Lexical Summary Hena: Hena Original Word: הֵנַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hena Probably of foreign derivation; Hena, a place apparently in Mesopotamia -- Hena. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city in Aram (Syria) or Mesopotamia NASB Translation Hena (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs הֵנַע proper name location named between Sepharvaim and Iwwa; site unknown, yet compare DlPa 279; 2 Kings 18:34; 2 Kings 19:13 = Isaiah 37:13. הֲנָפָה see below נוף. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Hena was a small but fortified city-state located in the Middle Euphrates region, almost certainly on or near the river island that later bore the name Anah (modern ʿĀna, Iraq). In the late eighth century B.C., this corridor linked Syria with Babylonia, making Hena a strategic way-station on the caravan route that Assyria coveted. Its proximity to Hamath, Arpad, and Sepharvaim explains why the Assyrians list it alongside those cities during the reign of Sennacherib. Biblical Occurrences The city is mentioned only three times, all within the accounts of Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah: • 2 Kings 18:34 In 2 Kings 18:34 the Assyrian spokesman taunts Judah: “Where are the gods of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?”. The repetition in 2 Kings 19:13 and Isaiah 37:13 reinforces the rhetorical force of the challenge. Historical Context Sennacherib’s western campaign (701 B.C.) followed the earlier conquests of Shalmaneser V and Sargon II. By the time Rabshakeh spoke at Jerusalem’s wall, Hena had already fallen, its local deity and its king paraded as trophies of Assyrian supremacy. The demolition of regional sovereignties like Hena served the empire’s policy of deportation and resettlement, breaking native resistance by uprooting populations (cf. 2 Kings 17:24). Literary Function in Kings and Isaiah Including Hena in the Assyrian boast enlarges the catalogue of defeated cities, heightening the dramatic contrast between impotent idols and the living God of Judah. The narrative sets up a deliberate antithesis: the “gods of Hena” could not save their city, but the LORD would soon “put a hook in Sennacherib’s nose” (Isaiah 37:29). Thus Hena functions as a literary foil, underscoring the uniqueness and sovereignty of Israel’s God. Theological Significance 1. Superiority of the LORD: The fate of Hena exemplifies the Psalmist’s verdict, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands” (Psalm 135:15). Their collapse exposes the futility of trusting in any power other than the LORD. Practical Ministry Insights • Historical Illustrations: Preachers can employ Hena as a historical case study when teaching on idolatry, spiritual warfare, or the clash between human empires and divine sovereignty. Related Topics for Further Study Hamath – Arpad – Sepharvaim – Ivvah (Ava) – Sennacherib – Rabshakeh – Divine Kingship – Old Testament Geography Forms and Transliterations הֵנַ֖ע הֵנַ֣ע הנע hê·na‘ heNa hêna‘Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 18:34 HEB: אֱלֹהֵ֥י סְפַרְוַ֖יִם הֵנַ֣ע וְעִוָּ֑ה כִּֽי־ NAS: of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? KJV: of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? INT: are the gods of Sepharvaim Hena Ava for 2 Kings 19:13 Isaiah 37:13 3 Occurrences |
    |