Lexical Summary
anah: answered, replied, responded
Original Word:עֲנָה
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:`anah
Pronunciation:ah-NAH
Phonetic Spelling:(an-aw')
NASB:answered, replied, responded, spoke, reflected
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) corresponding toH6030 (עָנָה - To answer)]
1. answer, speak
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
answer, speak
(Aramaic) corresponding toanah -- answer, speak.
see HEBREWanah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to
anahDefinitionto answer
NASB Translationanswered (7), reflected (1), replied (6), responded (5), said* (1), spoke (5).
Topical Lexicon
עֲנָה – Strong’s Hebrew 6032
Scope of Meaning and Varieties of Usage
עֲנָה expresses the concept of an “answer,” “reply,” or “response.” It is the substantive form of the common verb “to answer.” Its occurrences revolve around three principal spheres of life in Israel: covenant dialogue, judicial procedure, and liturgical worship. Whether the speaker is God, an individual, or the covenant community, עֲנָה highlights the movement from speech to counter-speech—an exchange that implies accountability before both God and neighbor.
Distribution across the Canon (about thirty-one occurrences)
Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles
Wisdom Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Zechariah
This broad spread shows that the word retained a consistent theological weight from patriarchal times through the post-exilic community.
Human Responses in Covenant and Community Life
1. Consent and agreement—When Laban and Bethuel evaluate the proposal of Abraham’s servant they give an עֲנָה: “This matter comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you good or bad” (Genesis 24:50). Their reply formally binds them to release Rebekah.
2. Collective assent—At Sinai “all the people answered together, ‘We will do everything the LORD has spoken’” (Exodus 19:8). The noun underscores Israel’s corporate commitment to the covenant stipulations.
3. Pledges in solemn ceremony—During the covenant renewal on Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim the tribes “responded” with acclamations of “Amen” to each pronouncement (Deuteronomy 27:14-26). עֲנָה frames each “Amen” as a legal acknowledgment of blessing or curse.
God’s Answer to His People
1. Deliverance—The LORD’s response to distress is described with the same term that marks human replies. Hannah celebrates, “For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my request” (1 Samuel 1:27).
2. Silence as judgment—Contrastingly, Saul’s tragic end begins when “the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or Urim or prophets” (1 Samuel 28:6). The absence of עֲנָה signals divine displeasure.
3. Eschatological hope—Zechariah 13:9 anticipates a future day when the remnant will call and the LORD will “answer,” affirming restored fellowship.
Liturgical and Poetic Dimensions
The Psalms use responsive forms that mirror עֲנָה even when the noun is absent in Hebrew, shaping Israel’s worship into call-and-response patterns that later influenced synagogue and church liturgy (seePsalm 136).Exodus 15:21 provides an early example as Miriam leads the women in a responsive refrain after the Red Sea victory.
Judicial Procedure
Legal disputes required a formal “answer” before witnesses (Job 31:14). Proverbs warns that an ill-timed or deceitful reply can pervert justice (Proverbs 24:26). Thus עֲנָה stands at the heart of ethical speech, safeguarding truth in the courtroom.
Prophetic and Apologetic Use
Habakkuk expects an oracle that he may “give reply” (Habakkuk 2:1) to the perplexities of injustice.Jeremiah 23:35 criticizes prophets who frivolously claim, “What is the LORD’s answer?” while ignoring His true word, revealing that an authentic עֲנָה must align with prior revelation.
Christological Foreshadowing and New Testament Echoes
The dynamic of call and answer reaches its climax in the incarnate Word. In the Gospels, Jesus perfectly answers the Father’s will (John 8:29), and in Him “all the promises of God are ‘Yes’” (2 Corinthians 1:20), the ultimate divine עֲנָה to human need. The responsive worship scenes of Revelation (for example,Revelation 5:9-14) continue the Old Testament pattern, placing redeemed humanity in an eternal dialogue with God.
Ministry Implications
• Prayer: Expectant prayer rests on the character of the God who answers (Psalm 65:2).
• Preaching: Faithful proclamation should anticipate and address the congregation’s reply, inviting a covenantal “Amen.”
• Pastoral care: Silence from God may signal a need for repentance but never indicates withdrawal of His covenant love (Isaiah 54:7-8).
• Apologetics: Like Habakkuk, believers should wait for the Lord’s answer before speaking, ensuring that defense of the faith reflects divine wisdom rather than human impatience.
Key References for Study
Genesis 24:50;Genesis 34:14
Exodus 15:21;Exodus 19:8
Deuteronomy 27:14-26
1 Samuel 1:27;1 Samuel 28:6
Job 31:14
Habakkuk 2:1
Zechariah 13:9
Together these passages portray עֲנָה as a crucial thread in the biblical tapestry, binding divine initiative and human response into a harmonious testimony of covenant faithfulness.
Forms and Transliterations
וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ וענני׃ עֲנ֗וֹ עֲנ֣וֹ עֲנ֥וֹ עֲנ֨וֹ עֲנָ֨ת עֲנוֹ֙ עָנֵ֣ה עָנֵ֤ה עָנֵ֧ה עָנֵ֨ה עָנֵה֩ עָנַ֤יִן ענה ענו ענין ענת ‘ā·na·yin ‘ă·nāṯ ‘ā·nêh ‘ă·nōw ‘ănāṯ ‘ānayin ‘ānêh ‘ănōw aNat aNayin aNeh aNo vaaNeni wa‘ănênî wa·‘ă·nê·nî
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
