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חָנוּן

𐤇𐤍𐤅𐤍

Chanun

H2586 noun

SILEX Entry

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

Definition

Proper name of several individuals in the Hebrew Bible, most notably a chief of the Ammonites and two Israelite figures. The name derives from a root meaning 'to show favor' or 'to be gracious,' and thus conveys the idea 'favored one' or 'gracious.' As a personal name, it expresses the quality or state of being the recipient of favor, often understood as divine or parental favor.

Semantic Range

favored one, gracious one, recipient of favor, given as a name to both Israelites and Ammonites

Root / Etymology

From the root חנן (ḥ-n-n), which means 'to be gracious' or 'to show favor.' The form חָנוּן is an adjective meaning 'gracious' or 'favored,' used here as a personal name. The word is constructed as a passive participle, indicating one who is shown favor.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חָנוּן (Chânûwn) is the name of: 1) the son of Nahash and king of the Ammonites who appears in the narratives of David's reign, interacting with the Israelite monarchy (2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19); 2) a builder of the wall in Nehemiah's time (Nehemiah 3:13); and 3) another person involved in building in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:30). The Ammonite Hanun is often depicted in opposition to Israelite leaders, while the post-exilic Hanuns are integrated into the Israelite community. English translations have often used 'Hanun' as a direct transliteration; earlier translations sometimes rendered this as 'Hanun' or, less accurately, with anglicized forms. The name reflects a broader biblical pattern of names derived from divine qualities or supplications for divine favor, similar to names like Chananiah ('Yahweh is gracious'). The term does not imply ethnic or religious identity beyond its narrative context; context determines whether the individual is Ammonite or Israelite. Later Jewish tradition did not specifically treat the name differently than the biblical use.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָנַן; favored; Chanun, the name of an Ammonite and of two Israelites; Hanun.

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
H2586-01 חָנ֥וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one 9
H2586-02 לְ/חָנ֗וּן lechanun HR/Np to Hanun to Favored-One 1
H2586-03 וְ/חָנ֧וּן vechanun HC/Np and Hanun and favored one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2586-01 2 Samuel 10:1 חָנ֥וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-01 2 Samuel 10:2 חָנ֣וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-01 2 Samuel 10:3 חָנ֣וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-01 2 Samuel 10:4 חָנ֜וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-01 Nehemiah 3:13 חָנוּן֮ chanun HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-03 Nehemiah 3:30 וְ/חָנ֧וּן vechanun HC/Np and Hanun and favored one
H2586-01 1 Chronicles 19:2 חָנ֣וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-01 1 Chronicles 19:2 חָנ֖וּן chanun-2 HNp Hanun favored one
H2586-02 1 Chronicles 19:3 לְ/חָנ֗וּן lechanun HR/Np to Hanun to Favored-One
H2586-01 1 Chronicles 19:4 חָנ֜וּן chanun HNp Hanun favored one
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