HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3594
כִּיּוּן
kiy.yun — Kiyyun
§ Chiun = "an image" or "pillar" probably a statue of the Assyrian-Babylonian god of the planet Saturn and used to symbolise Israelite apostasy
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
Chiun
Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
Historical dictionary entry
Occurs only in Amos 5:26 (R.V. marg., “shrine”). The LXX. translated the word by Rhephan, which became corrupted into Remphan, as used by Stephen (Acts 7:43; but R.V., “Rephan”). Probably the planet Saturn is intended by the name. Astrologers represented this planet as baleful in its influences, and hence the Phoenicians offered to it human sacrifices, especially children.
Scripture references
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.