מַעֲנֶה
𐤌𐤏𐤍𐤄
maʻăneh
H4617 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A spoken response or answer, typically as a direct reaction to a statement, question, or situation; refers to the utterance or content of a reply, whether in dialogue, dispute, or formal address. Semantic range covers answers given in conversation, responses in legal settings, poetic replies, or declarations, whether affirming or contradicting.
Semantic Range
reply, answer, response (spoken), retort, rejoinder, spoken declaration in dialogue or dispute, answer in legal or formal contexts
Root / Etymology
From the root ענה (ʿ-n-h), meaning 'to answer, respond, testify.' The noun מַעֲנֶה derives from the verbal root and denotes the product of responding—a reply or answer, emphasizing the speech act rather than the manner of response.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מַעֲנֶה appears in various biblical contexts, often emphasizing the importance or quality of a verbal response (e.g., 'a gentle answer' in Prov 15:1). In wisdom literature, it is contrasted with harsh speech, highlighting social and ethical dimensions of communication. The term may refer both to everyday conversation and to formal or judicial proceedings. While related to דָּבָר (davar, 'word') and פֶּה (peh, 'mouth'), מַעֲנֶה stresses the aspect of responding. English translations ('answer,' 'reply') often convey the sense but can obscure nuances, such as the contrast between favorable or adverse responses, or the significance of answering in Ancient Near Eastern society. The idiom 'answering for oneself,' implied in Strong's, is present in some contexts but not inherent to the term's primary meaning. The semantic domain is stable across periods; later post-biblical Hebrew broadens use to encompass written replies as well as spoken.
Translation Consistency
'Answer' is the most natural, common English rendering across both ordinary and formal/legal contexts and matches the SILEX range (reply, response, retort, declaration). It appears most frequently in the P2 data and functions as both noun and verb, making it the simplest consistent choice for all forms of מַעֲנֶה.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָנָה; a reply (favorable or contradictory); answer, [idiom] himself.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
ענה (Baana) — to afflict, humble, oppress
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1195 | בַּעֲנָא | Son of Affliction |
| H1196 | בַּעֲנָה | In Affliction |
| H2057 | וַנְיָה | Yah Answers |
| H3283 | יָעֵן | ostriches |
| H3284 | יַעֲנָה | the female ostrich |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4617-03 |
מַעֲנֶ֑ה | maaneh | HNcmsa |
answer | reply of | answer of | 6 |
H4617-01 |
בְּ/מַעֲנֵה | bemaaneh | HR/Ncmsc |
in an answer | in a reply of | in an answer | 1 |
H4617-02 |
לַֽ/מַּעֲנֵ֑/הוּ | lamaanehu | HRd/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
for its purpose | to his answer | for its purpose | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4617-03 |
Micah 3:7 | מַעֲנֵ֖ה | maaneh | HNcmsc |
answer | reply of | answer of |
H4617-03 |
Proverbs 15:1 | מַֽעֲנֶה | maaneh | HNcmsa |
answer | reply of | answer of |
H4617-01 |
Proverbs 15:23 | בְּ/מַעֲנֵה | bemaaneh | HR/Ncmsc |
in an answer | in a reply of | in an answer |
H4617-03 |
Proverbs 16:1 | מַעֲנֵ֥ה | maaneh | HNcmsc |
answer | reply of | answer of |
H4617-02 |
Proverbs 16:4 | לַֽ/מַּעֲנֵ֑/הוּ | lamaanehu | HRd/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
for its purpose | to his answer | for its purpose |
H4617-03 |
Proverbs 29:19 | מַעֲנֶֽה | maaneh | HVhrmsa |
response | reply of | a reply |
H4617-03 |
Job 32:3 | מַעֲנֶ֑ה | maaneh | HNcmsa |
answer | reply of | an answer |
H4617-03 |
Job 32:5 | מַעֲנֶ֗ה | maaneh | HNcmsa |
answer | reply of | answer of |