Original Word: כֵּס
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: kec
Pronunciation: kays
Phonetic Spelling: (kace)
Word Origin: [apparently a contraction for H3678 (כִּסֵּא כִּסֵּה - throne), but probably by erroneous transcription for H5251 (נֵס - standard)]

1. sworn

sworn

Apparently a contraction for kicce', but probably by erroneous transcription for nec -- sworn.

see HEBREW kicce'

see HEBREW nec

Word Origin
appar. a contr. for kisse, q.v.

כֵּס Exodus 17:16, see כִּסֵּא. below

Occurrence and narrative setting

The noun appears once, in Exodus 17:16, immediately after Israel’s first pitched battle following the exodus. Having defeated Amalek at Rephidim, Moses builds an altar and proclaims, “The LORD is my Banner” (Exodus 17:15). Verse 16 then records his declaration: “For he said, ‘A hand was upon the throne of the LORD. The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation’ ”. The word under study designates the LORD’s throne in this unique context.

Symbolism of the LORD’s throne

1. Sovereign authority. By invoking the divine throne, Moses roots Israel’s victory not in military prowess but in the LORD’s absolute kingship. Before Israel ever receives an earthly king (1 Samuel 8), the narrative stresses that the nation’s security rests on the heavenly throne (Psalm 103:19).
2. Judicial certainty. An oath “upon the throne of the LORD” calls to mind the unbreakable certainty of a royal decree (Psalm 89:14). The defeat of Amalek is thus bound to the character and government of God Himself.
3. Worshipful acknowledgment. The altar named “The LORD My Banner” (Exodus 17:15) and the proclamation about His throne stand together: worship and warfare are inseparable whenever the throne is rightly recognized (2 Chronicles 20:21-22).

The enduring war with Amalek

Exodus 17:16 inaugurates a divine campaign that unfolds through Scripture:
• Deuteronomy 25:17-19 demands national remembrance of Amalek’s treachery.
• 1 Samuel 15 recounts Saul’s incomplete obedience, revealing the high stakes of aligning with the throne’s verdict.
• Esther’s conflict with Haman, an Agagite (Esther 3:1), shows the “generation to generation” scope of the struggle.

Each episode underscores that hostility to God’s people is ultimately hostility to God’s reign.

Intertextual echoes of the throne motif

While this Hebrew form occurs only in Exodus 17:16, the broader throne imagery saturates Scripture:
• The LORD “is enthroned above the cherubim” (2 Samuel 6:2).
• Isaiah sees “the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne” (Isaiah 6:1).
• In the New Testament, the risen Christ “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3), fulfilling and expanding the Old Testament throne theme. The single Old Testament use of the term therefore stands as an early beam of a bright canonical light.

Implications for spiritual warfare

1. Victory flows from submission. Israel prevails while Moses’ hands are raised (Exodus 17:11-13); the throne guarantees triumph when the community remains dependent.
2. Ongoing conflict is normal. The pledge of perpetual warfare against Amalek prepares believers for the “good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12).
3. Ultimate assurance. Because the throne is unassailable, the outcome of history is settled (Revelation 19:11-16).

Pastoral and ministry applications

• Prayer and leadership: Like Moses’ uplifted hands, intercession undergirds frontline ministry. Churches today engage in battle by persistent prayer grounded in the sovereign throne (Hebrews 4:16).
• Discipleship: Teaching the throne theme equips believers to interpret opposition not as random adversity but as part of a cosmic contest already decided at Calvary (Colossians 2:15).
• Mission: Declaring the gospel extends the reign of the enthroned Christ; evangelism is allegiance-transfer from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).

Summary

Strong’s Hebrew 3676 surfaces only once, yet its lone appearance anchors a rich theology: the LORD’s throne guarantees His people’s victories, sustains their worship, and frames all subsequent conflicts with evil. Recognizing that every battle is fought under the shadow of that throne shapes faithful living, confident ministry, and enduring hope.

כֵּ֣ס כס kes kêsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts