Rashi, Ibn EzraBereshit 47:26About Ibn Ezra.
• Egyptian ministers – ChizkuniBereshit 47:22About Chizkuni, RalbagBereshit 47:22About Ralbag.

Shemot 2:16

See Yitro's religious identity for a full discussion.

• A priest for idolatry – R. Yehoshua in Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelYitro Amalek 1About the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael.
• A priest for Hashem – Ibn EzraShemot 2:16About Ibn Ezra
• A minister or important person – R. Elazar HaModai in Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelYitro Amalek 1About the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Targum OnkelosShemot 2:16About Targum Onkelos, ChizkuniShemot 18:1About Chizkuni.
• A religious and a political leader – TanchumaYitro 1About the Tanchuma, R. D"Z HoffmannShemot 18:1About R. D"Z Hoffmann.

Shemot 19:22

• Priests – see here for various opinions on who functioned as the priests before the building of the Tabernacle.
• Officers and judges – An additional opinion in Chizkuni19:22About Chizkuni.

Shemuel II 20:26

• A priest – Bavli EiruvinEiruvin 63aAbout the Bavli.
• An officer and judge – Targum YonatanShemuel II 20:26About Targum Yonatan, RashiShemuel II 20:26About Rashi.

Melakhim I 4:5

• A priest – Targum YonatanMelakhim I 4:5About Targum Yonatan (Neviim).
• An advisor of the king – RadakShemuel II 20:26About Radak.

Melakhim II 10:11

• Priests for idolatry – RadakMelakhim II 10:11About Radak.
• Ahav's friends – Targum YonatanMelakhim II 10:11About Targum Yonatan (Neviim).

Tehillim 110:4

• A priest who serves Hashem – RashiTehillim 110:4About Rashi, Ibn EzraTehillim 110:4About Ibn Ezra.
• A king or governor – RadakTehillim 110:4About Radak.

Iyyov 12:17,19

• Priests – MalbimIyyov 12:19About Malbim.
• Ministers – RashiIyyov 12:19About Rashi, RalbagIyyov 12:19About Ralbag.

Idioms

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Relationship to Synonyms

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Semantic Evolution

Intra-Biblical

Rabbinic Hebrew

Modern Hebrew

¹ Cf. the parallel verse in Divrei HaYamim I 18:17.