Original Word: אָנָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anah
Pronunciation: ah-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-naw')
KJV: lament, mourn
NASB: lament
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to groan

lament, mourn

A primitive root; to groan -- lament, mourn.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to mourn
NASB Translation
lament (2).

I. [אָנָה verb mourn —

Qal Perfect3plural וְאָנוּ consecutive Isaiah 3:26; Isaiah 19:8 ("" אָבַל q. v.)

Overview

אָ נָה (H578) depicts a visceral outcry of lament. The verb portrays an audible, communal wail arising when judgment strikes and all human supports collapse. Though attested only twice, its placement in Isaiah anchors it to two national catastrophes—one in Judah (Isaiah 3:26) and one in Egypt (Isaiah 19:8)—making the term a thematic signal for divine retribution that strips away false security and demands humble acknowledgment of the Lord’s sovereignty.

Biblical Occurrences

• Isaiah 3:26 – “Her gates will lament and mourn; deserted, she will sit on the ground.” The fortified entry points of Jerusalem, once a symbol of stability and civic pride, are personified as raising the cry of אָנָה. The lament marks the end of self-confidence among Judah’s elites (3:16–25) and anticipates the exile.
• Isaiah 19:8 – “Then the fishermen will mourn, and all who cast a hook into the Nile will lament; those who spread nets on the waters will pine away.” Here the economic backbone of Egypt—the Nile and its fishing industry—fails. The collective wail underscores the futility of Egypt’s idols (19:1) and introduces a sequence that ultimately leads to a remnant turning to the Lord (19:19–22).

Historical Setting

Isaiah prophesied during the eighth century B.C., a time of geopolitical upheaval. Both Judah and Egypt relied on political alliances, military strength, and economic networks. When Isaiah employs אָנָה, he taps into the cultural practice of public mourning—loud, prolonged wailing often performed at city gates or riverbanks where life and commerce converged. Such lament signaled not merely private sorrow but national disgrace: city gates unmanned, markets silent, livelihood lost.

Prophetic Function

1. Announcing Judgment: The cry confirms that God’s word has come to pass; the predicted calamity is no longer future but present (compare Deuteronomy 28:33–34).
2. Exposing Idolatry: Both passages target societal idols—Jerusalem’s ostentatious pride and Egypt’s deified Nile. When these supports crumble, the only sound left is אָנָה.
3. Calling to Repentance: In Isaiah 19 the lament forms a hinge that leads to repentance and eventual healing (19:22). Thus, אָ נָה serves not merely as a dirge but as an invitation to seek mercy.

Theological Reflections

• Divine Sovereignty: Lament is triggered by God’s direct action; judgment is neither random nor unjust but purposeful, reinforcing the covenant principle that blessings and curses come from the Lord (Leviticus 26).
• Human Frailty: The word’s rarity heightens its force—when used, all human ingenuity is exhausted. Gates and rivers, the epitomes of security and abundance, cannot protect or provide.
• Hope through Humbling: In Scripture, genuine lament often precedes deliverance (Psalm 30:5; Joel 2:12–14). Isaiah’s portrayal suggests that national crying can become the first note in a symphony of redemption.

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Teaching on Genuine Lament: Congregations should be equipped to express godly sorrow, distinguishing biblical lament from despair.
2. Prophetic Preaching: להשתמש in delivering messages that confront societal idols—economic, political, or cultural—and warn of consequences.
3. Pastoral Care: When communities experience collective trauma, guiding them to lament biblically can open pathways to repentance and renewal.
4. Missional Perspective: Isaiah 19 moves from lament to worship, envisioning Egyptians alongside Israelites and Assyrians (19:24–25). Ministry that begins with honest mourning for sin can culminate in multinational praise.

Christological and Eschatological Notes

• The Messiah as Man of Sorrows: Isaiah later depicts the Servant “acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3), embodying the ultimate, redeeming lament.
• Final Reversal: Revelation 21:4 foresees a day when “mourning or crying or pain” will cease. Every אָנָה in history anticipates that consummation, underscoring both the severity of judgment and the promise of restoration.

Summary

H578 אָנָה is the anguished voice of nations brought low under God’s hand. Its twofold appearance frames a theology of lament: judgment exposes idols, lament rises, repentance is offered, and hope waits beyond the wail.

וְאָנ֥וּ וְאָנוּ֙ ואנו veaNu wə’ānū wə·’ā·nūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts