Original Word: חֲנִינָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chaniynah
Pronunciation: khah-nee-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (khan-ee-naw')
KJV: favour
NASB: favor
Word Origin: [from H2603 (חָנַן - To be gracious)]

1. graciousness

favor

From chanan; graciousness -- favour.

see HEBREW chanan

Word Origin
from chanan
Definition
favor
NASB Translation
favor (1).

חֲנִינָה noun feminine favour לֹאאֶֿתֵּן לָכֶם חֲנִינָה I will shew you no favour Jeremiah 16:13 (see on form Ba^{NB 136}).

Scriptural Context

The noun חֲנִינָה appears once, in Jeremiah 16:13, where the Lord says to Judah, “I will show you no favor” (Berean Standard Bible). The single usage heightens its weight: the removal of God-given favor is placed at the climax of the prophet’s warning. Jeremiah stands on the threshold of the Babylonian exile, and the absence of חֲנִינָה marks the moment when covenant privileges are suspended because of persistent idolatry (Jeremiah 16:10-12).

Theological Significance

1. Divine prerogative. Favor is God’s to give or withhold (Exodus 33:19). By explicitly stating that He will not extend חֲנִינָה, the Lord underlines His sovereign freedom in dispensing grace.
2. Covenant accountability. Favor had accompanied Israel since Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3) and especially since Sinai (Deuteronomy 7:6-9). Jeremiah 16 shows that continued enjoyment of that favor depends on faithfulness; persistent rebellion nullifies its experiential benefits without nullifying God’s faithfulness to His overarching promises (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
3. Judgment with a redemptive horizon. The withdrawal of חֲנִינָה is temporary and disciplinary, intended to bring about repentance (Jeremiah 24:5-7). It anticipates the later restoration when favor will be renewed (Jeremiah 29:10-14).

Relation to Divine Grace and Judgment

חֲנִינָה sits beside other Hebrew terms for grace—חֵן (favor) and חֶסֶד (steadfast love). In Jeremiah 16:13 the word’s rarity underscores severity; it is not that God’s character has changed (Malachi 3:6) but that His relational stance toward unrepentant sin has shifted from benevolence to just retribution. The passage illustrates the Pauline principle that “the kindness and severity of God” coexist (Romans 11:22).

Prophetic Implications

Jeremiah’s announcement of withdrawn favor becomes a theological lens for understanding the exile. Daniel prays with this in mind (Daniel 9:3-19), appealing for favor to return. Subsequent prophets such as Zechariah foresee the restoration of favor in messianic terms (Zechariah 10:6). Thus, חֲנִינָה is a pivot from which the prophetic narrative swings from judgment to hope.

Intertextual Connections and Synonyms

• Psalm 77:9 asks, “Has God forgotten to be gracious?” echoing the tension of Jeremiah 16:13.
• Isaiah 27:11 declares, “Therefore He who made them will show them no favor,” using a different noun yet expressing a similar withdrawal.
• Lamentations 3:22-23 balances the picture: “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed…great is Your faithfulness.” The exile does not exhaust divine grace; it exposes sin and prepares for renewed mercy.

Ministry Applications

1. Warning against complacency. Churches and individuals must not presume upon divine favor while tolerating sin (Hebrews 12:14-17).
2. Call to repentance. The absence of חֲנִינָה in Jeremiah fuels the gospel invitation: “Turn to God…that times of refreshing may come” (Acts 3:19-20).
3. Assurance of restoration. Even when discipline is felt, believers can look to Christ, in whom favor is fully and irrevocably granted (Ephesians 1:6-7).

Devotional Reflection

Jeremiah 16:13 confronts readers with the sobering reality that God can, in righteousness, withdraw His manifest favor. Yet the broader biblical account invites confidence that in Christ the ultimate expression of חֲנִינָה has been secured. The believer is therefore moved to both holy fear and grateful assurance, walking humbly under grace while heeding the prophetic call to covenant faithfulness.

חֲנִינָֽה׃ חנינה׃ chaniNah ḥă·nî·nāh ḥănînāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts