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אֱנוֹשׁ

𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔

ʼĕnôwsh

H582 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A human being, with emphasis on mortality and human frailty, contrasted with divine or angelic beings. Frequently used as a collective referring to humanity, or as an individual denoting a mortal person, often highlighting the limitations or weakness inherent in the human condition. In poetic and wisdom literature, often stands in contrast to more dignified or honorific terms for mankind and underscores the transience of human life.

Semantic Range

human being, mortal, mankind (collective humanity), individual mortal, person (with emphasis on frailty), poetic reference to humanity, mortal existence, human weakness

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root אנשׁ (ʼ-n-sh), meaning 'to be weak, frail, incurable' (in its verbal form, often relating to sickness or incurable conditions), indicating the fundamental idea of human weakness or mortality. The noun אֱנוֹשׁ derives from this root, moving the sense from 'sick/weak' to 'mortal human' or 'frail being.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֱנוֹשׁ is used primarily as a poetic or formal word for 'human' in the Hebrew Bible, noticeably distinct from אָדָם (adam), which can refer to a person, mankind collectively, or 'the human' as a species. While אָדָם sometimes conveys dignity or the default state of humanity, אֱנוֹשׁ highlights limitations, transience, and the precarious nature of life. In some passages, the word is paired with other terms for man (e.g., אִישׁ or אָדָם) to create parallels or emphasize contrast (e.g., Job 7:17; Psalm 8:5; Isaiah 13:12). In wisdom and prophetic literature, it is often employed to stress humanity’s powerlessness compared to the divine. In later Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic, and in post-biblical literature, its usage as a generic word for a person becomes rare, retaining its poetic or philosophical tone. Standard English Bible translations sometimes obscure or flatten these nuances by rendering it as 'man' or 'person,' failing to convey the lexical focus on mortal limitation. The term is not primarily used for social roles (e.g., 'husband,' 'servant') or in specific religious or ethnic contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "mortal" 41 occurrences

ʼEnôwsh emphasizes human mortality and frailty, often in contrast with divine beings; 'mortal' is a natural, idiomatic English noun that preserves that emphasis and works well both individually and collectively (e.g., 'a mortal,' 'mortals'). It keeps the poetic/wisdom sense while remaining consistent and readable across all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"man" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אנשׁ (ʾ-n-sh) — weakness, sickness, frailty, incurability

Root א נ שׁ to be weak, sick, frail, incurable
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H605 אָנַשׁ incurably sick

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H582-02 אֱנ֔וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsa man frail mortal frail mortal 33
H582-05 מֵ/אֱנ֖וֹשׁ meenosh HR/Ncmsa far from men from a mortal from a mortal 4
H582-04 לֶ/אֱנ֣וֹשׁ leenosh HR/Ncmsa for man to a frail mortal to a frail mortal 2
H582-03 הַֽ֭/אֱנוֹשׁ haenosh HTi/Ncmsa mortal man the frail mortal the frail mortal 1
H582-06 בֶ/אֱנ֑וֹשׁ veenosh HR/Ncmsa in man in a frail mortal in a mortal 1
H582-01 בֶּ֝/אֱנ֗וֹשׁ beenosh HR/Ncmsa a man frail mortal with a frail mortal 1

Occurrences in Scripture

42 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H582-05 Deuteronomy 32:26 מֵ/אֱנ֖וֹשׁ meenosh HR/Ncmsa from man from a mortal from a mortal
H582-02 Isaiah 8:1 אֱנ֔וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsa of man frail mortal of man
H582-02 Isaiah 13:7 אֱנ֖וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsa man's frail mortal frail mortal
H582-02 Isaiah 13:12 אֱנ֖וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsa a mortal man frail mortal frail mortal
H582-02 Isaiah 24:6 אֱנ֖וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsc man frail mortal frail mortal
H582-02 Isaiah 33:8 אֱנֽוֹשׁ enosh HNcmsa man frail mortal frail mortal
H582-02 Isaiah 51:7 אֱנ֔וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsa of men frail mortal frail mortal
H582-05 Isaiah 51:12 מֵ/אֱנ֣וֹשׁ meenosh HR/Ncmsa of man from a mortal from a mortal
H582-02 Isaiah 56:2 אֱנוֹשׁ֙ enosh HNcmsa is the man frail mortal frail mortal
H582-02 Jeremiah 20:10 אֱנ֣וֹשׁ enosh HNcmsc my familiars frail mortal frail mortal
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