עָנָה (a.nah)
a.nah
be occupied; to afflict
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 66 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb anah carries the dual sense of being occupied with something and, more commonly, being brought low or afflicted. Its core imagery involves a physical lowering, whether describing a person bowing down in humility or a spirit becoming depressed and downcast under pressure. This vertical movement from high to low defines its range, covering everything from voluntary self-humiliation to the crushing weight of oppression.
Scripture uses anah in several distinct ways depending on context. In Deuteronomy 25:4, it describes not muzzling an ox while it treads grain, implying a focus on being busy with labor rather than resting. In contrast, Psalm 119:67 speaks of affliction as a disciplinary tool that leads to learning God’s statutes, where the person is humbled by divine correction. The Piel stem often denotes active mistreatment or harsh handling, while the Hiphil shows God afflicting enemies or nations.
A key nuance lies in how translators render this word. While "afflict" captures the pain of oppression found in Isaiah 53:10, it misses the voluntary aspect seen when people humble themselves through fasting or repentance. The sources highlight that anah can describe both the passive state of being bowed down and the active choice to lower oneself before God. This duality reflects a worldview where physical posture mirrors spiritual reality, linking bodily humility with inner submission.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word anah describes a movement downward, whether it is the crushing weight of oppression or the voluntary act of humbling oneself before God. In Exodus, we see the painful reality of Israel’s affliction under Pharaoh, where the people were broken by hard labor. This usage reminds us that God sees the suffering of His people and remains faithful to their deliverance.
Yet this word also carries a gentle invitation. In Leviticus, believers are called to afflict their souls on the Day of Atonement. Here, lowering oneself is not about self-punishment but about creating space for repentance and reliance on God’s mercy. It reflects a posture of humility that acknowledges our need for divine grace.
Understanding this duality helps us navigate our own spiritual lows. When we face hardship, we can trust in God’s justice. When we choose humility, we open our hearts to His teaching. This word invites us to find peace in both being sustained by God and actively submitting to His will.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 66 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ you will afflict3×
- and/ they will afflict3×
- you will afflict/ them2×
- to/ humble/ him2×
- to/ be busy2×
- to humble/ you2×
- people afflicted2×
- [those who] afflicted/ you2×
- I was afflicted2×
- you will mistreat1×
- you will afflict1×
- you were afflicted1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/עִנִּיתֶ֖ם4×
- תַעֲנֵֽ/ם\׃2×
- לַ/עֲנ֥וֹת2×
- לְ/עַנּוֹת֔/וֹ2×
- תְּעַנֶּ֣ה1×
- תְּעַנֵּ֔/נִי1×
- תְּעַנּ֣וּ1×
- תְעֻנֶּ֔ה1×
- עֻנּוֹתֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- עֻנֵּ֑יתִי1×
- עָנִ֥יתִי1×
- עַנֹּת֖/וֹ1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 1:11
Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.
This verse highlights the historical reality of oppression, showing how anah describes the physical and social crushing of a people under foreign rule.
-
Leviticus 16:29
“It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, whether native-born or a stranger who lives as a foreigner among you;
Here the word shifts to a voluntary spiritual discipline, where afflicting one's soul signifies deep repentance and humility before God on the Day of Atonement.
-
Deuteronomy 8:2
You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
This occurrence reveals God’s purposeful use of affliction as a tool for testing and teaching His people, showing that hardship can lead to spiritual growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word anah mean?
Is affliction always negative in the Bible?
How is anah different from other words for suffering?
Every Occurrence (66 verses across 19 books)
Genesis 5 verses
He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will…
Genesis 16:6But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt…
Genesis 16:9Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.”
Genesis 31:50If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is…
Genesis 34:2Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. He took her, lay with her, and humbled her.