STRONGS NUMBER H3654

H3654. ken

IV. כֵּן‎ (?), כִּנָּם כִּנִּם,‎

noun [masculine], meaning dubious; either gnat, gnats, gnat-swarm (so ᵑ9 ᵐ5‎ <TOPIC:Philo Judaeus> Philo^{Vita Mos. i, p. 97}, <TOPIC:Origen>Origen^{Hom. 4, 6 in Ex.}, and most moderns), or [louse,] lice (so ᵑ7 ᵑ6‎ Jos^{Ant. ii. 14}. 13 Boch^{Hieroz. II, ii, 572 f.}, as Late Hebrew כִּנָּה‎, plural כִּנִּים‎ = maggots, and especially lice) — absolute perhaps כֵּן‎ Isaiah 51:6 (see below); plural כִּנִּים‎ Exodus 8:13; 8:14; Psalm 105:31, כִּנִּם‎ Exodus 8:12; 8:13; 8:14 has, also, כִּנָּם‎ probably a mere Masoretic device for כִּנִּם‎ (compare Di), on account of preceding וַתְּהִי‎ (on which see Ges^{§ 145}. 4 Da^{Synt. § 116}); ⅏‎ has כנים‎ throughout: — of Egyptian plague 8:12; 8:13 (twice in verse); 8:14 (twice in verse) (all P), hence Psalm 105:31; יְמוּתוּן כְּמוֺכֵֿן‎ Isaiah 51:6 like a gnatswarm (?) shall they die (compare Di Du; Weir Che read כנים‎, compare Buhl^{p. 355}; > Brd De like this).

Note. — Nö^{M 54} Ba^{NB § 15, ES 53} Buhl^{Ges HWB ed. 12} connect this word etymologically with Aramaic כלמתא‎ vermin, Ba and Buhl also with Assyrian kalmatu, id. [Dl^{HWB 333}], and even with Aramaic קלמתא‎, , Arabic , etc., Ethiopic louse; but these connections, as well as that with Late Hebrew כְּנִימָה‎, all involving radical מ‎, are most improbable