Lexical Summary chanak: To train, dedicate, inaugurate Original Word: חָנַךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dedicate, train up A primitive root; properly, to narrow (compare chanaq); figuratively, to initiate or discipline -- dedicate, train up. see HEBREW chanaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from chek Definition to train up, dedicate NASB Translation dedicate (1), dedicated (3), train (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. חִָנִךְ verb train up, dedicate (compare Arabic  apparently denominative from  rub palate of child with chewed dates, Lane659a, of midwife rub palate of new-born child with oil, etc., before it begins to suck, Dozyii, 332; also make experienced, submissive, etc. (as one does a horse by a rope in its mouth) Lane; see also WeSkizzen iii, 154; Late Hebrew חִנֵּךְ accustom; Aramaic חֲנַךְ dedicate, חַנֵּיךְ as Late Hebrew; Ethiopic II.  perceive, understand (Di108,  initiatio is loan-word Id.ib.)) — Qal Perfect3masculine singular suffix חֲנָכוֺ Deuteronomy 20:5; Imperfect3masculine singular suffix יַחְנְכֶנּוּ Deuteronomy 20:5, 3masculine plural וַיַּחְנְכוּ 1 Kings 8:63; 2Chronicles 7:5; Imperative חֲנֹךְ Proverbs 22:6; — 1 train, train up a (the) youth (לַנַּעַר) Proverbs 22:6 (compare Late Hebrew חִנּוּךְ). 2 dedicate, of formal opening of a new house Deuteronomy 20:5 (twice in verse); dedicate, consecrate temple 1 Kings 8:63 2Chronicles 7:5 (all followed by accusative) Topical Lexicon Essential Ideaחָנַךְ portrays the act of setting something—or someone—apart for an intended, God-honoring purpose. Whether the object is a house, the Jerusalem temple, or the heart of a child, the word gathers up the ideas of initiation, consecration, and disciplined preparation. Domestic Dedication in Deuteronomy 20:5 Before Israel went to battle, officers announced, “What man has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house” (Deuteronomy 20:5). The verse presumes a public rite in which a new home is formally presented to the LORD. Military exemption underscores how central such dedication was to covenant life: the household must first be established in holiness before the builder could defend the nation. By repeating the clause, the text stresses both the seriousness of the ritual and the compassion of God, who will not let a man die without enjoying the fruit of his consecration. National Worship and Temple Dedication (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 7:5) When Solomon “dedicated the house of the LORD” (1 Kings 8:63), חָנַךְ describes an elaborate corporate ceremony. The same terminology appears in 2 Chronicles 7:5 during the climactic week of worship that followed fire descending from heaven. Thousands of sacrifices marked the temple’s transition from splendid structure to sacred meeting place. The usage teaches that true dedication involves costly surrender and results in God’s manifest presence. These passages also link individual obedience (as in Deuteronomy) with national blessing: a sanctified center of worship anchors covenant faithfulness for the whole people. Lifelong Training and Moral Formation (Proverbs 22:6) “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Here חָנַךְ shifts from dedicating buildings to shaping lives. The verb suggests starting a young person on a definite path, much like setting a stone in the right direction at the foundation of a wall. The promise is not mechanical but covenantal: a child launched with deliberate, godly initiation is expected to mature into enduring faithfulness. The verse ties parental nurture to generational continuity, uniting family devotion with Israel’s broader testimony. Theological Patterns 1. Consecration precedes commission. Whether home, temple, or human life, God requires prior dedication before future service (compare Luke 2:22; Romans 12:1). Ministry Implications • Home dedication remains a practical expression of lordship. Families may follow Israel’s example by praying over new dwellings and consciously setting household rhythms for divine purposes. Summary חָנַךְ binds together the themes of initiation, consecration, and faithful formation. From the first occupancy of a house to the glorious opening of Solomon’s temple and the careful shaping of a child’s heart, the verb gathers diverse settings into a single, unified call: everything and everyone belongs to the LORD and must begin their course under His rule. Forms and Transliterations וַֽיַּחְנְכוּ֙ ויחנכו חֲנָכ֔וֹ חֲנֹ֣ךְ חנך חנכו יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃ יחנכנו׃ chanaCho chaNoch ḥă·nā·ḵōw ḥă·nōḵ ḥănāḵōw ḥănōḵ vaiyachneChu way·yaḥ·nə·ḵū wayyaḥnəḵū yachneChennu yaḥ·nə·ḵen·nū yaḥnəḵennūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 20:5 HEB: חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב NAS: house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart KJV: house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go INT: A new not dedicated depart and return Deuteronomy 20:5 1 Kings 8:63 2 Chronicles 7:5 Proverbs 22:6 5 Occurrences |
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