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חָנַן

𐤇𐤍𐤍

chânan

H2603 verb

SILEX Entry

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

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.

Semantic Range

to show favor, to be gracious, to grant relief, to be merciful, to have pity, to implore favor, to plead for mercy, to beseech, to pray for favor, to deal favorably; causatively, to seek favor by supplication

Root / Etymology

Root: חנן (ḥ-n-n). The core root meaning is 'to be gracious, show favor.' The verb חָנַן derives directly from this root, indicating an action or quality of exhibiting kindness or favor, usually in a context of asymmetrical relationship (a superior bestowing favor on an inferior).

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָנַן appears most often in prayers or appeals, both human-to-human (petitioning a king or ruler) and human-to-God (as in psalms and prayers for divine mercy). In Israelite usage, it held strong connotations of unearned or underserved kindness. The term is distinct from terms for 'righteousness' (צֶדֶק, צדקה) or 'justice' (מִשְׁפָּט), focusing instead on freely-given favor, compassion, or clemency. Standard English translations—especially 'grace,' 'favor,' and 'mercy'—do not always capture the relational or emotional nuance of חָנַן, which often implies both the humbling of the benefactor and the vulnerability of the petitioner. The semantic field overlaps somewhat with רָחַם (to show compassion), but חָנַן emphasizes relational favor rather than familial or motherly compassion. Over time, the term became characteristic for describing an ideal ruler or deity’s graciousness toward those dependent upon them. While later translations sometimes render the pietistic aspect with terms like 'grace' or 'mercy,' the core sense remains rooted in interpersonal favor and clemency.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (compare חָנָה); properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition); beseech, [idiom] fair, (be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, [idiom] very.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

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

46 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2603-07 חָ֝נֵּ֗/נִי chaneni HVqv2ms/Sp1cs be gracious to me show favor to me 12
H2603-33 וְ/חָנֵּ֑/נִי vechaneni HC/Vqv2ms/Sp1cs and be gracious to me and show favor to me 6
H2603-12 חוֹנֵ֥ן chonen HVqrmsa gracious the one showing favor 6
H2603-35 וְ/הִֽתְחַנְּנ֛וּ vehitechanenu HC/Vtq3cp and make supplication and they pleaded for favor 4
H2603-08 חָנֵּ֖/נוּ chanenu HVqv2ms/Sp1cp be gracious to us Show us favor 3
H2603-13 אֶתְחַנָּֽן etechanan HVti1cs I supplicate I plead for grace 3
H2603-34 וְ/חַנֹּתִי֙ vechanoti HC/Vqq1cs and I will be gracious and I will favor 2
H2603-46 יֻחַ֤ן yuchan HVHi3ms finds favor he will be shown favor 2
H2603-31 וַ/יִּתְחַנֵּ֤ן vayitechanen HC/Vtw3ms and begged and he pleaded for favor 2
H2603-10 חָנֻּ֬/נִי chanuni HVqv2mp/Sp1cs have pity on me show favor to me 2

Occurrences in Scripture

79 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2603-03 Genesis 33:5 חָנַ֥ן chanan HVqp3ms has graciously given he showed favor
H2603-04 Genesis 33:11 חַנַּ֥/נִי chanani HVqp3ms/Sp1cs has dealt graciously with me he showed me favor
H2603-02 Genesis 42:21 בְּ/הִתְחַֽנְנ֥/וֹ behitechaneno HR/Vtc/Sp3ms when he pleaded his pleading for favor
H2603-38 Genesis 43:29 יָחְנְ/ךָ֖ yachenekha HVqi3ms/Sp2ms be gracious to you he will show you favor
H2603-34 Exodus 33:19 וְ/חַנֹּתִי֙ vechanoti HC/Vqq1cs and I will be gracious and I will favor
H2603-01 Exodus 33:19 אָחֹ֔ן achon HVqi1cs I will be gracious I will show favor
H2603-37 Numbers 6:25 וִֽ/יחֻנֶּֽ/ךָּ vichunekha HC/Vqj3ms/Sp2ms and be gracious to you may he show you favor
H2603-27 Deuteronomy 3:23 וָ/אֶתְחַנַּ֖ן vaetechanan HC/Vtw1cs And I pleaded and I pleaded for favor
H2603-24 Deuteronomy 7:2 תְחָנֵּֽ/ם techanem HVqi2ms/Sp3mp you shall show favor to them you show favor to them
H2603-39 Deuteronomy 28:50 יָחֹֽן yachon HVqi3ms show favor he will show favor
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