Kenan
Kenan or
Qenan (Cainan seems to be an improper rendering of this word; it is separate from the word transliterated Cainan later in the
Torah) (
Hebrew קֵינָן,
Standard Hebrew Qenan,
Tiberian Hebrew Qênān) was a
Biblical patriarch first mentioned in the
Hebrew Bible book of
Genesis.
According to Genesis 5:9-14, he was the
grandson of
Seth and son of
Enos. Born when Enos was ninety years old, Cainan had his first-named son,
Mahalaleel, when he was seventy. Other sons and daughters were born to Kenan before he died at 910 years of age.
This name seems to derive from words denoting a permanent dwelling place or stronghold.
Cainan is also mentioned by name in the
geneaology of
Jesus given in
Luke 3:37 in the
New Testament.
