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אָנֹכִי

𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉

ʼânôkîy

H595 pronoun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A first-person singular independent pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is used by the speaker to refer to themselves and occurs widely in narrative, legal, and poetic contexts. It often carries emphatic or contrastive force, distinguishing the self from others. In some cases, it can add solemnity or highlight personal involvement.

Semantic Range

first person singular subject pronoun ('I'), emphatic first person singular ('I, myself'), object of a preposition ('me'), used in solemn declarations, narrative, poetry, divine speech

Root / Etymology

The word אָנֹכִי (ʼânôkîy) is of uncertain root; usually regarded as archaic or poetic. It is often considered distinct from the alternative Hebrew pronoun אני (ʼanî), though both function as first-person singular pronouns. The etymology is uncertain; some suggest a link to North-West Semitic or Egyptian forms (compare Ugaritic anaku, Akkadian anāku, Egyptian ink), reflecting a pronoun of similar use across ancient Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אָנֹכִי is the less common of the two principal Hebrew first-person singular pronouns (the other being אני). It prevails in early and formal texts—such as legal materials (e.g., Decalogue: Exodus 20:2, 'I am YHWH your God'), divine speeches, and poetry. In later biblical prose, אני becomes more frequent. The two forms are nearly interchangeable, though אָנֹכִי is frequently chosen for emphasis, solemnity, or stylistic effect. In certain ancient Near Eastern languages, such as Ugaritic and Akkadian, cognate forms are standard pronouns, suggesting retention of an older form in biblical Hebrew. English translations universally render it 'I' or 'me,' but seldom attempt to convey the nuances of emphasis or ceremony sometimes present in the Hebrew. The pronoun's use does not imply any particular social or ethnic identity except for the speaker; all speakers in the Hebrew Bible—divine or human—use both forms. Later Rabbinic and post-biblical Hebrew preferred אני.

Translation Consistency

primary "I" 6 occurrences

I is the neutral, primary first-person singular pronoun in English. It naturally covers the typical subject use and can be inflected or rendered as me/myself where emphasis or object form is required. Choosing “I” keeps the translation simple and idiomatic while allowing emphatic or object forms to be produced by regular inflectional rendering.

Alternatives (44 occurrences):
"myself" (44x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

sometimes, aw-no'-kee; a primitive pronoun; I; I, me, [idiom] which.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Bemba ine-neka I myself (emphatic first person pronoun)

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Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain I, me (first person singular pronoun)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H595-01 אָנֹכִ֤י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself 293
H595-03 וְ/אָֽנֹכִי֙ veanokhi HC/Pp1cs and I and I and I 64
H595-02 הֶ֭/אָנֹכִי heanokhi HTi/Pp1cs As for me I myself I myself 2

Occurrences in Scripture

359 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H595-01 Genesis 3:10 אָנֹ֖כִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 4:9 אָנֹֽכִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 7:4 אָֽנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 15:1 אָנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-03 Genesis 15:2 וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י veanokhi HC/Pp1cs and I and I and I
H595-01 Genesis 15:14 אָנֹ֑כִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 16:5 אָנֹכִ֗י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 16:8 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-03 Genesis 18:27 וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י veanokhi HC/Pp1cs I and I and I
H595-03 Genesis 19:19 וְ/אָנֹכִ֗י veanokhi HC/Pp1cs but I and I and I
H595-01 Genesis 20:6 אָנֹכִ֤י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 20:6 אָנֹכִ֛י anokhi-2 HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 21:24 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 21:26 אָנֹכִ֛י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 23:4 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:3 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:13 אָנֹכִ֥י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:24 אָנֹ֑כִי anokhi HPp1cs I am I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:27 אָנֹכִ֗י anokhi HPp1cs As for me I myself I myself
H595-03 Genesis 24:31 וְ/אָנֹכִי֙ veanokhi HC/Pp1cs and I and I and I
H595-01 Genesis 24:34 אָנֹֽכִי anokhi HPp1cs I am I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:37 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:42 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 24:43 אָנֹכִ֥י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 25:22 אָנֹ֑כִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 25:30 אָנֹ֑כִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 25:32 אָנֹכִ֥י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 26:24 אָנֹכִ֕י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 26:24 אָנֹ֔כִי anokhi-2 HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-03 Genesis 27:11 וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י veanokhi HC/Pp1cs and I and I and I
H595-01 Genesis 27:19 אָנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 28:15 אָנֹכִ֜י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-03 Genesis 28:16 וְ/אָנֹכִ֖י veanokhi HC/Pp1cs and I and I and I
H595-01 Genesis 28:20 אָנֹכִ֣י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 29:33 אָנֹ֔כִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 30:1 אָנֹֽכִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 30:2 אָנֹ֔כִי anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 30:3 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 30:30 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 31:5 אָנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 31:13 אָנֹכִ֤י anokhi HPp1cs I am I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 31:38 אָנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 31:39 אָנֹכִ֣י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 32:12 אָנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 37:16 אָנֹכִ֣י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 38:17 אָנֹכִ֛י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 38:25 אָנֹכִ֖י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 43:9 אָֽנֹכִי֙ anokhi HPp1cs I myself I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 46:3 אָנֹכִ֥י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
H595-01 Genesis 46:4 אָנֹכִ֗י anokhi HPp1cs I I myself I myself
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