Original Word: קָנַן
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: qanan
Pronunciation: kah-NAHN
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-nan')
KJV: makenest
NASB: nested, build their nests, make its nest, nests
Word Origin: [a primitive root, to erect; but used only as denominative from H7064 (קֵן - nest)]

1. to nestle, i.e. build or occupy as a nest

make

A primitive root; to erect; but used only as denominative from qen; to nestle, i.e. Build or occupy as a nest -- make...nest.

see HEBREW qen

Word Origin
denominative verb from qen
Definition
to make a nest
NASB Translation
build their nests (1), make its nest (1), nested (2), nests (1).

[קִנֵּן] verb denominative Pi`el make a nest, nest; — Perfect3feminine singular קִנְּנָה Isaiah 34:15; 3plural קִנְנוּ Ezekiel 31:6 (in figurative); Imperfect3masculine singular יְקַנֵּנ֑וּ Psalm 104:17; 3feminine singular תְּקַנֵּן Jeremiah 48:28 (simile).

Pu`al Participle feminine singular מקננתי (Ges^{§ 90l}) Jeremiah 22:23 Kt (Qr מְקֻנַּנְתְּ; compare Ges^{§ 80d}) (thou) who art nested in the cedars (figurative).

קנץ (√ of following, si vera lectio; compare Arabic catch, capture, ensnare).

Semantics and Imagery

קָנַן portrays the deliberate activity of birds constructing secure dwellings for themselves and their young. The verb therefore evokes ideas of settling, safeguarding, and perpetuating life. Scripture appropriates the image to communicate either God-given harmony within creation or, conversely, desolation under divine judgment when only wild creatures remain to “nest” in ruined places.

Occurrences in Canonical Context

Psalm 104:17 celebrates the Creator’s ordered ecosystem: “There the birds build their nests; the stork makes her home in the fir trees.” The verb highlights God’s providential design that gives every creature space to thrive.

Isaiah 34:15 joins a string of creatures inhabiting Edom’s devastated land: “There the owl will nest and lay eggs; she will hatch them, gather her young in the shadow of her wings.” What once was a proud kingdom becomes a silent aviary, underscoring the certainty of God’s wrath.

Jeremiah 22:23 addresses Judah’s royalty: “You who dwell in Lebanon, nestled among the cedars, how you will groan when pangs come upon you.” The luxurious “nest” in Lebanon’s cedars proves no refuge from coming discipline.

Jeremiah 48:28 admonishes Moab: “Abandon the cities and dwell in the rocks, O residents of Moab; be like a dove that nests in the mouth of a cave.” Exile will drive the nation to seek makeshift shelter, reversing its former security.

Ezekiel 31:6 pictures Assyria’s towering cedar: “All the birds of the air nested in its branches.” The empire’s reach once offered protection to many peoples, yet the context warns that even the mightiest tree can be felled by the judgment of God.

Theology of Nesting and Security

1. Divine Provision. In Psalm 104 the verb assures believers that the same God who equips birds to build also knows the needs of His children (compare Matthew 6:26).
2. False Confidence. Jeremiah’s and Isaiah’s uses expose the peril of trusting in elevated positions, political alliances, or material grandeur. Nests built in cedars or mountain crags cannot shield from covenant sanctions.
3. Universality of Dominion. Ezekiel 31 portrays God distributing authority among nations “so that the birds might nest,” yet He also reserves the right to revoke that authority. Thus קָנַן supports the doctrine of God’s active governance over all kingdoms.

Prophetic Warnings and Judgment

The nesting motif sharpens prophetic rhetoric. When judgment comes, either only desert creatures remain to nest in the ruins or former oppressors are forced to adopt the lowly habits of birds in crags. The verb thereby underlines both the thoroughness of divine retribution and the humiliation of the proud.

Creation Praise and Ecological Observation

Psalm 104 employs קָנַן within a larger catalog of ecosystems. The biblical worldview affirms that the natural world reflects meticulous design. The nesting of birds illustrates both biodiversity and interdependence, encouraging stewardship rather than exploitation.

Practical Ministry Insights

• Shepherds may draw on Psalm 104:17 to reassure congregations of God’s attentive care amid economic or political upheaval.
• Passages in Jeremiah and Isaiah provide sobering counsel for leaders tempted by pride: lofty perches are no substitute for covenant faithfulness.
• Mission work can appropriate Ezekiel 31:6, reminding believers that their communities ought to become “branches” where others find rest, safety, and gospel nurture.

Christological and Eschatological Echoes

Jesus likens Himself to a hen gathering her brood (Matthew 23:37), an echo of Isaiah 34:15. Ultimately, the New Jerusalem offers permanent shelter (Revelation 21:3). The fleeting nests of the present creation thus anticipate the secure dwelling prepared by Christ.

Devotional Application

When believers feel uprooted, קָנַן invites meditation on the One who “determines the number of the stars” and yet cares for the smallest sparrow. Reliance on that care fosters humility, gratitude, and a missionary spirit that seeks to provide spiritual “nesting places” for the weary and the lost.

יְקַנֵּ֑נוּ יקננו מְקֻנַּ֖נְתְּ מקננת קִֽנְנוּ֙ קִנְּנָ֤ה קננה קננו תְּקַנֵּ֖ן תקנן kinneNah kinNu mə·qun·nant mekunNant məqunnant qin·nə·nāh qin·nū qinnənāh qinnū tə·qan·nên tekanNen təqannên yə·qan·nê·nū yekanNenu yəqannênūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts