The Hebrew word anav (עָנָו) means humble, meek, lowly, or afflicted. It describes those who are bowed low — whether by circumstance or by spirit. The related noun anavah means humility. It appears about 25 times.
In the Old Testament, anav (the meek) are the ones God especially cares for and exalts. Psalm 22:26 declares: 'The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise him.' Numbers 12:3 calls Moses 'the most humble (anav) man on the face of the earth' — the greatest leader was the greatest servant. Isaiah 61:1 — the passage Jesus read at Nazareth — announces good news to the anavim (humble/poor). The Beatitudes echo this perfectly: 'Blessed are the meek (praus in Greek), for they will inherit the earth' (Matthew 5:5), directly quoting Psalm 37:11. Anav thus stands as a key attribute of the kingdom — not power by human standards, but power surrendered to God.