Original Word: הֲנָחָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: hanachah
Pronunciation: hah-nah-KHAH
Phonetic Spelling: (han-aw-khaw')
KJV: release
NASB: holiday
Word Origin: [from H5117 (נוַּח - give rest)]

1. permission of rest, i.e. quiet

release

From nuwach; permission of rest, i.e. Quiet -- release.

see HEBREW nuwach

Word Origin
from nuach
Definition
a giving of rest
NASB Translation
holiday (1).

הֲנָחָה noun feminine a giving of rest, i.e. perhaps holiday-making (compare נוח

Hiph`il A; properly Infinitive, Sta^{§ 621 c} Ba^{NB 90}, compare Kö^{ii. 1, 402}); — לַמְּדִינוֺת עָשָׂה ׳וַה Esther 2:18 and a holiday-making for the provinces be enacted, ᵑ9 requies; but ᵐ5 ἄφεσις, whence al. release from taxes, or amnesty.

Meaning and Semantic Range

הֲנָחָה describes a setting aside of burdens—relief, remission, or release that brings tangible rest. In Esther 2:18 the term is applied to a “remission of taxes,” but the idea is broad enough to encompass any easing of obligations, whether economic, social, or spiritual.

Biblical Occurrence

Esther 2:18 records King Ahasuerus proclaiming a province-wide remission immediately after Esther’s elevation: “The king held a great banquet, the feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants. He granted a remission to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity”. The unique placement of הֲנָחָה amid festal celebration underscores the connection between royal favor and corporate relief.

Historical and Cultural Background

Persian monarchs periodically declared tax holidays to mark crowning events or to curry provincial loyalty. In a multi-ethnic empire stretching from India to Cush, such actions signaled regal benevolence and stabilized frontier regions. By including the detail, the biblical writer highlights the extraordinary scope of Esther’s influence—her favor with the king brings measurable benefit to every subject.

Theological Themes

1. Royal grace: Esther’s intercession produces concrete relief, foreshadowing how divine favor relieves covenant people of heavier burdens (Psalm 103:10).
2. Sabbath principle: Like the weekly Sabbath or the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25), the term carries the notion of God-ordained pauses that restore social order and personal rest.
3. Covenant redemption: Remission imagery anticipates fuller spiritual release—“to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18).

Ministry and Practical Application

• Patterns for leadership: Civil or ecclesial leaders can emulate Ahasuerus’s generosity by reducing unnecessary loads on others (Acts 15:28).
• Gospel proclamation: הֲנָחָה invites preachers to illustrate salvation as freedom from debt and penalty (Colossians 2:14).
• Pastoral care: The concept models compassionate rhythms—granting sabbaticals, forgiving offenses, and promoting economic mercy within the church family.

Christological and Eschatological Dimensions

Esther’s banquet points beyond itself to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), where the King’s decree of eternal remission culminates in everlasting rest. Jesus fulfills the deepest aspiration of הֲנָחָה by issuing a permanent release from sin’s debt (Matthew 11:28; Hebrews 4:9-10).

Related Terms and Concepts

• Shabbath (Sabbath rest)
• Yovel (Jubilee release)
• Deror (liberty, Leviticus 25:10)
• Aphesis (New Testament “forgiveness,” Luke 4:18; Ephesians 1:7)

Key Points for Further Study

• Compare Esther 2:18 with Daniel 2:48-49 to observe royal largesse toward Jewish exiles.
• Trace the motif of tax remission in Near Eastern inscriptions for cultural parallels.
• Explore typological links between Esther’s feast and messianic banqueting imagery in Isaiah 25:6-9.

וַהֲנָחָ֤ה והנחה vahanaChah wa·hă·nā·ḥāh wahănāḥāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts