The Hebrew verb kana (כָּנַע) means to be brought low, to be subdued, or to humble oneself. In the active stem it describes God subduing enemies; in the reflexive it describes the act of humbling oneself before God in repentance. It appears approximately 35 times in the Old Testament.
Kana is a pivotal word in the theology of repentance and divine-human relationship. When Israel humbled itself before God (kana), restoration and healing would come (2 Chronicles 7:14 — though using the related concept). The word captures the essential movement of the sinful heart toward God: the proud must be brought low before they can be lifted up. This corresponds directly to the New Testament call to humble oneself before God (James 4:10) and the beatitude that the meek shall inherit the earth.