Lexical Summary anu: We, us Original Word: אֲנוּ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance we Contracted for 'anachnuw; we -- we. see HEBREW 'anachnuw NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. pronoun Definition we. Brown-Driver-Briggs אֲנוּ Jeremiah 42:6 Kt: see after אֲנִי. אֲנוּ pronoun 1 plural common we (common in Post-Biblical Hebrew; compare also Amharic §ñ¹) may be regarded as the plural of אֲנִי (WSG 99), only Jeremiah 42:6 Kt, for which Qr substitutes the normal אֲנַחְנוּ. Topical Lexicon Pronoun of Corporate Identityאֲנוּ functions as the Hebrew first-person common plural subject pronoun, rendered “we.” Though a small word, its lone occurrence (Jeremiah 42:6) spotlights the biblical theme of communal self-understanding. Scripture often speaks of the people of God not merely as an aggregate of individuals but as a covenant body able to confess, repent, and obey with one voice (Exodus 19:8; Joshua 24:24; Nehemiah 8:6). In Jeremiah 42 the remnant of Judah employs אֲנוּ to articulate a unified commitment to obey the revealed will of the Lord, thereby underscoring the biblical principle of collective responsibility before God. Context in Jeremiah 42:6 After the fall of Jerusalem, murder of Gedaliah, and ensuing fear of Babylonian reprisal, a band of leaders and surviving people approach Jeremiah for divine guidance about remaining in the land or fleeing to Egypt. Their pledge is recorded: “Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.” (Jeremiah 42:6) Here אֲנוּ highlights: 1. Unity—A fractured community speaks with singular resolve. Historical Significance This pronoun crystallizes a pivotal post-destruction moment. Judah’s leaders appear to reverse earlier rebellion by verbally embracing covenant obedience. Yet subsequent verses reveal a tragic dissonance: the same “we” ultimately rejects God’s instruction and flees to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:2-7). The narrative exposes the insufficiency of verbal unity without heartfelt fidelity, fulfilling prophetic warnings that lip service devoid of true submission invites judgment (Isaiah 29:13). Theology of Covenant Obedience Throughout Scripture, first-person plural confessions carry weight far beyond grammar. Collective pronouncements of obedience (Exodus 24:7), confession (Daniel 9:5), and worship (Psalms 95:6) illustrate the covenantal reality that God addresses His people corporately. אֲנוּ thus serves as a linguistic marker of covenant solidarity: • Covenant Affirmation – “We will do everything the LORD has said.” (Exodus 19:8) Christological Perspective The New Testament continues the pattern of communal identity, now centered in Christ. Believers are “one body” (Romans 12:5), sharing in a collective “we” grounded in union with the risen Lord. Jeremiah 42 foreshadows this reality by portraying the people’s desire—albeit poorly executed—to follow divine direction. In Christ, the obedient response sought in Jeremiah finds perfect fulfillment (Philippians 2:8), enabling the church to affirm, “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). Implications for Contemporary Ministry 1. Foster Corporate Commitment – Congregational affirmations of faith, covenant vows, and corporate prayers echo the biblical use of אֲנוּ, reinforcing shared identity in Christ. Conclusion Although occurring only once, אֲנוּ in Jeremiah 42:6 encapsulates the biblical vision of God’s people speaking and acting as one. Its narrative setting confronts readers with the necessity of aligning collective confession with genuine obedience, a principle enduring from ancient Judah to the present church. Forms and Transliterations אֲנַ֜חְנוּ אנחנו ’ă·naḥ·nū ’ănaḥnū aNachnuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 42:6 HEB: [אֲנוּ כ] (אֲנַ֜חְנוּ ק) שֹׁלְחִ֥ים KJV: our God, to whom we send INT: our God to whom we are sending about 1 Occurrence |
    |