אָנַק

אָנַק

to shriek

Definition

The Hebrew verb אָנַק (ʼânaq) means to cry out, groan, or shriek, typically expressing deep emotional or physical distress. It describes a vocal response to intense suffering, whether from grief, pain, or impending judgment. In Ezekiel 9:4, it refers to the anguished groaning of those marked for destruction in Jerusalem, while in Ezekiel 24:17, it denotes the prophet's restrained mourning, where he is commanded not to groan aloud for his deceased wife. In Jeremiah 51:52 and Ezekiel 26:15, the word is used for the terrified shrieking of conquered peoples facing divine retribution.

Biblical Usage

This verb appears only four times in the Old Testament, exclusively in the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. It is consistently used in contexts of lamentation, judgment, and catastrophe. In Jeremiah 51:52 and Ezekiel 26:15, it describes the cries of the defeated (Babylon and Tyre, respectively). In Ezekiel, it is applied both to the doomed inhabitants of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9:4) and to the prophet's personal grief (Ezekiel 24:17), linking corporate judgment with individual sorrow.

Etymology

אָנַק is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to producing a strained or guttural sound. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest a connection to sighing or groaning. The word does not derive from a more basic Hebrew root, indicating it is an ancient term for vocalized distress.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it captures the human response to God's holy judgment. The groans it describes are not random but are directly tied to the consequences of sin and the execution of divine justice, as seen in the prophecies against Jerusalem and the nations. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the raw, visceral reality of suffering under judgment, contrasting it with the hope of redemption found elsewhere in Scripture. It reminds the reader that God hears the cries of the afflicted, even those arising from His own corrective hand. In ancient Near Eastern culture, loud, vocal lamentation was a standard and expected response to death, disaster, or national defeat. The groaning or shrieking described by אָנַק was a public, audible expression of profound loss and terror, differing from modern, often more private, expressions of grief. Its use in prophecy would immediately convey a scene of utter devastation to the original audience. זָעַק (zāʿaq, H2199) — a more general cry for help, often directed to God. נָהַם (nāham, H5098) — to growl or roar, typically of a lion, sometimes used metaphorically for mourning. יָלַל (yālal, H3213) — to howl or wail, often in lament for the dead.

Word Details