584. anach

Lexicon

anach: To sigh, groan

Original Word: אָנַח
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anach
Pronunciation: ah-nakh
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-nakh')
Definition: To sigh, groan
Meaning: to sigh

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

groan, mourn, sigh

A primitive root; to sigh -- groan, mourn, sigh.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to sigh, groan
NASB Translation
groan (7), groaning (1), groans (1), sigh (2), sighed (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[אָנַח] verb only

Niph`al sigh, groan, mostly in poetry & late (Aramaic אֲנַח, Ethpe`el compare Assyrian [anâ—u], inh—u, sigh Zim^{BP 12, 30}) — Perfect3feminine singular נֶאֶנְחָה Lamentations 1:8; Joel 1:18; 3plural נֶאֶנְחוּ Isaiah 24:7; Imperfect יֵאָנַח Proverbs 29:2 etc.; Imperative הֵאָנַ֯ח֑ Ezekiel 21:11; Participle נֶאְנָ֑ךְ Ezekiel 21:12; נֶאֱנָחָה Lamentations 1:21 etc.; —

1 sigh, in token of grief Isaiah 24:7; Proverbs 29:2; Lamentations 1:4 ("" נוּגוֺתּ) Lamentations 1:21; Ezekiel 21:11 (twice in verse); of Jerusalem Lamentations 1:8; mostly absolute but followed by אַלֿ Ezekiel 9:4 ("" נֶאֱנָק); followed by עַלֿ & אֱלֿ Ezekiel 21:12.

2 in physical distress Lamentations 1:11 ("" בִּקֵּשׁ לֶחֶם); Exodus 2:23 followed by מִן by reason of ("" זָעַק).

3 groan of cattle (בְּהֵמָה) Joel 1:18.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G389: ἀναστενάζω (anastenazo) • to sigh deeply
- G4727: στενάζω (stenazo) • to groan, to sigh

These Greek terms carry similar connotations of deep emotional expression, often used in the New Testament to describe the groaning of creation or the Spirit's intercession on behalf of believers. They reflect the continuity of this emotional expression across both the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, emphasizing the universal human experience of longing and lamentation.

Usage: The verb אָנַח (anach) is used in the Hebrew Bible to express a deep, often involuntary, exhalation of breath, typically associated with grief, sorrow, or distress. It conveys the emotional response of sighing or groaning, often in the context of lamentation or mourning.

Context: The Hebrew verb אָנַח (anach) appears in several contexts within the Old Testament, illustrating the human response to suffering, oppression, or divine judgment. This term is often used to describe the physical manifestation of inner turmoil or distress, where the act of sighing or groaning becomes a vocal expression of one's emotional state.

In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is instructed to "sigh" as a sign of the impending judgment upon Israel: "Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners" (Ezekiel 24:17, BSB). Here, the act of sighing is symbolic, representing the deep sorrow and impending doom that the people will face.

Similarly, in Lamentations, the term is used to describe the collective grief of the people: "The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have sprinkled dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground" (Lamentations 2:10, BSB). The sighing here is part of the broader expression of lamentation over the destruction of Jerusalem.

The use of אָנַח (anach) in these contexts underscores the profound emotional and spiritual distress experienced by individuals and communities in the face of loss, suffering, or divine retribution. It serves as a poignant reminder of the human condition and the deep-seated need for divine intervention and comfort.

Forms and Transliterations

הֵֽאָנַ֑ח הַנֶּֽאֱנָחִים֙ האנח הנאנחים וַיֵּאָנְח֧וּ ויאנחו יֵאָ֥נַֽח יאנח נֶּאֶנְחָ֣ה נֶאֱנָ֑ח נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים נֶאֱנָחִים֙ נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה נֶאֶנְח֖וּ נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה נאנח נאנחה נאנחו נאנחים תֵּֽאָנַ֖ח תאנח han·ne·’ĕ·nā·ḥîm hanne’ĕnāḥîm hanneenaChim hê’ānaḥ hê·’ā·naḥ heaNach ne’ĕnāḥ ne’ĕnāḥāh ne’ĕnāḥîm ne’enḥāh ne’enḥū ne·’ĕ·nā·ḥāh ne·’ĕ·nā·ḥîm ne·’ĕ·nāḥ ne·’en·ḥāh ne·’en·ḥū neeNach neenaChah neenaChim neenChah neenChu tê’ānaḥ tê·’ā·naḥ teaNach vaiyeaneChu way·yê·’ā·nə·ḥū wayyê’ānəḥū yê’ānaḥ yê·’ā·naḥ yeAnach

Englishman's Concordance

Exodus 2:23
HEB: מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל
NAS: of Israel sighed because
KJV: of Israel sighed by reason of
INT: the king of Egypt sighed and the sons of Israel

Proverbs 29:2
HEB: וּבִמְשֹׁ֥ל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע יֵאָ֥נַֽח עָֽם׃
NAS: rules, people groan.
KJV: beareth rule, the people mourn.
INT: rules A wicked groan people

Isaiah 24:7
HEB: אֻמְלְלָה־ גָ֑פֶן נֶאֶנְח֖וּ כָּל־ שִׂמְחֵי־
NAS: All the merry-hearted sigh.
KJV: all the merryhearted do sigh.
INT: decays the vine sigh All glad

Lamentations 1:4
HEB: שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת
NAS: Her priests are groaning, Her virgins
KJV: her priests sigh, her virgins
INT: are desolate her priests are groaning her virgins are afflicted

Lamentations 1:8
HEB: גַּם־ הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שָׁב אָחֽוֹר׃
NAS: she herself groans and turns
KJV: her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth
INT: Even herself groans and turns away

Lamentations 1:11
HEB: כָּל־ עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְּשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם
NAS: All her people groan seeking bread;
KJV: All her people sigh, they seek bread;
INT: All her people groan seeking bread

Lamentations 1:21
HEB: שָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין
NAS: They have heard that I groan; There is no one
KJV: They have heard that I sigh: [there is] none to comfort
INT: have heard for groan I There

Ezekiel 9:4
HEB: מִצְח֣וֹת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַנֶּֽאֱנָחִים֙ וְהַנֶּ֣אֱנָקִ֔ים עַ֚ל
NAS: of the men who sigh and groan
KJV: of the men that sigh and that cry
INT: the foreheads of the men sigh and groan over

Ezekiel 21:6
HEB: בֶן־ אָדָ֖ם הֵֽאָנַ֑ח בְּשִׁבְר֤וֹן מָתְנַ֙יִם֙
NAS: of man, groan with breaking
KJV: Sigh therefore, thou son of man,
INT: son of man groan breaking heart

Ezekiel 21:6
HEB: מָתְנַ֙יִם֙ וּבִמְרִיר֔וּת תֵּֽאָנַ֖ח לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
NAS: and bitter grief, groan in their sight.
KJV: and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
INT: heart and bitter groan their sight

Ezekiel 21:7
HEB: מָ֖ה אַתָּ֣ה נֶאֱנָ֑ח וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ אֶל־
NAS: to you, 'Why do you groan?' you shall say,
KJV: And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer,
INT: how long Wherefore sighest say Because

Joel 1:18
HEB: מַה־ נֶּאֶנְחָ֣ה בְהֵמָ֗ה נָבֹ֙כוּ֙
NAS: the beasts groan! The herds
KJV: How do the beasts groan! the herds
INT: How groan the beasts wander

12 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 584
12 Occurrences

han·ne·’ĕ·nā·ḥîm — 1 Occ.
hê·’ā·naḥ — 1 Occ.
ne·’ĕ·nāḥ — 1 Occ.
ne·’ĕ·nā·ḥāh — 1 Occ.
ne·’ĕ·nā·ḥîm — 2 Occ.
ne·’en·ḥāh — 2 Occ.
ne·’en·ḥū — 1 Occ.
tê·’ā·naḥ — 1 Occ.
way·yê·’ā·nə·ḥū — 1 Occ.
yê·’ā·naḥ — 1 Occ.