הֲנָחָה (ha.na.chah)
ha.na.chah
holiday
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun hanachah describes a state of rest or relief from labor, often translated as a "holiday" or a day of cessation. Its root verb suggests causing to settle or bringing to an end, implying that this rest is not merely passive idleness but a deliberate pause granted after effort or struggle.
This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Esther 2:18. The text records King Xerxes’ decree establishing a day of festivity for the officials and provinces following Mordecai’s discovery of the plot against his life. Here, hanachah signifies a public holiday marked by feasting and joy, serving as a moment of communal relief and celebration amidst political tension.
The usage highlights how rest in Scripture can be tied to deliverance or divine intervention. Rather than a weekly Sabbath command, this is a specific, celebratory respite granted by royal decree. The term captures the feeling of exhaling after a period of anxiety, framing the holiday as a gift of peace rather than just a break from work.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hanachah points to a deliberate pause, a moment of relief after effort or anxiety. In Esther 2:18, it marks a royal decree for feasting and gifts, turning a time of political tension into communal joy. This rest was not idleness but a gift of peace granted after deliverance.
Your faith journey includes such pauses. When burdens lift, allow yourself to rest in that relief. It is a reminder that peace often follows struggle, offered as a blessing rather than earned by merit. Let these moments renew your spirit.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ a holiday1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/הֲנָחָ֤ה1×
Key Verses
-
Esther 2:18
Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
This verse uniquely uses hanachah to describe a public holiday proclaimed by King Xerxes, linking rest directly to the relief of a discovered plot against his life.