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חַנָּה

𐤇𐤍𐤄

Chanah

H2584 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חנן to show favor, to be gracious, to have mercy

Definition

A personal name meaning 'grace' or 'favor,' most notably borne by the mother of Samuel in the early monarchy period. The name חַנָּה encodes the sense of being shown favor, graciousness, or receiving mercy. Primarily used as a feminine given name in the Hebrew Bible, it embodies the concept of grace bestowed or favor received, distinct from an abstract noun but retaining the root idea of graciousness in personal identity.

Semantic Range

a feminine personal name meaning 'grace' or 'favor,' a recipient of favor or graciousness, used specifically of Israelite women; by extension, symbolic of being favored or blessed

Root / Etymology

From the root חנן (ח-נ-ן), which means 'to show favor, be gracious, be merciful.' The name חַנָּה is a feminine noun form signifying one who has received grace or favor. The abstract noun would be חֵן (ḥēn – 'favor, grace') while the verb is חָנַן (ḥanan – 'to show favor, be gracious').

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name חַנָּה is most famous as the mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 1–2), a key figure in the early narrative of Israelite transition from judgeship to monarchy. The personal name reflects the hope or recognition of divine favor, especially poignant in the narrative where חַנָּה is depicted as one who prays for and receives a child through divine grace. In other ancient Near Eastern contexts, similar names with this root emphasize receipt of divine or royal favor. There is no evidence that the English term 'Hannah' or 'Channah' carried religious or ethnic connotations beyond identification as an Israelite woman in narrative context. Later Jewish tradition venerated her as a model of prayer. The name is distinctively feminine and should not be confused with the masculine Hanun (חָנוּן or חַנּוּן), which shares the root but functions as a different proper name. In standard English translations 'Hannah' is used, but the root concept of 'grace' or 'favor' is essential to the meaning in Hebrew and is often mirrored in narrative wordplay.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָנַן; favored; Channah, an Israelitess; Hannah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חנן (ḥ-n-n) — to show favor, to be gracious, to have mercy

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1135 בֶּן־חָנָן he showed favor
H2433 חִין and beauty-of
H2580 חֵן favor
H2581 חֵן and to Favor
H2583 חָנָה Favored One (feminine)

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2584-01 חַנָּ֔ה chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman 9
H2584-03 וְ/חַנָּ֗ה vechanah HC/Np and Hannah and Favored-one 2
H2584-02 וּ/לְ/חַנָּ֖ה ulechanah HC/R/Np and to Hannah and to Favored-One 2

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:2 חַנָּ֔ה chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
H2584-02 1 Samuel 1:2 וּ/לְ/חַנָּ֖ה ulechanah HC/R/Np and to Hannah and to Favored-One
H2584-02 1 Samuel 1:5 וּ/לְ/חַנָּ֕ה ulechanah HC/R/Np but to Hannah and to Favored-One
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:5 חַנָּה֙ chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:8 חַנָּה֙ chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:9 חַנָּ֔ה chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
H2584-03 1 Samuel 1:13 וְ/חַנָּ֗ה vechanah HC/Np Now Hannah and Favored-one
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:15 חַנָּ֤ה chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:19 חַנָּ֣ה chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
H2584-01 1 Samuel 1:20 חַנָּ֖ה chanah HNp Hannah Favored Woman
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