זָנַח (za.nach)
za.nach
to reject; to stink
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zanach primarily means to cast off or reject someone with finality. It describes a decisive act of spurning, often involving the severing of a relationship or the abandonment of a duty. In the Psalms and Lamentations, it frequently appears when the psalmist cries out that God has rejected or forsaken them, capturing the deep anguish of feeling abandoned by the divine.
A striking secondary meaning found in later Hebrew is to stink or emit a foul odor, appearing in the Hiphil stem. This usage, seen in Isaiah 19:6 where waters turn to stench, connects physical decay with moral repugnance. While less common than its primary sense of rejection, this metaphorical link suggests that what is cast off can become odious or corrupt.
The word’s weight lies in its emotional intensity. Unlike neutral terms for leaving, zanach implies a painful rupture. When used of God, it reflects the believer’s desperate plea for restoration, while when applied to objects or places, it highlights the consequences of judgment and decay. Its occurrence in Lamentations underscores its association with national disaster and personal despair.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zanach carries the heavy weight of being cast aside or rejected. In the Psalms, we see David and Asaph crying out that God has forsaken them. These raw prayers show us that even in our deepest despair, we can bring our honest feelings to God. He does not turn away from our pain. Instead, He hears the cry of those who feel abandoned.
Yet there is a crucial turning point in Lamentations 3:31. It reminds us that the Lord will not cast off forever. This promise anchors our hope. Even when circumstances seem to confirm our fears of rejection, God’s character remains steadfast. He does not permanently abandon His people. We can trust in His enduring mercy.
This word invites us to rest in the truth that we are never truly alone. When life feels like a severing of ties, remember that God’s love is permanent. You are held by a Father who searches all hearts and understands your thoughts. Your worth is not defined by your current struggles but by His unchanging commitment to you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he has rejected2×
- it has rejected1×
- he will reject/ you1×
- he will reject1×
- he had rejected/ them1×
- he had rejected1×
- have you rejected/ me1×
- have you rejected [us]1×
- and/ they will stink1×
- and/ it has excluded1×
- I had rejected/ them1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יַזְנִיחֲ/ךָ֥1×
- יִזְנַ֛ח1×
- זָנַח֙1×
- זָנַ֨ח1×
- זָנַ֥ח1×
- זָנַ֣חְתָּ1×
- זְנַחְתִּ֑י/ם1×
- זְנַ֫חְתָּ֥/נִי1×
- וַ/תִּזְנַ֧ח1×
- וְ/הֶאֶזְנִ֣יחוּ1×
- הִזְנִיחָ֤/ם1×
- הִזְנִיחַ֩1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 74:1
A contemplation by Asaph. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
Asaph uses zanach to voice the community's collective anguish, questioning why God would permanently reject His own flock.
-
Lamentations 3:31
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
This verse provides the vital theological counterweight, affirming that God's rejection is not His final or permanent stance toward His people.
-
I Chronicles 28:9
You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
David warns Solomon that seeking God leads to being found, while forsaking Him results in being cast off forever, highlighting the seriousness of covenant faithfulness.
-
Lamentations 2:7
The Lord has cast off his altar. He has abhorred his sanctuary. He has given the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have made a noise in Yahweh’s house, as in the day of a solemn assembly.
Here the term describes the physical destruction of the sanctuary, showing how national sin led to God allowing His dwelling place to be rejected and destroyed.