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H576 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אֲנָה
Anah
Particle/Pronoun
I, I beseech, ah now

Definition

The Aramaic word anah (equivalent to Hebrew ani) means simply "I" — the first-person singular pronoun. It appears in the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra. In its extended form as an interjection (ana), it serves as a particle of entreaty meaning "I beseech thee" or "O please!" combining urgency with personal address.

Usage & Theological Significance

The personal pronoun "I" carries enormous theological weight in Scripture. When God says "I AM WHO I AM" (Ehyeh asher Ehyeh, Exodus 3:14), the emphatic "I" establishes His absolute self-existence and personal presence. When the petitioner cries "I beseech thee, O LORD!" the personal pronoun anchors prayer in genuine relationship. Biblical prayer is not the recitation of formulas to an impersonal force — it is the cry of a personal "I" to the personal "I AM." The desperate urgency of anah-as-entreaty captures the posture of bold, humble intercession.

Key Bible Verses

Daniel 2:8 I know for certain that you are trying to gain time.
Ezra 5:11 We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple.
Daniel 4:30 The king spoke and said, 'Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?'
Psalm 116:4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: 'Truly, LORD, I am your servant.'
Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send?... And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"'

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