נָא
na (H4994)
please
AI Word Study
# The Hebrew Word נָא (na): A Particle of Entreaty The Hebrew word נָא (na) functions as a particle meaning "please," serving as a marker of polite request or entreaty in biblical discourse. With 404 occurrences throughout the Bible, it represents one of the language's most frequently employed pragmatic devices—a small word that carries significant communicative weight. Rather than simply making demands or statements, speakers using נָא soften their utterances, framing them as respectful requests rather than commands. The high frequency of this word across biblical texts indicates its fundamental importance to Hebrew speech patterns. It appears regularly enough to suggest that politeness and deference through linguistic markers were valued conventions in biblical communication. Whether addressing God, nobility, or equals, the inclusion of נָא signals the speaker's awareness of social dynamics and their desire to frame their request diplomatically. This particle essentially performs the social work of acknowledging another person's autonomy and making space for them to refuse or comply willingly. Understanding נָא illuminates how biblical speakers navigated interpersonal relationships through subtle linguistic choices. The word's prevalence suggests that the biblical worldview incorporated sophisticated awareness of how language shapes relationships—that a simple particle added to a request could transform its social character and increase the likelihood of favorable reception.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”
Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.
Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”
Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.”
Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
and he said, “See now, my lords, please come into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”
See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.”
Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord.
See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die.
See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.”
He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.
He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”
I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”
Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
They said, “We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let’s make a covenant with you,
He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death.
Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me venison.
Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.
Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.”
Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”
His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.”
Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake.”
He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.
Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and strike me and the mothers with the children.
Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” He blessed him there.
Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.
Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.
Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.”
Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
Hamor talked with them, saying, “The soul of my son, Shechem, longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.
He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”
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