אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (a.nach.nu)
a.nach.nu
we
H:PerP-CPQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 102 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:PerP-CP
Word Overview
The word anachnu is the first-person plural pronoun in Hebrew, translating simply to "we." It serves as the standard term for a group including the speaker, functioning much like its singular counterpart anochi ("I"). In the biblical text, it appears frequently across diverse genres, from the narrative accounts of Genesis to the historical records of Nehemiah and the prophetic warnings of Jeremiah.
Lexical sources highlight that this form often carries an emphatic force. While it can be translated simply as "we," its usage frequently underscores the collective identity or responsibility of the group. For instance, in Genesis 19:13, the angels use it to emphasize their divine mission regarding Sodom, and in Nehemiah 4:23, the builders employ it to stress their shared vigilance against attack. This emphasis helps distinguish the speaker’s inclusion in a broader community action or fate.
Etymologically, anachnu is derived from the singular anochi, linking individual identity directly to communal experience. Its occurrence in over one hundred verses demonstrates its foundational role in Hebrew syntax for expressing solidarity. Translators often render it as "we" or "us ourselves," depending on whether the context requires a neutral statement of fact or a deliberate highlighting of group participation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word anachnu simply means "we." It is a basic pronoun that includes the speaker in a group. While it might seem like a small grammatical detail, its presence in Scripture highlights how faith and life are rarely solitary journeys. From the patriarchs to the prophets, biblical figures use this word to express shared identity, collective responsibility, and communal reliance on God.
In Genesis 19:13, angels declare, "we will destroy this place," showing that divine judgment is often carried out with a unified purpose. Similarly, in Deuteronomy 5:3, Moses reminds Israel that the covenant was made not just with their ancestors, but "with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today." This usage connects past promises to present reality, reminding readers that they are part of an ongoing story.
Understanding this word helps us see our place within the broader community of believers. It invites reflection on how our actions affect others and how we stand together in prayer, worship, and service. Rather than focusing solely on individual experience, Scripture frequently calls us to acknowledge our shared humanity and spiritual heritage.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 102 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- we81×
- and/ we23×
- [are] we3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֲנַ֣חְנוּ11×
- אֲנַ֖חְנוּ9×
- אֲנַ֔חְנוּ9×
- וַ/אֲנַ֣חְנוּ7×
- אֲנָֽחְנוּ\׃7×
- אֲנַ֥חְנוּ7×
- אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙6×
- אֲנָ֑חְנוּ5×
- אֲנַ֤חְנוּ5×
- וַ/אֲנַ֗חְנוּ4×
- אֲנַ֜חְנוּ4×
- אֲנַ֗חְנוּ4×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 19:13
for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown so great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.”
The angels use this pronoun to emphasize their unified divine mission to execute judgment on Sodom.
-
Deuteronomy 5:3
Yahweh didn’t make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today.
Moses uses it to stress that the covenant applies directly to the living generation, not just their ancestors.
-
Genesis 42:21
They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”
Joseph’s brothers use it to confess their collective guilt regarding their treatment of their brother.
-
Numbers 9:7
Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season among the children of Israel?”
Unclean individuals use it to question why they are excluded from the communal Passover observance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word anachnu mean?
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Why is this word important for understanding biblical theology?
Every Occurrence (102 verses across 22 books)
Genesis 16 verses
Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for…
Genesis 19:13for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown so great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent…
Genesis 29:4Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
Genesis 37:7for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your…
Genesis 42:11We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
Genesis 42:13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest…
Genesis 42:21They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul,…
Genesis 42:31We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies.
Genesis 42:32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of…
Genesis 43:8Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die,…
Genesis 43:18The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was…
Genesis 44:9With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
Genesis 44:16Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity…
Genesis 46:34that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our…
Genesis 47:3Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we,…
Genesis 47:19Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be…