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H605 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אָנַשׁ
Anash
Verb
To be incurable, desperately sick

Definition

Anash means to be incurable, desperately ill, gravely wounded, or in a hopeless condition. It describes wounds or conditions beyond human healing — whether physical injuries, sick hearts, or broken social/moral conditions. The related noun anush (incurable) often describes wounds that will not respond to medicine.

Usage & Theological Significance

The prophetic use of anash carries profound theological weight. Jeremiah and Micah use it of wounds that are "incurable" (Jeremiah 30:12), yet immediately God promises healing that transcends human ability. The diagnosis of incurability in Scripture always sets the stage for divine intervention — what is impossible for humans is not impossible for God.

Key Bible Verses

Jeremiah 30:12 Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Micah 1:9 For Samaria's plague is incurable; it has spread to Judah.
2 Samuel 12:15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'

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