H8469 H8469
Supplications, earnest pleas for mercy — heartfelt entreaties directed to God or a superior for grace
This plural abstract noun (tachanunim) expresses urgent, earnest pleas for undeserved favor. It derives from the root chanan ('to be gracious') and occurs only in the plural, underscoring the intensity and repetition of such appeals. Nearly always directed to God, it frequently parallels tefillah ('prayer') as in Psalm 143:1 and Daniel 9:3, 17. The Psalms speak of the 'voice of my supplications' (Ps 28:2, 6; 31:22; 86:6; 130:2), while Jeremiah pairs it with weeping (Jer 3:21; 31:9). Proverbs 18:23 offers its sole human-to-human use: the poor speak tachanunim.
Senses
1. supplications, pleas for mercy — Earnest, repeated entreaties for mercy and grace, overwhelmingly addressed to God. The plural-only form intensifies the urgency of the appeal. Paired with tefillah in formal prayer contexts (Ps 143:1; Dan 9:3, 17) and with weeping in prophetic grief (Jer 3:21; 31:9). The Psalms especially treasure the phrase qol tachanunim, 'the voice of my supplications' (Ps 28:2, 6; 86:6; 130:2). Proverbs 18:23 uniquely applies it to a poor person pleading before the rich. 18×
AR["تَضَرُّعاتي", "تَضَرُّعاتٍ", "تَضَرُّعَاتٍ", "تَضَرُّعَاتِ", "تَضَرُّعَاتِكَ", "تَضَرُّعَاتِنَا", "تَضَرُّعَاتِهِ", "تَضَرُّعَاتِي", "وَ-التَّضَرُّعَاتِ", "وَ-تَضَرُّعَاتٍ", "وَبِالتَّضَرُّعَاتِ"]·ben["আমাদের-মিনতিগুলি", "আমার-অনুনয়ের", "আমার-বিনতিগুলির", "আমার-মিনতির", "আর-মিনতিতে", "এবং-মিনতিতে", "এবং-মিনতির", "তার-মিনতির", "তোমার-মিনতির", "প্রার্থনা-আমার।", "মিনতি", "মিনতি-আমার;", "মিনতিগুলি", "মিনতির", "মিনতির-আমার।"]·DE["[ובתחנונים]", "[ותחנונים]", "[תחנוני]", "[תחנוניו]", "[תחנוניך]", "[תחנונים]", "[תחנונינו]", "mein-pleas-für-Gnade", "mein-supplications"]·EN["and-supplications", "and-with-supplications", "his-supplications", "my-pleas-for-mercy", "my-supplications", "our-supplications", "pleas-for-mercy", "supplications", "the-supplications-of", "your-supplications"]·FR["[ובתחנונים]", "[תחנוני]", "et-supplication", "méditation", "supplication", "תחנונים"]·heb["ו-ב-תחנונים", "ו-תחנונים", "תחנונותי", "תחנוני", "תחנוני-י", "תחנוניו", "תחנוניך", "תחנונים", "תחנונינו"]·HI["अपनी-विनतियाँ", "उसकी-विनतियों", "और-बिनतियों-की", "और-में-गिड़गिड़ाहट", "और-विनतियाँ", "तेरी-विनतियों-के", "बिनतियों", "बिनती", "मेरी-बिनतियों", "मेरी-बिनतियों-की", "मेरी-बिनती", "मेरी-बिनती-की", "विनतियों-मेरी-की", "विनती"]·ID["Permohonan", "dan-dengan-permohonan", "dan-permohonan", "permohonan", "permohonan-kami", "permohonan-ku", "permohonan-permohonan", "permohonan-permohonanmu", "permohonan-permohonannya", "permohonanku"]·IT["[ותחנונים]", "[תחנוני]", "[תחנוניו]", "[תחנוניך]", "[תחנונינו]", "canto", "e-supplica", "pleas-for-mercy", "supplica", "supplications"]·jav["lan-kaliyan-panyuwunan", "lan-pandonga", "lan-panyuwunan", "panuwun-kula", "panyuwun", "panyuwun-kula", "panyuwun-panyuwun", "panyuwunan", "panyuwunan-ipun", "panyuwunan-kawula", "panyuwunan-kula", "panyuwunan-panjenengan", "pepuja-puji"]·KO["간구들-의", "간구들의", "간구를", "간청들을", "그-의-간구들-을", "그리고-간구들-을", "그리고-간구들로", "그리고-간구의", "나-의-간구-를", "나-의-간구-의", "나-의-간구들", "나-의-간구들-에", "나-의-간구들-의", "너-의-간구들-의", "우리-의-간구들-을", "탄원이"]·PT["Súplicas", "e-com-súplicas", "e-de-súplicas", "e-súplicas", "minhas-súplicas", "nossas-súplicas", "suas-súplicas", "súplicas-de", "súplicas?", "tuas-súplicas"]·RU["и-моления", "и-с-молениями", "молений", "молений-моих", "молений-твоих", "молению-моему", "моления", "моления-его", "моления-моего", "моления-мои", "моления-наши", "молениям", "молитв-моих", "мольб-моих", "мольбы", "мольбы-моей"]·ES["Súplicas", "las-súplicas-de", "mis-súplicas", "súplicas", "súplicas-de", "súplicas-de-mí", "súplicas-de-nosotros", "súplicas-de-ti", "súplicas-de-él", "súplicas-mías", "y-con-súplicas", "y-de-súplicas", "y-súplicas"]·SW["maombi", "maombi-ya", "maombi-yake", "maombi-yangu", "maombi-yetu", "na-dua", "na-kwa-maombi", "na-maombi", "wa-maombi-yako"]·TR["ve-yakarışlarla", "ve-yakarışların", "ve-yalvarma", "yakarışları", "yakarışlarımın", "yakarışlarını", "yalvarmalarımızı", "yalvarmalarını", "yalvarmalarının", "yalvarışlarla", "yalvarışlarıma", "yalvarışlarımı", "yalvarışlarımın", "yalvarışlarını"]·urd["-منتوں", "اور-التجاؤں-کی", "اور-التجائیں", "اور-منتوں-سے", "اُس-کی-التجاؤں", "اپنی-التجائیں", "تیری-التجاؤں-کے", "منتیں", "میری-التجاؤں", "میری-التجاؤں-کی", "میری-مناجاتوں-کی", "میری-منتیں", "میری-منّتوں-کی"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [תַּחֲנוּן] n.[m.] only pl.abstr. supplication for favour;—abs. תַּחֲנוּנִים Pr 18:23 + 4 times; cstr. תַּחֲנוּנֵי Je 3:21; 2 Ch 6:21; sf. 1 s. תַּחֲנוּנַי ψ 28:2 etc., + 9 times sf.; also תַּחֲנוּנוֹתָ֑י ψ 86:6;— 1. made to men: דִּבֶּר ת׳ (a poor man to the rich) Pr 18:23; ת׳ אֵל supplication unto (crocodile to man) Jb 40:27; elsewhere 2. to God: ‖ תפלה ψ 143:1 Dn 9:3, 17; ת׳ אשׁר התפלל 2 Ch…