8467. techinnah
Lexical Summary
techinnah: Supplication, plea, entreaty

Original Word: תְּחִנָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tchinnah
Pronunciation: te-khee-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tekh-in-naw')
KJV: favour, grace, supplication
NASB: supplication, petition, grace, mercy, supplications
Word Origin: [from H2603 (חָנַן - To be gracious)]

1. graciousness
2. causatively, entreaty

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
camp

From chanan; graciousness; causatively, entreaty -- favour, grace, supplication.

see HEBREW chanan

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from chanan
Definition
favor, supplication for favor
NASB Translation
grace (1), mercy (1), petition (4), supplication (18), supplications (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
תְּחִנּה noun feminine favour, supplication for favour; — ׳ת Joshua 11:20 4t.; construct תְּחִנַּת 1 Kings 8:30,52 (twice in verse); תְּחִנָּתִי Jeremiah 37:20 5t.; תְּחִנֹּתֵיהֶם2Chronicles 6:39 etc. + 10 t. suffix; —

1 favour, shewn by Israel Joshua 11:29 (D); מאת יהוה Ezra 9:8.

2 supplication for favour, from God 1 Kings 8:52 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 33:13; Psalm 119:170; "" תְּפִלָּה 1 Kings 8:28 2Chronicles 6:19; Psalm 6:10; Psalm 55:2; תפלה (ו)תחנה 1 Kings 8:38,45,49,54 2Chron 6:29; 6:35; 6:39; 1 Kings 9:3; אשׁר התפלל ׳ת 1 Kings 8:30 (= תַּחֲנוּן2Chronicles 6:21); לִפְנֵי ׳תִּמֹּלּ ת let the supplication fall before, Yahweh Jeremiah 36:7, the king Jeremiah 37:20, Jeremiah Jeremiah 42:2; לפני ׳הִמִּיל ת present supplication before, Yahweh Jeremiah 42:9; Daniel 9:20, the king Jeremiah 38:26.

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Nuance

תְּחִנָּה (techinnah) expresses a heartfelt plea for unmerited favor. It combines the idea of “grace” (root חן) with the urgency of a petition, stressing dependence on the mercy of the One addressed. The term is never casual; it is the language of a suppliant who knows he has no claim apart from the character of God.

Distribution in Scripture

Techinnah appears twenty-five times, spread over historical narrative, temple liturgy, prophetic discourse, penitential prayer, and individual lament:

• Conquest history: Joshua 11:20
• United-monarchy worship: 1 Kings 8:28-54; 9:3; 2 Chronicles 6:19-39
• Post-monarchy repentance: 2 Chronicles 33:13; Ezra 9:8
• Wisdom and praise: Psalm 6:9; 55:1; 119:170
• Prophetic crisis: Jeremiah 36:7; 37:20; 38:26; 42:2, 9
• Exilic intercession: Daniel 9:20

The concentration in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 6 (eight occurrences in each chapter) marks Israel’s high-water moment of corporate prayer, framing techinnah as the temple’s raison d’être.

Covenant and Temple Focus

At the dedication of the temple Solomon repeatedly pairs “prayer” and “supplication,” asking that God’s eyes be open “toward this house night and day” (1 Kings 8:29). Verse 28 provides a paradigm:

“Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You today.”

Here techinnah grounds every future appeal for forgiveness, rain, deliverance, or restoration (8:30-53). When the Chronicler retells the event, he preserves the word to remind post-exilic readers that their rebuilt temple is still a place where techinnah is heard.

God’s response in 1 Kings 9:3 seals the covenant dynamic: He has “heard your prayer and petition.” The sacred space is validated because the God of grace listens to supplication.

Royal Repentance and Restoration

The darkest king in Judah’s history, Manasseh, illustrates the power of techinnah:

“When he prayed to Him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom.” (2 Chronicles 33:13)

The narrative shows that no sin is beyond reach of divine mercy when approached in genuine supplication.

Similarly, Ezra 9:8 describes return from exile as “a brief moment of grace.” The phrase picks up the resonance of techinnah—undeserved favor granted solely because the people have pleaded for it.

Crisis in Jeremiah

During the Babylonian siege, Jeremiah is repeatedly asked to carry the people’s techinnah to God (Jeremiah 36:7; 42:2). The prophet also uses the word when appealing to Zedekiah for his own life (37:20; 38:26), demonstrating that techinnah may be addressed to earthly authorities, though ultimately resting on God’s sovereignty.

Personal Lament and Devotion

In the Psalms the term becomes intensely personal:

“The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.” (Psalm 6:9)

“Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.” (Psalm 55:1)

“May my plea come before You; deliver me according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:170)

Each verse pairs techinnah with confident expectation; the plea is bold because it rests on covenant promises.

Withheld Supplication

Joshua 11:20 offers a sobering counterpoint: God hardens the Canaanite hearts “that they should come against Israel in battle, that Israel might devote them to destruction… without mercy.” Their lack of techinnah underscores divine judgment. Mercy spurned becomes mercy denied.

Exilic Intercession

Daniel stands in the prophetic succession when he “was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the LORD my God” (Daniel 9:20). Techinnah is woven with confession and covenant memory, prompting the revelation of the Seventy Weeks—proof that God not only hears but answers with redemptive history.

Theological Observations

1. Grace precedes merit. Techinnah assumes dependence, not entitlement.
2. Supplication is covenantal. The petitioner appeals to promises God Himself has made.
3. Divine hearing is transformative. Each narrative climax (Solomon, Manasseh, Daniel) turns on God’s reception of techinnah.
4. Refusal to seek mercy results in judicial hardening (Joshua 11:20; Jeremiah’s audience).
5. Techinnah anticipates New Testament teaching on προσευχή and δέησις; it ultimately finds fulfillment in the Mediator “who always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Ministry Significance

• Corporate Worship: Techinnah encourages congregational prayers that confess sin and request specific acts of divine favor.
• Intercessory Prayer: The term legitimizes standing in the gap for nation, church, and individuals, trusting God’s covenant loyalty.
• Pastoral Counseling: Penitent believers, no matter how far gone, can offer techinnah and be assured of God’s readiness to forgive.
• Evangelism: The concept highlights the contrast between self-reliance and humble appeal to grace, pointing naturally to the gospel.

Practical Application

Believers today echo Solomon and Daniel when they plead for revival, justice, or guidance. The same Lord who promised to hear techinnah at the temple now invites supplication “in My name” (John 14:14). Confidence is grounded not in human worthiness but in the unchanging character of the God who “hears the cry of the afflicted” (Job 34:28).

Forms and Transliterations
וְהַתְּחִנָּ֖ה והתחנה מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃ מתחנתי׃ תְּחִנַּ֖ת תְּחִנַּ֣ת תְּחִנַּ֤ת תְּחִנַּתְכֶ֖ם תְּחִנָּ֑ה תְּחִנָּ֗ה תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ תְּחִנָּת֖וֹ תְּחִנָּתְךָ֮ תְּחִנָּתִ֑י תְּחִנָּתִ֗י תְּחִנָּתִ֣י תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם תְּחִנָּתָם֙ תְּחִנֹּ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם תְחִנָּ֜ה תְחִנָּתִ֖י תְחִנָּתִי֙ תְחִנָּתֵ֙נוּ֙ תחנה תחנת תחנתו תחנתי תחנתיהם תחנתך תחנתכם תחנתם תחנתנו mit·tə·ḥin·nā·ṯî mittechinnaTi mittəḥinnāṯî tə·ḥin·nā·ṯām tə·ḥin·nā·ṯə·ḵā ṯə·ḥin·nā·ṯê·nū tə·ḥin·nā·ṯî ṯə·ḥin·nā·ṯî tə·ḥin·nā·ṯōw tə·ḥin·nāh ṯə·ḥin·nāh tə·ḥin·naṯ tə·ḥin·naṯ·ḵem tə·ḥin·nō·ṯê·hem techinNah techinNat techinnaTam techinnatChem techinnateCha techinnaTenu techinnaTi techinnaTo techinNoteiHem təḥinnāh ṯəḥinnāh təḥinnaṯ təḥinnāṯām təḥinnāṯəḵā ṯəḥinnāṯênū təḥinnāṯî ṯəḥinnāṯî təḥinnaṯḵem təḥinnāṯōw təḥinnōṯêhem vehattechinNah wə·hat·tə·ḥin·nāh wəhattəḥinnāh
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Joshua 11:20
HEB: הֱיוֹת־ לָהֶ֖ם תְּחִנָּ֑ה כִּ֚י לְמַ֣עַן
NAS: no mercy, but that he might destroy
KJV: that he might destroy them utterly, [and] that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy
INT: receive like mercy in order

1 Kings 8:28
HEB: עַבְדְּךָ֛ וְאֶל־ תְּחִנָּת֖וֹ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑י
NAS: of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD
KJV: of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD
INT: of your servant and to his supplication LORD my God

1 Kings 8:30
HEB: וְשָׁ֨מַעְתָּ֜ אֶל־ תְּחִנַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֣
NAS: Listen to the supplication of Your servant
KJV: And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant,
INT: Listen toward to the supplication of your servant your people

1 Kings 8:38
HEB: תְּפִלָּ֣ה כָל־ תְּחִנָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִֽהְיֶה֙
NAS: prayer or supplication is made
KJV: What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man,
INT: prayer all supplication after made

1 Kings 8:45
HEB: תְּפִלָּתָ֖ם וְאֶת־ תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃
NAS: their prayer and their supplication, and maintain
KJV: their prayer and their supplication, and maintain
INT: heaven their prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause

1 Kings 8:49
HEB: תְּפִלָּתָ֖ם וְאֶת־ תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃
NAS: their prayer and their supplication in heaven
KJV: thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven
INT: your dwelling their prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause

1 Kings 8:52
HEB: פְתֻחוֹת֙ אֶל־ תְּחִנַּ֣ת עַבְדְּךָ֔ וְאֶל־
NAS: may be open to the supplication of Your servant
KJV: may be open unto the supplication of thy servant,
INT: may be open to the supplication of your servant and to

1 Kings 8:52
HEB: עַבְדְּךָ֔ וְאֶל־ תְּחִנַּ֖ת עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
NAS: of Your servant and to the supplication of Your people
KJV: of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people
INT: of your servant and to the supplication of your people Israel

1 Kings 8:54
HEB: כָּל־ הַתְּפִלָּ֥ה וְהַתְּחִנָּ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את קָ֞ם
NAS: prayer and supplication to the LORD,
KJV: all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD,
INT: entire prayer and supplication he arose

1 Kings 9:3
HEB: תְּפִלָּתְךָ֣ וְאֶת־ תְּחִנָּתְךָ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִתְחַנַּ֣נְתָּה
NAS: your prayer and your supplication, which
KJV: thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made
INT: have heard your prayer and your supplication which have made

2 Chronicles 6:19
HEB: עַבְדְּךָ֛ וְאֶל־ תְּחִנָּת֖וֹ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑י
NAS: of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD
KJV: of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD
INT: of your servant and to his supplication LORD my God

2 Chronicles 6:29
HEB: תְּפִלָּ֣ה כָל־ תְּחִנָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה֙
NAS: prayer or supplication is made
KJV: [Then] what prayer [or] what supplication soever shall be made of any man,
INT: prayer all supplication after made

2 Chronicles 6:35
HEB: תְּפִלָּתָ֖ם וְאֶת־ תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃
NAS: their prayer and their supplication, and maintain
KJV: their prayer and their supplication, and maintain
INT: heaven their prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause

2 Chronicles 6:39
HEB: תְּפִלָּתָם֙ וְאֶת־ תְּחִנֹּ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָ֑ם
NAS: their prayer and supplications, and maintain
KJV: their prayer and their supplications, and maintain
INT: your dwelling their prayer and supplications and maintain their cause

2 Chronicles 33:13
HEB: לוֹ֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ וַיְשִׁיבֵ֥הוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם
NAS: and heard his supplication, and brought him again
KJV: of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again
INT: was moved and heard his supplication and brought to Jerusalem

Ezra 9:8
HEB: רֶגַע֩ הָיְתָ֨ה תְחִנָּ֜ה מֵאֵ֣ת ׀ יְהוָ֣ה
NAS: moment grace has been
KJV: space grace hath been [shewed] from the LORD
INT: moment has been grace God our God

Psalm 6:9
HEB: שָׁמַ֣ע יְ֭הוָה תְּחִנָּתִ֑י יְ֝הוָ֗ה תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י
NAS: has heard my supplication, The LORD
KJV: hath heard my supplication; the LORD
INT: has heard the LORD my supplication the LORD my prayer

Psalm 55:1
HEB: וְאַל־ תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃
NAS: And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
KJV: and hide not thyself from my supplication.
INT: not hide my supplication

Psalm 119:170
HEB: תָּב֣וֹא תְּחִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כְּ֝אִמְרָתְךָ֗
NAS: Let my supplication come before
KJV: Let my supplication come before
INT: come my supplication before to your word

Jeremiah 36:7
HEB: אוּלַ֞י תִּפֹּ֤ל תְּחִנָּתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה
NAS: Perhaps their supplication will come
KJV: It may be they will present their supplication before
INT: Perhaps will come their supplication before God

Jeremiah 37:20
HEB: תִּפָּל־ נָ֤א תְחִנָּתִי֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַל־
NAS: please let my petition come
KJV: the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted
INT: come please my petition before not

Jeremiah 38:26
HEB: מַפִּיל־ אֲנִ֥י תְחִנָּתִ֖י לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ
NAS: to them, 'I was presenting my petition before
KJV: unto them, I presented my supplication before
INT: was presenting my petition before the king

Jeremiah 42:2
HEB: תִּפָּל־ נָ֤א תְחִנָּתֵ֙נוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל
NAS: Please let our petition come
KJV: the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted
INT: come Please our petition before and pray

Jeremiah 42:9
HEB: אֵלָ֔יו לְהַפִּ֥יל תְּחִנַּתְכֶ֖ם לְפָנָֽיו׃
NAS: me to present your petition before
KJV: me to present your supplication before
INT: to present your petition before

Daniel 9:20
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַפִּ֣יל תְּחִנָּתִ֗י לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה
NAS: and presenting my supplication before
KJV: and presenting my supplication before
INT: Israel and presenting my supplication before the LORD

25 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 8467
25 Occurrences


mit·tə·ḥin·nā·ṯî — 1 Occ.
tə·ḥin·nāh — 4 Occ.
tə·ḥin·naṯ — 3 Occ.
tə·ḥin·nā·ṯām — 4 Occ.
tə·ḥin·naṯ·ḵem — 1 Occ.
tə·ḥin·nā·ṯə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ṯə·ḥin·nā·ṯê·nū — 1 Occ.
tə·ḥin·nā·ṯî — 5 Occ.
tə·ḥin·nā·ṯōw — 3 Occ.
tə·ḥin·nō·ṯê·hem — 1 Occ.
wə·hat·tə·ḥin·nāh — 1 Occ.

8466
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