עָנֹג (a.nag)
a.nag
to delight
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew word anag describes a state of softness or delicacy, often carrying a negative connotation of pampering or excessive luxury. In the book of Job, it characterizes the comfortable life of the wicked who live without hardship, their bodies "soft" and their days filled with ease (Job 21:13). Here, the term highlights a spiritual danger: a life so cushioned that it lacks resilience or awareness of deeper realities.
However, the word also appears in positive contexts within the Psalms. In Psalm 81:16, God promises to satisfy Israel with "the finest wheat" (literally, "soft wheat"), using anag to depict the richness and delight of divine provision. This usage shifts the focus from idle luxury to the tangible goodness of God’s care, where softness represents abundance rather than weakness.
Its root likely connects to physical softness, which extends metaphorically to ease, pleasure, or even mockery (as in Job 21:29, where it implies making sport of others). Translators often render it as "delight," "soft," or "luxurious," depending on whether the context emphasizes comfort, provision, or moral decay. The word reminds readers that physical ease can either be a gift from God or a trap for the soul.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word anag describes a deep, sensory delight. It is not merely intellectual agreement but a soul-level satisfaction. In the Psalms and Prophets, this verb often points to finding our ultimate joy in Yahweh Himself. When we delight in God, our desires begin to align with His heart, creating a peace that endures even when circumstances shift.
Yet Scripture also warns against a different kind of softness. In Job and Isaiah, the root appears in contexts describing pampered luxury or tender weakness that leads to moral blindness. The contrast is clear: ease can either be a gift from God’s provision or a trap that dulls our spiritual senses. We are invited to choose the delight that strengthens us rather than the comfort that isolates us.
This word invites you to examine where your deepest satisfaction lies. Is it found in the fleeting pleasures of wealth and status, or in the enduring presence of God? The promise is that those who seek Him first will find their hearts satisfied with what truly matters. May you discover a joy that outlasts every season of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will take delight2×
- will he take delight1×
- so/ it may take delight1×
- because /was delicate1×
- are you making fun1×
- and/ you will take delight1×
- and/ they will take delight1×
- and/ the/ dainty [one]1×
- and/ take delight1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּתְעַנָּ֔גוּ1×
- תִּתְעַנָּ֑ג1×
- תִּתְעַנַּג֙1×
- מֵ/הִתְעַנֵּ֖ג1×
- יִתְעַנָּ֑ג1×
- וְ֝/הִתְעַנְּג֗וּ1×
- וְ/תִתְעַנַּ֥ג1×
- וְ/הַ/מְּעֻנָּגָ֔ה1×
- וְ/הִתְעַנַּגְתֶּ֖ם1×
- וְ/הִתְעַנַּ֥ג1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 37:4
Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
This verse links delighting in Yahweh directly to the shaping of one's heart desires, showing that true satisfaction comes from alignment with God rather than worldly ambition.
-
Isaiah 58:14
then you will delight yourself in Yahweh, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father;” for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken it.
Here, delighting in Yahweh is presented as the condition for receiving divine provision and elevation, contrasting human effort with God's faithful care.
-
Job 22:26
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
In this context, delighting in the Almighty restores fellowship and confidence, suggesting that spiritual joy is the antidote to fear and isolation.
-
Deuteronomy 28:56
The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye will be evil toward the husband that she loves, toward her son, toward her daughter,
This occurrence uses the root to describe extreme delicacy or pampering, illustrating how excessive comfort can erode compassion and human connection.