H2587 H2587
Gracious, compassionate — a divine attribute used exclusively of God, often paired with 'merciful'
One of the foundational adjectives in Israel's confession of God's character, 'channun' appears only as a predicate of the LORD. Its roots reach back to the covenant formula of Exodus 34:6 — 'merciful and gracious' — which echoes through Psalms (86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 145:8), the prophets (Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2), and postexilic literature (2 Chr 30:9; Neh 9:17, 31). The near-universal pairing with rachum ('compassionate') makes this a fixed liturgical doublet. Spanish renders it 'clemente,' French 'gracieux/misericordieux,' reflecting the word's warmth.
Senses
1. gracious, compassionate — A divine attribute meaning gracious or compassionate, used exclusively of God and nearly always paired with rachum ('merciful') in the liturgical formula originating at Exodus 34:6. Attested in the covenant code (Exod 22:27), the Sinai theophany (Exod 34:6), psalmic praise (Pss 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; 116:5; 145:8), prophetic appeals (Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2), and postexilic narrative (2 Chr 30:9; Neh 9:17, 31). The term emphasizes God's disposition to show undeserved favor. 13×
AR["حَنون", "حَنونٌ", "حَنَّانٌ", "حَنُونٌ", "وَ-حَنون", "وَ-حَنونٌ", "وَحَنُونٌ"]·ben["অনুগ্রহকারী", "অনুগ্রহশীল", "এবং-অনুগ্রহপূর্ণ", "এবং-দয়ালু", "করুণাময়", "দয়ালু"]·DE["[חנון]", "gnaedig", "gracious", "und-gnaedig", "und-gracious"]·EN["and-gracious", "gracious"]·FR["Hanun", "et-gracieux", "et-miséricordieux", "gracieux", "miséricordieux"]·heb["ו-חנון", "חַנּוּן", "חנון"]·HI["अनुग्रहकारी", "अनुग्रही", "और-अनुग्रहशील", "और-अनुग्रही", "कृपालु", "दयालु"]·ID["dan-pengasih", "pengasih", "penyayang", "yang-pengasih"]·IT["Hanun", "[חנון]", "e-gracious", "e-innocente", "gracious", "innocente"]·jav["Kagungan-sih-piwelas", "Welas-asih", "asih", "ingkang-asih", "lan-asih", "lan-ingkang-melas,", "lan-mirah", "welas-asih"]·KO["그리고-은혜로우시도다", "그리고-은혜로운", "은혜로우니라", "은혜로우시고", "은혜로우시다", "은혜로우신", "은혜롭고"]·PT["Misericordioso", "e-gracioso", "e-misericordioso", "gracioso", "misericordioso", "é-misericordioso"]·RU["Милостив", "и-благосклонный", "и-благостный", "и-милостив", "милостив", "милостивый"]·ES["Clemente", "clemente", "compasivo", "y-clemente", "y-misericordioso"]·SW["chanּwּn", "mwenye-huruma", "mwenye-neema", "na-mwenye-huruma", "na-neema"]·TR["lütufkar", "lütufkâr", "lütuflu", "merhametli", "merhametliyim", "ve-lütufkar", "ve-lütufkâr"]·urd["اور-مہربان", "مہربان", "مہربان-ہے"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חַנּוּן adj. gracious, only used as an attribute of God, as hearing the cry of the vexed debtor Ex 22:26 (covt. code), ‖ מְרַחֵם ψ 116:5; elsewhere in the earlier phrase רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן Ex 34:6 (JE) = ψ 86:15; 103:8, or the later חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם 2 Ch 30:9; Ne 9:17, 31 ψ 111:4; 112:4; 145:8 Jo 2:13; Jon 4:2.