Lexical Summary
hennah: here, now, here and there
Original Word:הֵנָּה
Part of Speech:Adverb
Transliteration:hennah
Pronunciation:HEN-nah
Phonetic Spelling:(hane'-naw)
KJV: here, hither(-to), now, on this (that) side, + since, this (that) way, thitherward, + thus far, tofro, + yet
NASB:here, now, here and there, thus, this, back and forth, direction
Word Origin:[fromH2004 (הֵן - which)]
1. hither or thither (but used both of place and time)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
here, hitherto, now, on this that side, since, this that way, thitherward, thus far,
Fromhen; hither or thither (but used both of place and time) -- here, hither(-to), now, on this (that) side, + since, this (that) way, thitherward, + thus far, to...fro, + yet.
see HEBREWhen
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originperhaps from
henDefinitionhither
NASB Translationback and forth (1), direction (1), here (22), here and there (3), here* (2), nearby (1), now (5), other (1), side (1), since* (1), still* (1), this (2), this side (1), thus (3), way (1), yet* (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I.
49 (perhaps from II. , used , with #NAME?
lo hitherwards! or perhaps akin to
,
,
here) —
ofplace: (a) hitherGenesis 15:16 ,Genesis 42:15;Genesis 45:5 that you have sold mehither,Genesis 45:8;Genesis 45:13;Joshua 2:2;Joshua 3:9;Joshua 18:6;2 Samuel 1:10;Isaiah 57:3 ,Jeremiah 31:8;Jeremiah 51:5 +;1 Samuel 20:21 from theeand hitherwards, i.e. on this side of thee (opposed to ): repeated2 Kings 4:35 oncehither and oncethither = once toand fro;hither and thither i.e. in different (or opposite) directions,Joshua 8:20;2 Kings 2:8,14;1 Kings 20:40 strangelyliterally and thy servant was adoer of hitherwards and thitherwards, i.e. was engaged in different directions (Ew§ 360, c treats {abbrev} here as the pronoun 3 plural feminine construed irregularly, compare : but read probably with Th Klowas turning orlooking (Exodus 2:12) for );even hither,Numbers 14:19;1 Samuel 7:12;2 Samuel 20:16 ,2 Kings 8:7,to this point (in a book)Jeremiah 48:47;Jeremiah 51:64 (note of compiler or scribe). ()here (compare =there)Genesis 21:23 swear to mehere,Daniel 12:5on this side of . . .on that side of . . .
oftime, inhithertoGenesis 15:16 (with a negative, = notyet)Genesis 44:28;Judges 16:13;Psalm 71:17 &until now do I keep declaring thy wonders,1 Chronicles 9:18;1 Chronicles 12:9until now (the point reached in the narrative). In late Hebrew, contracted tohitherto, stillEcclesiastes 4:2,Ecclesiastes 4:3 = who has notyet been (compare Mishnahitherto, still, =not yet).
Topical Lexicon
Word Function and Semantic Nuanceהֵנָּה functions as an adverb and demonstrative particle that points to nearness in place or situation—“here,” “hither,” “right here,” “this very moment.” It heightens immediacy, summons attention, or underscores that a person, object, or fact lies plainly before the speaker.
Occurrences and Distribution
Approximately fifty attestations span most sections of the Hebrew canon. Narrative books (Genesis, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) use the particle to orient the reader to the scene; the Psalms and Song of Solomon employ it poetically; Isaiah and Ezekiel make the heaviest prophetic use, often to confront Judah and the nations with present realities.
Narrative Uses: Locating People and Provision
1 Samuel 21:9 records the priest saying to David, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; take it if you will.” The single word draws David’s attention to a tangible answer to his immediate need. Similarly,2 Samuel 24:22 shows Araunah telling the king, “Here are the oxen for the burnt offering,” directing David to what God has provided for atonement. InGenesis 45:10 Joseph promises his family, “You will live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me—you, your children … and all that belongs to you,” emphasizing safe proximity in time of famine. Each setting embeds the assurance of God’s timely, practical provision.
Judicial and Covenant Settings
Joshua 9:22 confronts the Gibeonites: “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell here among us?” The particle exposes falsehood and requires accountability. When Solomon appoints officers in1 Kings 4:27, הֵנָּה points to locations where daily provisions must arrive, underlining covenant responsibilities of leadership.
Poetic and Wisdom Literature
Psalm 132:14 celebrates God’s choice of Zion: “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” The word anchors divine presence to a specific locale and assures worshipers that the covenant LORD is neither distant nor abstract.Song of Solomon 2:14 pictures the beloved “in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside,” inviting her “to show me your face.” הֵנָּה intensifies the idea of closeness and intimacy, enriching marriage imagery that ultimately foreshadows Christ’s union with His church (Ephesians 5:31-32).
Prophetic Exhortation and Warning
Isaiah employs the particle to confront Judah’s misplaced trust in idols and alliances.Isaiah 19:2 foretells turmoil in Egypt: “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian, brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city.” The term “here” presses the immediacy of judgment.Ezekiel 23:29 depicts nations seizing Samaria’s wealth: “They will leave you naked and bare, and the shame of your immorality will be exposed.” הֵנָּה forces the hearer to face present sin and its consequences. Yet inIsaiah 52:8 the watchmen cry out, “When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes,” assuring that salvation will be experienced “right here” in Jerusalem.
Theology of Divine Nearness
Because הֵנָּה regularly locates people and events, it becomes a subtle but persistent witness that the LORD’s redemptive activity unfolds in real time and space. Scripture never presents salvation as a detached idea; rather, God breaks into human history “here”—whether in Goshen, Zion, or the empty tomb outside Jerusalem. The particle therefore anticipates Immanuel, “God with us,” fulfilled when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
Pastoral and Homiletical Applications
1. Assurance: Believers facing need can echo David—“The sword (provision) is here.”
2. Accountability: Like Joshua’s challenge to the Gibeonites, pastors must expose deceit that lurks “here among us” in the fellowship.
3. Worship:Psalm 132 invites congregations to celebrate that God dwells “here” when His people gather (Matthew 18:20).
4. Mission: The immediacy of הֵנָּה propels evangelism—lost people are “here,” judgment and grace are “here,” the gospel must be spoken now.
Christological Fulfillment
At the empty tomb the angel tells the women, “He is not here” (Matthew 28:6), implying He had indeed been physically present in death but is now risen. The contrast heightens the word’s gospel significance: Christ entered our “here” to bear sin and rose to prepare a better “there,” yet promises, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). Thus every NT assurance of Christ’s presence draws on the theological current already flowing from הֵנָּה in the Old Testament.
Historical Notes on Hebrew Usage
Ancient Near Eastern languages used similar adverbs, but Hebrew employs הֵנָּה not merely for geography but for covenant proclamation. Scribes preserved the consonantal text, and vocalization by the Masoretes (Tiberian hēnnāh) fixed pronunciation that modern translations reflect. Its persistence across centuries testifies to the unity of Scripture and the unbroken witness to God’s active presence among His people.
Summary
Wherever הֵנָּה appears, it roots revelation in the concrete “here and now,” calls hearers to immediate response, and underlines that the God who covenanted with Israel and revealed Himself in Jesus Christ is present, active, and sufficient in every moment and place.
Forms and Transliterations
הֵ֑נָּה הֵ֔נָּה הֵ֖נָּה הֵ֙נָּה֙ הֵ֛נָּה הֵ֜נָּה הֵ֝֗נָּה הֵ֠נָּה הֵ֣נָּה הֵ֥נָּה הֵ֧נָּה הֵֽנָּה׃ הנה הנה׃ וָהֵ֑נָּה וָהֵ֔נָּה וָהֵ֖נָּה וָהֵ֗נָּה והנה hên·nāh Hennah hênnāh vaHennah wā·hên·nāh wāhênnāh
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