חַנּוֹת
chan.not
to entreat
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# חַנּוֹת (chanov): The Hebrew Verb of Entreaty The Hebrew verb חַנּוֹת carries the fundamental meaning "to entreat"—that is, to make an earnest, often urgent request or appeal to another person. With 77 occurrences across the biblical text, this is a moderately frequent word, indicating that the concept it expresses held meaningful relevance in biblical communication and relationship-building. The verb's frequency and distribution suggest it was an important concept for describing a particular mode of human interaction: the act of making a sincere petition, typically from a position of need or dependent status toward someone in a position to grant or deny a request. The word captures not merely casual asking but rather the more intense, emotionally engaged form of appeal that characterizes entreaty. This distinction—between simple requests and earnest pleading—reflects a nuance in biblical language that acknowledges different social dynamics and degrees of urgency in human communication. Given its substantial presence throughout the biblical corpus, חַנּוֹת appears to have been a standard term for describing interpersonal appeals across various contexts and relationships. The word's consistency in meaning across numerous occurrences suggests it filled a specific lexical niche in Hebrew, allowing speakers and writers to distinguish earnest entreaties from other forms of communication or request.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
77 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
He also gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Susa to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to urge her to go in to the king, to make supplication to him, and to make request before him, for her people.
Esther 8:3Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plan that he had planned against the Jews.
Job 8:5If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
Job 9:15Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
Job 19:16I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.
Job 19:21“Have pity on me. Have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
Job 19:21“Have pity on me. Have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
Job 33:24then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’
Psalms 4:1Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
Psalms 9:13Have mercy on me, Yahweh. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death,
Psalms 25:16Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.
Psalms 26:11But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me, and be merciful to me.
Psalms 27:7Hear, Yahweh, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me.
Psalms 30:8I cried to you, Yahweh. I made supplication to the Lord:
Psalms 30:10Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me. Yahweh, be my helper.”
Psalms 31:9Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.
Psalms 37:21The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.
Psalms 37:26All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.
Psalms 41:4I said, “Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
Psalms 41:10But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them.
Exodus 33:19He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim Yahweh’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Exodus 33:19He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim Yahweh’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Psalms 51:1Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Psalms 56:1Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
Psalms 57:1Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.
Psalms 57:1Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.
Psalms 59:5You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors.
Psalms 67:1May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us.
Psalms 77:9Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?”
Psalms 86:3Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Psalms 86:16Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.
Psalms 102:13You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.
Psalms 102:14For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.
Psalms 109:12Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.
Psalms 112:5It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment.
Psalms 119:29Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me your law graciously!
Psalms 119:58I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word.
Psalms 119:132Turn to me, and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.
Psalms 123:2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.
Psalms 123:3Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
Psalms 123:3Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
Psalms 142:1I cry with my voice to Yahweh. With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.
Proverbs 14:31He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 19:17He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.
Proverbs 21:10The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
Proverbs 26:25When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
Proverbs 28:8He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.
Isaiah 26:10Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see Yahweh’s majesty.
Isaiah 27:11When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off. The women will come and set them on fire, for they are a people of no understanding. Therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them, and he who formed them will show them no favor.
Isaiah 30:18Therefore Yahweh will wait, that he may be gracious to you; and therefore he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on you, for Yahweh is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.