Part of Speech: Verb
Strong's Number: H6031
Original Word: ‘anâ
Usage Notes: "to be afflicted, be bowed down, be humbled, be meek." This word, common to both ancient and modern Hebrew, is the source of several important words in the history and experience of Judaism: "humble, meek, poor, and affliction." ‘Anâ occurs approximately 80 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. It is found for the first time in Gen 15:13: "….they shall afflict them four hundred years."
‘Anâ often expresses harsh and painful treatment. Sarai "dealt hardly" with Hagar (Gen 16:6). When Joseph was sold as a slave, his feet were hurt with fetters (Psa 105:18). Frequently the verb expresses the idea that God sends affliction for disciplinary purposes: "… the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart…" (Deut 8:2; See also 1Kings 11:39; Psa 90:15). To take a woman sexually by force may be "to humble" her (Gen 34:2, kjv, rsv), but the word is more appropriately translated "dishonor" (jb, neb).
In the Day of Atonement observance, "to humble oneself" is probably connected with the requirement for fasting on that day (Lev 23:28-29).
Usage Number: 2
Part of Speech: Noun
Strong's Number: H6041
Original Word: ‘anî
Usage Notes: "poor; humble; meek." Especially in later Israelite history, just before the Exile and following, this noun came to have a special connection with those faithful ones who were being abused, taken advantage of, by the rich (Isa 29:19; Isa 32:7; Amos 2:7). The prophet Zephaniah's reference to them as the "meek of the earth" (Zeph 2:3) set the stage for Jesus' concern and ministry to the "poor" and the "meek" (Matt 5:3, 5; Luke 4:18; cf. Isa 61:1). by New Testament times, "the poor of the land" were more commonly known as ‘am ha’ares, "the people of the land."
