אֲנַף (a.naph)
a.naph
face
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun anaph appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the book of Daniel. It translates to "face" or "nose," serving as the direct equivalent of the Hebrew word aph. In these rare instances, it functions primarily as a metonymy for the person themselves, allowing the text to refer to an individual’s presence or attention without repeating their name.
Its usage highlights the linguistic shift from Hebrew to Aramaic in Daniel’s court narratives. While the Hebrew aph often carries strong connotations of anger or breath, this Aramaic form retains the more literal anatomical sense. The sources indicate it can denote the nose specifically, but in context, it points to the face as the seat of identity and interaction.
Translators typically render anaph as "face" to maintain clarity for modern readers. This choice preserves the original’s focus on physical presence rather than emotional state. The word’s scarcity underscores the unique bilingual nature of Daniel, where Aramaic sections employ distinct vocabulary compared to the surrounding Hebrew text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word anaph appears only twice in Scripture, both within the court narratives of Daniel. In these rare instances, it refers to the face or nose, serving as a direct equivalent to the Hebrew aph. While Hebrew often uses this term for anger or breath, the Aramaic form here retains a more literal sense of physical presence.
This linguistic shift highlights how God works across different cultures and languages. When Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face in Daniel 2:46, he acknowledged the true source of wisdom. The word reminds us that our physical presence and attention are part of our worship. It is not just about internal feelings but about how we show up before God and others.
Understanding this term helps us see the bilingual nature of Daniel’s book. It shows that God’s message transcends language barriers. We can trust that He understands every nuance of our lives, whether we speak Hebrew, Aramaic, or any other tongue today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- face/ his2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אַנְפּ֙וֹ/הִי֙1×
- אַנְפּ֔וֹ/הִי1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:46
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him.
This occurrence shows the word used for physical prostration, marking a moment of royal submission to God's power.
-
Daniel 3:19
Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
Here the term describes Nebuchadnezzar's altered appearance during fury, linking physical expression to emotional state.