אָנַח (a.nach)
a.nach
to sigh
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb anach describes the physical act of sighing or groaning, often arising from deep sorrow, exhaustion, or pain. It appears nine times in the Old Testament, with a notable concentration in Lamentations where it captures the collective grief of a devastated people. The word conveys more than a casual breath; it is the audible release of pressure, whether from human distress or even the heavy breathing of livestock.
Its usage highlights the body’s response to overwhelming circumstances. In Proverbs 17:5 and Joel 1:18, the term illustrates how suffering affects all creation, not just individuals. The sources note its application to cattle gasping for air, which grounds the concept in tangible physical reality rather than abstract emotion. This concrete imagery reinforces the seriousness of the distress being expressed.
Translators typically render anach as "sigh," "groan," or "gasp," depending on the context. The word serves as a bridge between internal anguish and external expression, showing that grief is not merely felt but manifested in the body’s natural reactions. Its presence in poetic and prophetic literature underscores the raw honesty of lament before God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word anach captures a sound that is often too deep for words: a sigh born of exhaustion or grief. It is not a casual breath but a physical release of pressure, whether from human sorrow or the heavy breathing of livestock in distress. This raw honesty shows us that our bodies and spirits are connected when we face overwhelming circumstances.
In Exodus 2:23, the Israelites sighed under bondage, and God heard their cry. This reminds us that He does not dismiss our weariness or pain as insignificant. Even when we cannot find the right words to pray, our silent groans reach Him. He sees the weight we carry and responds with attention.
You do not need to hide your fatigue from God. He knows the difference between a light breath and a heavy sigh of despair. Bring your honest struggles to Him, knowing that He listens to the quiet cries of the heart as closely as the loudest prayers.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [are] groaning2×
- you will groan1×
- they have groaned1×
- it sighs1×
- it has groaned1×
- and/ they groaned1×
- [was] groaning1×
- <she> has groaned1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֶּאֶנְחָ֣ה1×
- נֵּחַנְתְּ֙1×
- נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה1×
- נֶאֶנְח֖וּ1×
- נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה1×
- נֶאֱנָחִים֙1×
- נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים1×
- יֵאָ֥נַֽח1×
- וַ/יֵּאָנְח֧וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 2:23
In the course of those many days, the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
This occurrence marks the turning point where God hears the Israelites' physical sighing under bondage and remembers His covenant.
-
Lamentations 1:4
The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly. All her gates are desolate. Her priests sigh. Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
Here the word describes priests sighing in the desolation of Jerusalem, showing how spiritual leaders share in the collective grief of their people.
-
Joel 1:18
How the animals groan! The herds of livestock are perplexed, because they have no pasture. Yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
The term applies to livestock gasping for air, grounding the prophet's message in tangible physical reality rather than abstract emotion.