What does עָנַן (ʿānan) mean in the Bible?
עָנַן (ʿānan): Hidden action behind visible world: divination assumes secret knowledge of divine plans or cosmic forces
Hebrew · H6049
עָנַן
Figuratively, to act covertly , i.e. practise magic
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עָנַן H6049
Pronunciation ʿānan
What does עָנַן (ʿānan) mean in the Bible?
עָנַן (ʿānan): Hidden action behind visible world: divination assumes secret knowledge of divine plans or cosmic forces
Full entry for עָנַן (H6049) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6049?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [or] conjury (1), conjurers (1), fortune-tellers (1), He practiced sorcery (1), of a sorceress (1).
Where does עָנַן (ʿānan) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 9:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (2), Isaiah (2), 2 Chronicles (1), 2 Kings (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It [or] conjury 1× Deuteronomy 18:10
conjurers 1× Deuteronomy 18:14
fortune-tellers 1× Micah 5:12
He practiced sorcery 1× 2 Chronicles 33:6
of a sorceress 1× Isaiah 57:3
practiced sorcery 1× 2 Kings 21:6
sorcery 1× Leviticus 19:26
the Diviners’ 1× Judges 9:37
they are soothsayers 1× Isaiah 2:6
Whenever I form 1× Genesis 9:14
your mediums 1× Jeremiah 27:9
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 9:14 בְּעַֽנְנִ֥י to Whenever I form Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular Leviticus 19:26 תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃ to sorcery Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Deuteronomy 18:10 מְעוֹנֵ֥ן to [or] conjury Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Deuteronomy 18:14 מְעֹנְנִ֥ים to conjurers Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Judges 9:37 מְעוֹנְנִֽים׃ to the Diviners’ Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural 2 Kings 21:6 וְעוֹנֵ֣ן to practiced sorcery Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 33:6 וְעוֹנֵ֤ן to He practiced sorcery Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Isaiah 2:6 וְעֹֽנְנִ֖ים to they are soothsayers Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Isaiah 57:3 עֹנְנָ֑ה to of a sorceress Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular Jeremiah 27:9 עֹֽנְנֵיכֶ֖ם to your mediums Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 9:14
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 9
Genesis 1 Leviticus 1 Deuteronomy 2 Judges 1 2 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 1 Micah 1
Source forms
בְּעַֽנְנִ֥י 1x bə·‘an·nî Genesis 9:14
וּֽמְעוֹנְנִ֖ים 1x ū·mə·‘ō·wn·nîm Micah 5:12
וְעוֹנֵ֣ן 1x wə·‘ō·w·nên 2 Kings 21:6
וְעוֹנֵ֤ן 1x wə·‘ō·w·nên 2 Chronicles 33:6
וְעֹֽנְנִ֖ים 1x wə·‘ō·nə·nîm Isaiah 2:6
מְעוֹנֵ֥ן 1x mə·‘ō·w·nên Deuteronomy 18:10
מְעוֹנְנִֽים׃ 1x mə·‘ō·wn·nîm Judges 9:37
מְעֹנְנִ֥ים 1x mə·‘ō·nə·nîm Deuteronomy 18:14
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2x 2 Kings 21:6, 2 Chronicles 33:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural 2x Isaiah 2:6, Micah 5:12
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural 2x Deuteronomy 18:14, Judges 9:37
Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular 1x Genesis 9:14
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 1x Leviticus 19:26
Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular 1x Isaiah 57:3
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural 1x Jeremiah 27:9
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 18:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Hidden action behind visible world: divination assumes secret knowledge of divine plans or cosmic forces
Strong's H6049
Lexical occurrences 11 verses Word forms 2 forms 5 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 2:6-9 Source Gloss
figuratively, to act covertly , i.e. practise magic
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Hidden action behind visible world: divination assumes secret knowledge of divine plans or cosmic forces
figuratively, to act covertly, i.e. practise magic BDB: practise soothsaying Usage: × bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe(-r of) times, soothsayer, sorcerer.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 5
Poel 4×
Participle active Deut 18:10 · Deut 18:14 · Judg 9:37 3×
Imperfect Lev 19:26 1×
Polel 1×
Participle active Isa 57:3 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Practicing divination and magic as forbidden covenant violation
Engaging in occult practices of soothsaying explicitly prohibited by law
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 11 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עָנַן is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain