Lexical Summary anah: To answer, respond, testify, speak, sing Original Word: עֲנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance poor (Aramaic) corresponding to anah -- poor. see HEBREW anah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee anay. Brown-Driver-Briggs [עֲנָי K§ 57 a) β) Str, or עֲנֵה compare Buhl, M] adjective poor, needy; — plural absolute עֲנָי֑ן (Bear Gi Kl.c.), or עֲנָ֑יִן (van d. H. Buhl M77*; compare D§ 39, 1) as noun Daniel 4:24 the poor. Topical Lexicon Lexical Snapshot עֲנָה ʿănāh in Daniel 4:27 designates “the oppressed” or “the poor,” capturing those who suffer deprivation, exploitation, or social marginalization. Canonical Location The term appears once, at the climax of Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream. Daniel urgently counsels the Babylonian monarch: “Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed” (Daniel 4:27). Historical Setting Nebuchadnezzar ruled the ancient Near-Eastern super-state of Babylon, famed for architectural splendor and ruthless conquest. His dream of a felled tree warns that unchecked pride invites divine judgment. Daniel, a Jewish exile serving in the royal court, pleads for a tangible expression of repentance: active mercy toward the ʿănāh. In a society stratified by wealth and power, poverty was not merely economic; it was legal and social vulnerability. Daniel’s exhortation turns royal policy into a means of repentance. Theological Emphasis 1. Social righteousness as repentance. Daniel links moral renewal to concrete compassion, echoing a biblical theme that true repentance produces works “in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). Intertextual Echoes • Job 29:12–17 – Job’s justice for the needy portrays the righteous ruler Daniel urges the king to become. Practical Ministry Implications • Leadership accountability. Faithful leaders employ authority to lift the disadvantaged, mirroring divine justice. Summary Though עֲנָה surfaces only once, it stands at the turning point of an emperor’s life and underscores a timeless biblical conviction: the authenticity of faith is measured by compassionate justice toward the vulnerable. Forms and Transliterations עֲנָ֑יִן ענין ‘ă·nā·yin ‘ănāyin aNayinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 4:27 HEB: וַעֲוָיָתָ֖ךְ בְּמִחַ֣ן עֲנָ֑יִן הֵ֛ן תֶּהֱוֵ֥א KJV: by shewing mercy to the poor; if INT: your iniquities showing to the poor case may be 1 Occurrence |
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