אָן (an)
an
where?
H:IntgQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 27 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:Intg
Word Overview
The Hebrew word an asks "where?" or "whither?" regarding place, and "how long?" regarding time. It is a contracted form that appears in twenty-seven verses, often carrying a sense of urgency or confusion about direction. In narrative contexts like 1 Kings 2:36-42, it describes someone going hither and thither without a clear destination, highlighting disorientation.
When used with the preposition until (ad), as in Psalm 13:2 or Job 8:2, it shifts to asking "how long?" This usage expresses impatience or distress over delay. The word helps convey moments where characters are lost physically or spiritually waiting for God’s intervention.
Its brevity and contraction suggest a quick, instinctive question rather than a formal inquiry. Translators render it variously as where, whither, how long, or hither and thither depending on context. This flexibility allows the text to capture both spatial uncertainty and temporal longing.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels disorienting, we often ask where to turn next. The Hebrew word an captures this moment of uncertainty, whether it is a physical journey into the unknown or a spiritual search for direction. Like Hagar in Genesis or David in II Samuel, we sometimes find ourselves needing to know our path when the way ahead is unclear. This simple question acknowledges our dependence on guidance rather than self-sufficiency.
At other times, an shifts from asking about place to asking about time. In Psalms and Job, it becomes a cry of how long before relief comes. These moments of waiting can feel heavy, yet they are honest prayers that Scripture holds up as valid expressions of faith. We do not need to hide our impatience or confusion when we bring them to God.
Whether you are seeking direction for a decision or longing for an answer to a prolonged struggle, this word reminds us that God hears both questions. He meets us in our uncertainty and waits with us in our waiting. There is comfort in knowing that your search for clarity or your plea for patience is seen and understood by Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 27 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- where?17×
- when?9×
- and/ where?7×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אָ֥נָה5×
- אָ֣נָה3×
- אָ֙נָה֙3×
- וָ/אָֽנָה\׃2×
- וְ/אָ֣נָה2×
- אָ֥נֶה2×
- אָ֚נָה2×
- וָ/אָ֔נָה1×
- וְ֝/אָ֗נָה1×
- וְ/אָ֥נָה1×
- אָנָ֣ה\׀1×
- אָ֭נָה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 16:8
He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”
This verse uses an to highlight Hagar’s physical displacement and need for divine direction while fleeing from her mistress.
-
Psalms 139:7
Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
Here an emphasizes the impossibility of escaping God’s presence, turning a question of location into a statement of His omnipresence.
-
Job 19:2
“How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?
In this context, an expresses Job’s deep emotional distress over how long his friends will continue to torment him with their words.
-
II Samuel 2:1
After this, David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.”
David uses an to seek specific geographical guidance from God before making a crucial political move into Hebron.