בְּ/הִתְחַֽנְנ֥/וֹ
𐤁/𐤄𐤕𐤇𐤍𐤍/𐤅
chânan
when he pleaded
To show favor or grace, to be gracious or merciful, to grant favor or relief out of compassion. The verb encompasses acts of bestowing favor or showing mercy, as well as the act of seeking or imploring such favor, often in the context of supplication to a person of higher status or to deity. In causative stems (piel, hithpael), it can mean 'to plead for grace' or 'to implore mercy.' The word is frequently used of both divine and human actions, expressing an unearned demonstration of favor.
Genesis 42:21 · Word #14
Lexicon H2603
| Lemma | חָנַן |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤇𐤍𐤍 |
| Transliteration | chânan |
| Strong's | H2603 |
| Definition | To show favor or grace, to be gracious or merciful, to grant favor or relief out of compassion. The verb encompasses acts of bestowing favor or showing mercy, as well as the act of seeking or imploring such favor, often in the context of supplication to a person of higher status or to deity. In causative stems (piel, hithpael), it can mean 'to plead for grace' or 'to implore mercy.' The word is frequently used of both divine and human actions, expressing an unearned demonstration of favor. |
Morphology HR/Vtc/Sp3ms
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state |
| Binyan | t — Hithpael — Intensive reflexive |
| Conjugation | c — Infinitive Construct — The verbal noun ("to ...") |
Common Translation
| Phrase | when he pleaded |
SIBI-P1 Translation H2603-02
his pleading for favor
| Morphological Notes | Verb, Hithpael stem (reflexive/causative nuance), infinitive construct with 3ms pronominal suffix. |
| Rendering Rationale | The Hithpael stem expresses reflexive or intensive action—seeking or imploring grace—so it conveys pleading for favor rather than granting it. The infinitive construct with a 3rd masculine singular suffix is rendered as a verbal noun with possession: "his pleading for favor." |
View full lexicon entry for H2603 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
when he pleaded
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'his pleading for favor' is awkward in context; 'when he pleaded' better matches the narrative timing and meaning, as reflected in the Hebrew participle construction with the preposition. |