kanaf · wing

What it means

kanaf (כָּנָף) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “wing”.

Of a bird. Also the edge or corner of something (of a cloak, of the earth).

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A bird's wing; shelter under God's wings.
2. Literally "wing": the flap of a cloak, or the far reaches of the earth.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

Wing of a bird or of a winged being; hence the edge of a cloak, which spreads like a wing, and the ends of the earth. BDB: an edge or extremity; specifically a wing, the flap of a garment or bed-clothing, a quarter of the earth.

• “I carried you on eagles’ wings” Exodus 19:4
• “In the shadow of your wings”: refuge Psalms 17:8Psalms 91:4Ruth 2:12
• The wings of the cherubim and the seraphim 1 Kings 6:27Isaiah 6:2
• The edge of the cloak and of garments Ruth 3:91 Samuel 24:4Numbers 15:38
• “With healing in its wings” Malachi 4:2

Historical and cultural background

Numbers 15:38 orders fringes “on the edges of their garments”, with “a cord of blue”. In Ruth 3:9 Ruth asks Boaz: “Spread the edge of your cloak over your servant, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

How we translate it

“Wings” 63 times, “wing” 18, “edge” 12, “edges” 4, “winged” 5, “corners” 2… This edition sets כָּנָף of a garment = “edge” (Numbers 15:38) and גִּלָּה כָנָף = “uncover the edge” of a father’s garment (Deuteronomy 22:30). So in Ruth 2:12 and 3:9 one can see it is the same word: “under whose wings” and “the edge of your cloak”.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• wings ×63
• wing ×18
• edge ×12
• winged ×5
• edges ×4
• corners ×2
• bird ×1
• corner of my garment ×1
• end ×1
• hems ×1
• others ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Genesis×2
• Exodus×5
• Leviticus×1
• Numbers×2
• Deuteronomy×5
• Ruth×2
• 1 Samuel×5
• 2 Samuel×1
• 1 Kings×12
• 2 Chronicles×10
• Job×4
• Psalms×12
• Proverbs×2
• Ecclesiastes×1
• Isaiah×7
• Jeremiah×3
• Ezekiel×26
• Daniel×1
• Hosea×1
• Haggai×2
• Zechariah×4
• Malachi×1

• Genesis 1:21

  And Elohim created the great sea monsters and every living being that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And Elohim saw that it was good.

• Genesis 7:14

  they, and every animal according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth according to its kind, and every bird according to its kind, every bird, every winged creature.

• Exodus 19:4

  ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

• Exodus 25:20

  The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, overshadowing with their wings the cover of expiation, and their faces shall be one toward the other; toward the cover of expiation the faces of the cherubim shall be turned.

• Exodus 37:9

  And the cherubim were spreading out their wings upward, covering with their wings over the cover of expiation, and their faces were each toward the other; toward the cover of expiation were the faces of the cherubim.

• Leviticus 1:17

  He shall tear it open by its wings —he shall not divide it— and the priest shall offer up in smoke it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering, a pleasing aroma to YHWH.

• Numbers 15:38

  “Speak to the sons of Israel and tell them to make for themselves fringes on the edges of their garments throughout their generations, and to put on the fringe of the edge a cord of blue.

• Deuteronomy 4:17

  the representation of any beast that is on the earth, the representation of any winged bird that flies in the heavens,

• Deuteronomy 22:12

  You shall make cords for yourself on the four edges of your covering with which you cover yourself.

• Deuteronomy 22:30

  A man shall not take his father’s wife, and he shall not uncover the edge of his father’s garment.

• Deuteronomy 27:20

  ‘Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered the edge of the garment of his father.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

• Deuteronomy 32:11

  Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, he spread out his wings, took him, carried him on his pinions.

• Ruth 2:12

  May YHWH repay your work, and may your wages be full from YHWH, Elohim of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

• Ruth 3:9

  He said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread the edge of your cloak over your servant, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

• 1 Samuel 15:27

  Samuel turned to go, and he seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.

• 1 Samuel 24:4

  David’s men said to him, “Look, the day of which YHWH said to you, ‘Look, I am giving your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as seems good in your eyes.’” David arose and cut off the edge of the robe that belonged to Saul secretly.

• 1 Samuel 24:5

  Afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the edge that belonged to Saul.

• 1 Samuel 24:11

  And, my father, see, yes, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you; but you are hunting my life to take it.

• 2 Samuel 22:11

  He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind.

• 1 Kings 6:24

  And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: ten cubits from the tip of its wings to the tip of its wings.

• 1 Kings 6:27

  And he put the cherubim in the middle of the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of the one touched the wall, and the wing of the second cherub was touching the second wall, and their wings toward the middle of the house were touching wing to wing.

• 1 Kings 8:6

  And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of YHWH to its place, to the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Most Holy Place, to beneath the wings of the cherubim.

• 1 Kings 8:7

  For the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered over the ark and over its poles from above.

• 2 Chronicles 3:11

  The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits in length: the wing of the one, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and the other wing, of five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub.

• 2 Chronicles 3:12

  And the wing of the one cherub, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and the other wing, of five cubits, was joined to the wing of the other cherub.

• 2 Chronicles 3:13

  The wings of these cherubim spread out twenty cubits; and they stood on their feet, with their faces toward the house.

• 2 Chronicles 5:7

  The priests brought the ark of the covenant of YHWH to its place, to the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.

• 2 Chronicles 5:8

  The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above.

• Job 37:3

  Under all the heavens he lets it loose, and his light to the edges of the earth.

• Job 38:13

  so that it may seize the edges of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?

• Job 39:13

  The wing of the ostrich flaps joyfully; is it the pinion of the stork and plumage?

• Job 39:26

  Is it by your understanding that the hawk flies, and spreads its wings toward the south?

• Psalms 17:8

  Keep me as the pupil of the eye; in the shadow of your wings hide me

• Psalms 18:10

  He rode on a cherub and flew; and he soared on the wings of the wind.

• Psalms 36:7

  How precious is your loyal love, Elohim! And human beings in the shadow of your wings take refuge.

• Psalms 57:1

  For the director. Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when he fled from before Saul in the cave. Show me favor, Elohim, show me favor, for in you my soul has taken refuge; and in the shadow of your wings I take refuge until the calamities pass by.

• Psalms 61:4

  I will reside in your tent forever; I will take refuge in the hiding place of your wings. Selah.

• Psalms 63:7

  For you have been a help to me, and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.

• Psalms 68:13

  Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and its feathers with greenish gold.”

• Psalms 78:27

  and rained down upon them meat like dust, and like the sand of the seas, winged birds,

And 69 more times.