597. anas

Lexical Summary

anas: To compel, to force, to oppress

Original Word: אָנַס
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anac
Pronunciation: ah-nahs
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-nas')
NASB: compulsion
Word Origin: [to insist]

1. compel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

compel

To insist -- compel.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to compel, constrain
NASB Translation
compulsion (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[אָנַס] verb compel, constrain (late, often Mishna id., Aramaic אֲנַם, ) —

Qal Participle אֵין אֹנֵס namely, to drink Esther 1:8 ("" כִּרְצוֺן אִישׁ וָאִישׁ).

Topical Lexicon

Overview

The verb אָנַס conveys the idea of external pressure that forces a person to act—“to compel, drive, or coerce.” It appears only once in the Hebrew canon, yet its solitary usage in Esther 1:8 opens a window onto the larger biblical tension between voluntary obedience and imposed obligation.

Biblical Occurrence

Esther 1:8 portrays King Ahasuerus’ extravagant feast: “By order of the king, no one was compelled to drink, for the king had instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man whatever he wished”. The narrator highlights the unusual absence of coercion in a setting otherwise marked by royal authority. The single use of the verb thus underscores both the king’s absolute power to compel and his deliberate restraint from exercising that power on this occasion.

Historical Background

• Persian Court Culture. Royal banquets in the Achaemenid Empire projected wealth and control. Rulers often demonstrated dominance by dictating every detail, including drinking rites.
• Political Strategy. By suspending compulsion, Ahasuerus projects magnanimity, inviting loyalty through pleasure rather than fear. This sets the stage for the ensuing narrative in which Queen Vashti’s refusal exposes the limits of royal authority that is not enforced.
• Literary Function. The author subtly contrasts human monarchy—sometimes magnanimous, often arbitrary—with the sovereignty of the unseen God who governs the book’s events without violating human agency.

Theological Significance

1. Freedom under Authority. The verse balances legitimate rule with respect for personal volition, reflecting a broader biblical pattern in which God delegates authority but never endorses tyranny (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).
2. Voluntary Response to Grace. The king’s restraint foreshadows a greater King who invites rather than coerces. “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
3. Compelling Love versus External Force. While Esther 1:8 highlights the absence of coercion, the New Testament speaks of an inner compulsion birthed by love: “For Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). The true impetus for obedience is transformative grace, not external pressure.
4. Ethical Boundaries of Power. Scripture consistently warns leaders not to “lord it over” those in their care but to lead willingly (1 Peter 5:2). Esther’s narrative illustrates how easily power can overreach when untethered from righteous restraint.

Ministerial and Practical Applications

• Leadership. Pastors and elders are called to guide, not dominate. Spiritual authority mirrors the king’s idealized restraint in Esther 1:8—exercised for the good of others, never to gratify self.
• Giving and Service. Congregational life flourishes when participation springs from willing hearts. Programs and appeals should invite rather than manipulate.
• Evangelism. The gospel summons repentance, yet it honors the hearer’s conscience. Persuasion is grounded in truth and love, not coercive tactics (Philemon 1:14).
• Personal Discipleship. Believers submit to Christ joyfully when they grasp the majesty of His grace. Any habit of forcing oneself or others through guilt rather than love should be examined in light of Esther 1:8 and 2 Corinthians 5:14.

Related Scriptural Parallels

• Luke 14:23 balances invitation (“Compel them to come in”) with respect for genuine decision, stressing urgency, not abuse.
• Acts 26:28 shows persuasion without force as Paul appeals to Agrippa.
• Galatians 2:3-5 condemns attempts to “compel” believers into legalistic conformity.
• 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Peter 5:2; Philemon 1:14 collectively reinforce voluntary generosity, leadership, and service.

Summary

Though appearing only once, אָנַס highlights a perennial biblical concern: the right use of authority. Esther 1:8 celebrates voluntary participation within ordered society and invites God’s people to exercise leadership, worship, and witness free from coercion, motivated instead by grace and love.

Forms and Transliterations

אֹנֵ֑ס אנס ’ō·nês ’ōnês oNes

Englishman's Concordance

Esther 1:8
HEB: כַדָּ֖ת אֵ֣ין אֹנֵ֑ס כִּי־ כֵ֣ן ׀
NAS: there was no compulsion, for so
KJV: [was] according to the law; none did compel: for so the king
INT: to the law there compulsion for so

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 597
1 Occurrence

’ō·nês — 1 Occ.