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חַנּוֹת

𐤇𐤍𐤅𐤕

channôwth

H2589 verb

SILEX Entry

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

Definition

A plea for favor or mercy, specifically an act of earnest entreaty or request for gracious treatment, typically addressed directly to a person of higher status (such as a ruler), but especially in the context of appealing to the deity for compassion. The term emphasizes the petitioner's humble position and the hoped-for kindness of the recipient, and often carries a nuance of vulnerability or dependence.

Semantic Range

supplication for favor, earnest plea for mercy, act of entreaty directed to God or a ruler, beseeching for gracious treatment

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חָנַן (ḥ-n-n), which means 'to show favor, be gracious, have mercy.' The form חַנּוֹת (channôwth) is a feminine noun formation indicating the act or quality of supplicating or seeking graciousness, emerging from the denominative sense 'to seek or receive favor.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

חַנּוֹת is a rare term, occurring in poetic or formalized prayer contexts (such as Jeremiah 37:20). Its focus is not on the more general 'prayer' (such as תְּפִלָּה [tefillah]), but rather on the specific act of earnestly seeking favor or mercy, usually with an implicit power imbalance (petitioner to ruler or deity). In exilic and post-exilic settings, the motif of supplication became more central as a theological theme. Later Jewish and early Christian translations often used Greek words such as δέησις (deēsis, 'supplication') to render this term, which in English tradition sometimes became 'prayer' or 'supplication,' but the English word 'prayer' is broader and less focused on the pleading-for-mercy aspect conveyed by חַנּוֹת. The term is distinct from other roots for 'favor' or 'grace,' such as רָחַם (raham, 'compassion') or סָלַח (salah, 'forgive'), emphasizing the request itself rather than the emotional quality or the act of pardon.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָנַן (in the sense of prayer); supplication; be gracious, intreated.

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

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2589-01 חַנּ֣וֹת chanot HVpc graciousnesses pleas for favor 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2589-01 Psalms 77:10 חַנּ֣וֹת chanot HVpc graciousnesses pleas for favor
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