What does אָנַשׁ (anushah) mean in the Bible?
אָנַשׁ (anushah): Describes human weakness and vulnerability, moving from physical frailty to existential hopelessness or desperation.
Hebrew · H605
אָנַשׁ
To be frail , feeble , or (figuratively) melancholy
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
אָנַשׁ H605
Pronunciation anushah
What does אָנַשׁ (anushah) mean in the Bible?
אָנַשׁ (anushah): Describes human weakness and vulnerability, moving from physical frailty to existential hopelessness or desperation.
Full entry for אָנַשׁ (H605) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H605?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include is incurable (3), and beyond cure (1), and he became ill (1), and incurable (1), has no cure (1).
Where does אָנַשׁ (anushah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 2 Samuel 12:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (5), 2 Samuel (1), Isaiah (1), Job (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 is incurable 3× Job 34:6, Jeremiah 30:12, Micah 1:9
and beyond cure 1× Jeremiah 17:9
and he became ill 1× 2 Samuel 12:15
and incurable 1× Isaiah 17:11
has no cure 1× Jeremiah 30:15
incurable 1× Jeremiah 15:18
of despair 1× Jeremiah 17:16
Show sample aligned rows
2 Samuel 12:15 וַיֵּאָנַֽשׁ׃ to and he became ill Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Job 34:6 אָנ֖וּשׁ to is incurable Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Isaiah 17:11 אָנֽוּשׁ׃ס to and incurable Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Jeremiah 15:18 אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה֙ to incurable Adjective - feminine singular Jeremiah 17:9 וְאָנֻ֣שׁ to and beyond cure Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Jeremiah 17:16 אָנ֛וּשׁ to of despair Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Jeremiah 30:12 אָנ֣וּשׁ to is incurable Adjective - masculine singular Jeremiah 30:15 אָנ֖וּשׁ to has no cure Adjective - masculine singular Micah 1:9 אֲנוּשָׁ֖ה to is incurable Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 2 Samuel 12:15
Aligned rows 9
Books represented 5
2 Samuel 1 Job 1 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 5 Micah 1
Source forms
אָנ֖וּשׁ 2x ’ā·nūš Job 34:6, Jeremiah 30:15
אָנ֛וּשׁ 1x ’ā·nūš Jeremiah 17:16
אָנ֣וּשׁ 1x ’ā·nūš Jeremiah 30:12
אָנֽוּשׁ׃ס 1x ’ā·nūš Isaiah 17:11
אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה֙ 1x ’ă·nū·šāh Jeremiah 15:18
אֲנוּשָׁ֖ה 1x ’ă·nū·šāh Micah 1:9
וְאָנֻ֣שׁ 1x wə·’ā·nuš Jeremiah 17:9
וַיֵּאָנַֽשׁ׃ 1x way·yê·’ā·naš 2 Samuel 12:15
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 3x Job 34:6, Isaiah 17:11, Jeremiah 17:16
Adjective - masculine singular 2x Jeremiah 30:12, Jeremiah 30:15
Adjective - feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 15:18
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x 2 Samuel 12:15
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 1x Jeremiah 17:9
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular 1x Micah 1:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Describes human weakness and vulnerability, moving from physical frailty to existential hopelessness or desperation.
Source Gloss
to be frail , feeble , or (figuratively) melancholy
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Describes human weakness and vulnerability, moving from physical frailty to existential hopelessness or desperation.
to be frail, feeble, or (figuratively) melancholy BDB: be weak Usage: desperate(-ly wicked), incurable, sick, woeful.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Desperately sick or beyond human remedy.
Showing 1 selected witness from 9 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אָנַשׁ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
It portrays the depth of Judah’s spiritual condition, highlighting the need for divine intervention rather than superficial reform. Micah 1:6-9
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