עָנָה
a.nah
to sing
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# H6030C (עָנָה): To Sing The Hebrew word *anah* (H6030C) carries the fundamental meaning "to sing" and appears 15 times throughout the biblical text. This relatively modest frequency suggests it represents a specific vocal activity rather than a general term for musical expression. The word's consistent definition across its biblical occurrences indicates a stable, recognizable concept in ancient Hebrew discourse about human vocalization. The 15 documented instances provide a bounded corpus for understanding how biblical writers employed this term. Rather than appearing as a dominant vocabulary choice for singing, *anah* represents one among several Hebrew words available for describing musical or vocal performance. Its specialized use across these fifteen occurrences suggests the biblical writers may have distinguished this particular term from other singing-related vocabulary, though the provided data does not specify how those distinctions function or what nuanced differences might separate *anah* from synonymous terms. Without access to specific contextual examples or comparative analysis with related lexemes, the evidence establishes only that *anah* reliably denoted singing as a recognizable human activity in biblical Hebrew. The word's presence in exactly 15 biblical locations marks it as a legitimate but non-dominant element of biblical vocabulary for vocal expression.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
15 total occurrences across the text
They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of Yahweh’s house had been laid.
Psalms 88:0a song a psalm of/ the sons of Korah to the/ choirmaster on Machalath to/ sing a poem of/ Heman the/ Ezrachite
Psalms 119:172Let my tongue sing of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness.
Psalms 147:7Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,
Isaiah 27:2In that day, sing to her, “A pleasant vineyard!
Jeremiah 25:30“Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and tell them, “ ‘Yahweh will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will mightily roar against his fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
Jeremiah 51:14Yahweh of Armies has sworn by himself, saying, ‘Surely I will fill you with men, as with the canker worm; and they will lift up a shout against you.’
Exodus 15:21Miriam answered them, “Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Exodus 32:18He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory. It is not the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.”
Exodus 32:18He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory. It is not the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.”
Exodus 32:18He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory. It is not the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.”
Numbers 21:17Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing to it,
1 Samuel 18:7The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
1 Samuel 21:11The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’ ”
1 Samuel 29:5Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’ ”