עָנַן (a.nan)
a.nan
to cloud; to divine; Diviners' (Oak)
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb anan carries two distinct meanings that seem unrelated at first glance. In its basic sense, it means to cloud over or bring clouds, describing the physical act of covering the sky. This usage appears in passages like Genesis 9:14, where God speaks of setting a cloud as a sign in the sky after the flood.
A second, more specialized meaning emerges in the Piel stem, where anan refers to divination or soothsaying. Here, the connection lies in reading signs in the clouds. Ancient practitioners observed weather patterns and celestial movements to predict the future or discern hidden knowledge. This practice is explicitly condemned in Leviticus 19:26 and Deuteronomy 18:10 as forbidden occult behavior.
The term highlights a sharp contrast in biblical thought between trusting God’s revealed word and seeking hidden knowledge through natural signs. While clouds can be a sign of God’s covenant faithfulness, using them to divine the future is portrayed as idolatrous reliance on created things rather than the Creator. The word thus serves as a reminder that true guidance comes from God alone, not from interpreting omens.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word anan describes a simple physical reality: clouds covering the sky. In Genesis, this act becomes a sign of God’s promise, reminding us that He watches over creation and keeps His word. When we look up, we see a reminder of faithfulness rather than fear.
Yet the same root also appears in contexts of forbidden divination. Ancient readers looked to the clouds for hidden secrets, trying to control their future through omens. The Bible draws a clear line here. We are invited to trust God’s revealed guidance instead of seeking answers in shadows or signs outside His will.
This contrast invites us to examine where we look for direction. Do we seek comfort in visible promises, or do we try to force outcomes through hidden methods? True peace comes from resting in what God has already shown us, not from guessing at what might happen.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he practiced soothsaying2×
- a soothsayer2×
- you will practice soothsaying1×
- when/ bring cloud/ I1×
- soothsayers/ your1×
- soothsayers1×
- and/ soothsayers1×
- [the] soothsayer1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ\׃1×
- עֹנְנָ֑ה1×
- עֹֽנְנֵי/כֶ֖ם1×
- מְעוֹנֵ֥ן1×
- מְעוֹנְנִֽים\׃1×
- מְעֹנְנִ֥ים1×
- וְ/עוֹנֵ֤ן1×
- וְ/עוֹנֵ֣ן1×
- וְ/עֹֽנְנִ֖ים1×
- בְּ/עַֽנְנִ֥/י1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 9:14
When I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud,
This verse uses the basic meaning of 'cloud' to establish a covenant sign, showing how God uses natural phenomena as reminders of His faithfulness rather than hidden codes.
-
Leviticus 19:26
“‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. You shall not use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.
Here the term shifts to its specialized sense of divination, explicitly linking cloud-reading or fortune-telling with prohibited occult practices that distract from reliance on God.
-
Deuteronomy 18:14
For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do.
This passage contrasts the pagan habit of listening to diviners who read signs in the clouds with Israel’s unique relationship where God provides direct guidance without such methods.