Kenaz

Kenaz is a proper name with biblical and literary associations. In the Hebrew Bible, Kenaz appears as a son of Eliphaz, making him a grandson of Esau and a Edomite chief listed among Esau’s descendants (Genesis 36:11). The name also occurs in the Book of Judges, where Othniel, the first judge of Israel, is described as “the son of Kenaz,” indicating Kenaz as Othniel’s father (Judges 3:9). A parallel genealogical reference appears in 1 Chronicles 4:13–14. These occurrences show Kenaz as both a personal name and a lineage designation in ancient Near Eastern texts.

Meaning and etymology of Kenaz are not unequivocally fixed. The name is of Hebrew origin and is typically associated, in scholarly and traditional discussions, with roots tied to hunting or light-related imagery, leading to informal renderings such as “hunter” or “torch.” However, because biblical Hebrew etymology can be uncertain, exact translations of the name vary, and many discussions preserve the form without a settled gloss.

Modern usage of Kenaz is relatively limited but present. It is used as a given name in Jewish communities and occasionally appears in broader contexts, reflecting its biblical heritage.

In Tolkien’s legendarium, Kenaz also appears as the name of a Dwarven rune used in their writing systems (often linked to the Angerthas tradition). In this context, Kenaz is associated with fire or torchlight and corresponds to the K sound in the dwarven runes, illustrating a separate cultural use of the same term.