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נַחְנוּ

𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅

nachnûw

H5168 pronoun

SILEX Entry

Root א־נ־ח / uncertain to breathe, to sigh (root); first person plural self-reference (lexicalized)

Definition

Personal pronoun in the common plural—'we,' indicating the speaker(s) include themselves as part of a group. Used for self-reference by a group in narrative, dialogue, prayer, or proclamation. Emphasizes collective identity or action.

Semantic Range

we (as subject or predicate noun), us (emphatic or self-standing), collective self-reference, representation of a group including the speaker

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root א־נ־ח (uncertain), serving specifically as the independent pronoun form for the first person common plural. The standard form is אֲנַחְנוּ (ʾanakhnu), but some texts (chiefly in poetry or certain narrative styles) spell it נַחְנוּ (nachnû) as a variant.

Historical & Contextual Notes

נַחְנוּ appears as an orthographic variant of אֲנַחְנוּ, primarily in later or poetic passages. Its function does not differ—both serve as the standard first person plural independent pronoun in Biblical Hebrew. Use is restricted to contexts where a speaker represents a group with themselves included, whether in speech, song, or proclamation. There is no shift in meaning between historical periods; it is a core element of personal reference in the language of ancient Israelites. While English translations universally render it as 'we,' any nuance—such as collective humility or solidarity—comes from larger context, not from the pronoun itself. In later periods, Hebrew maintained forms derived from this base, but Nehemiah and other post-exilic books use standard or slightly varied spellings to reflect spoken variants. The word’s function and usage remain stable across the biblical corpus.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

for אֲנַחְנוּ; we; we.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אנח (ʾ-n-ḥ) — breathing, sighing; collective self-reference (lexicalized pronoun)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H580 אֲנוּ we
H584 אָנַח the ones groaning
H585 אֲנָחָה her groaning

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5168-01 נָ֑חְנוּ nachenu HPp1cp We we 3
H5168-02 וְ/נַ֣חְנוּ venachenu HC/Pp1cp and we and we 2

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5168-01 Genesis 42:11 נָ֑חְנוּ nachenu HPp1cp we are we
H5168-02 Exodus 16:7 וְ/נַ֣חְנוּ venachenu HC/Pp1cp and we and we
H5168-02 Exodus 16:8 וְ/נַ֣חְנוּ venachenu HC/Pp1cp and we and we
H5168-01 Numbers 32:32 נַ֣חְנוּ nachenu HPp1cp We we
H5168-01 Lamentations 3:42 נַ֤חְנוּ nachenu HPp1cp We we
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