Original Word: אִנּוּן
Part of Speech: pronoun masculine plural
Transliteration: innuwn
Pronunciation: in-NOON
Phonetic Spelling: (in-noon')
KJV: X are, them, these
NASB: those
Word Origin: [corresponding to H1992 (הֵם הֵמָּה - they)]

1. they

they, them, these

(Aramaic) or (feminine) inniyn (Aramaic) {in- neen'}; corresponding to hem; they -- X are, them, these.

see HEBREW hem

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to hem
Definition
they, those
NASB Translation
those (1).

אִנּוּן pronoun 3 masculine plural they, those (plural of הוּא: ᵑ7 אִינּוּן, feminine אִינִּין, e.g. Genesis 3:7; Genesis 6:2; Syriac , feminine , ; Talmud אִינְהוֺ, אִינְהֵי (for אִינְהוֺן, אִינְהֵין); Mandean הינון, הינין; — all from הוֺן, הֵן with demonstrative Syll. אן, הן 'lo,' prefixed, W^{OG 98, 106} Nö^{M 86}); — they, those, Daniel 2:44 מַלְכַיָּא אִנוּן those kings, Daniel 6:25 as accusative רְמוֺ אִנוּן, Daniel 7:17 Kt דִּי אִנוּן אַרְכַּע (Qr feminine אִנִּין) which are four (Dr^{1Samuel 10:19} K^{§ 87,3}), Ezra 5:4 . . . מָה אִנוּן שְׁמָהָת = what are the names . . . ? (Dr^{§ 201, 3, Obs.}, K^l.c.) compare הוּא.

אִנִּין they (feminine) Daniel 7:17 Qr : Kt אִנּוּן, above

Linguistic Setting

אִנּוּן appears only in the Aramaic portions of Ezra and Daniel and functions as an emphatic third-person plural pronoun. By stressing the subject, it highlights collective identity—whether builders, accusers, or kingdoms—and thereby sharpens the contrast between human plurality and the singular sovereignty of God.

Occurrences and Contexts

• Ezra 5:4 – Persian officials demand, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?” The pronoun underscores public scrutiny of the remnant who obeyed the divine mandate to rebuild the temple.
• Daniel 2:44 – Daniel reveals that God “will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end.” The pronoun gathers the successive Gentile empires into one disposable plurality, over against the indestructible kingdom of heaven.
• Daniel 6:24 – After Daniel’s deliverance, “the men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions.” The pronoun stresses personal retribution falling on the very conspirators themselves.
• Daniel 7:17 – “These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.” The pronoun groups the monstrous empires of Daniel’s vision, preparing for the revelation of the Son of Man whose dominion will never pass away (Daniel 7:13–14).

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty over Collective Powers – The repeated “they” gathers human forces into a single category beneath God’s rule (Psalm 2:1–4).
2. Corporate Accountability – Whether temple builders (Ezra 5) or scheming officials (Daniel 6), groups answer to the Lord as surely as individuals.
3. Eschatological Contrast – Earthly “they” is transient; God’s kingdom “will itself stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).
4. Protection and Vindication of the Faithful – Daniel’s accusers are destroyed, while Daniel is preserved, illustrating Proverbs 26:27.

Historical Implications

אִנּוּן occurs during the Persian period (Ezra) and the Babylonian-Persian transition (Daniel). In both settings Israel is a minority amid imperial powers. The pronoun’s emphatic use reminds readers that, despite imperial might, God directs history toward His redemptive goal.

Ministry Applications

• Encourages believers to view governments, corporations, and cultural movements as temporary “they” under God’s authority.
• Highlights the importance of group holiness; the church is called to collective obedience (1 Peter 2:9–12).
• Strengthens hope amid opposition: hostile coalitions cannot thwart God’s purposes (Romans 8:31).

Christological Foreshadowing

By compressing all earthly kingdoms into a single “they,” the text anticipates the unrivaled dominion of Jesus Christ. The rise and fall of “they” contrast with the Messiah’s everlasting reign (Revelation 11:15).

Cross-References in Scripture

Psalm 2:2; Isaiah 8:9–10; Matthew 16:18; Revelation 17:12–14.

אִנִּ֖ין אִנּ֖וּן אִנּ֗וּן אִנּוּן֙ אנון אנין ’in·nîn ’in·nūn ’innîn ’innūn inNin inNunInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts