Lexical Definition

‎עָנָן‎ ʻânân (aw-nawn') cloud ^H:N-M
from ‎עָנַן‎

cloud(-y).

• a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or thunder-cloud

1) cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass
1a) cloud-mass (of theophanic cloud)
1b) cloud

See Greek: νεφέλη

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: a.nan (‎ע‎ֲ‎נ‎ָ‎ן‎ "cloud" עֲנַן)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎עָנָן‎₈₇ noun masculine^{Exod 19:16} cloud-mass, cloud; — ‎׳‎‎(הֶ)ע‎ absolute Exod 19:9 +; construct ‎עֲנַזִ‎ Hos 6:4 +; suffix ‎עֲנָֽנְךָ‎ Num 14:14, ‎עֲנָנוֺ‎ Job 26:9; Job 37:15 plural ‎עֲנִים‎ Jer 4:13 —

1. cloud-mass:
a. especially of theophanic cloud (58 t.), chiefly at Exodus in J E (less often P), usually ‎׳‎‎עַמּוּד הֶע‎ Exod 13:21; Exod 13:22 + (see ‎עַמּוּד‎), but also ‎׳‎‎ע‎ alone Exod 34:5 compare Exod 14:20 (J), Num 10:34; Num 11:35; Num 14:14 (all J E); ‎׳‎‎עַבהֶֿע‎ Exod 19:9, ‎כָּבֵד‎ ‎׳‎‎ע‎ vExod 19:16 (E); ‎׳‎‎ע‎ in P Exod 16:10; Exod 24:15 + 23 t.; also Deut 1:33; Deut 4:11; Deut 5:19; Ps 78:14; Ps 105:39 in temple 1Kgs 8:10; 1Kgs 8:11 = 2Chr 5:13; 2Chr 5:14, compare Ezek 1:4; Ezek 10:3; Ezek 10:4 hence in general Ps 97:2, as symbol of protection Isa 4:5 as a barrier Lam 3:44 compare ‎אֲבַק רַגְלָיו‎ ‎׳‎‎וע‎ Nah 1:3.
b. of rain-bow cloud Gen 9:13; Gen 9:14 (twice in verse); Gen 9:16 (P), Ezek 1:28 (simile).
c. ‎עֲנַןבֹּֿקֶר‎ Hos 6:4; Hos 13:3 (simile of transitoriness; on phenomenon in Palestine see Chaplin^{PEQ, 1883, 19}), compare Isa 44:22; Job 7:9 (both id.); simile of invasion Ezek 38:9; Ezek 38:16, plural Jer 4:13.
d. poetic in various connection Job 26:8; Job 26:9; Job 38:9 with ‎אוֺר‎ as thunder-cloud Job 37:11; Job 37:15.
e. symbolic of gloom Ezek 30:18; Ezek 32:7 ‎וַעֲרָפֶל‎ ‎׳‎‎יוֺם ע‎ Zeph 1:15; Ezek 34:12; Joel 2:2, compare Ezek 30:3 (all of day of ‎׳‎‎ע‎).

2. ‎קְטֹרֶת‎ ‎׳‎‎ע‎ Lev 16:13 (P) cloud of incense, so Ezek 8:11 (strike out ‎׳‎‎ע‎ ᵐ5 Co Berthol, not Toy).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References