Hineni means Here I am
Hineni (pronounced hee- nay-nee) Here I am.
In the Hebrew Bible, the word hineni is used by people when they respond to a direct call from God.
Hineni is a Hebrew biblical expression meaning in our English language “Here I am.”
- It is used in OT to respond to a divine call.
- Is a reply of total surrender, total dedication to do what is requested.
- It’s a humble answer stating “At your Service."
Hineni Expresses readiness to give yourself in total availability. “Here I Stand” unmovable
- Hineni is not only expressing the place where the person physically is, but implies complete presence; HERE I STAND unmovable, which means giving full attention to hear what God is saying and willing to fulfill the requested task.
- This answer marks a turning point in the lives of those who have responded to God with this word.
- Samuel said “Hineni, I’m listening."
- Isaiah said “Hineni, send me."
- Hineni is, the right way to respond to God whenever he calls. His desire should be our command.
In our lives God’s call (Ayeka/ayyekkah in Hebrew) “Where are you?”
His call comes every day at various moments in our lives. In a growing love relationship with Him, God longs to hear his Beloved answer “Hineni,” in the joyful moments as in the moments of sadness, in victory and in defeat, in sickness and health, in lack and abundance. However most of the time, we are busy; deaf and blind. We can’t hear His quiet call within the context of our busyness, (think of the 4 soils in the proverb of the sower) Some are not attuned to His voice, (like Samuel). Others refuse to hear it so we don’t respond for many reasons-- Fear makes us avoid new things with a pausing push back or scrutiny of the costs. We do not answer from a feeling of unworthiness, the “who me? Certainly not,” of a distorted shame. The pride of the False Self ego with all its personalities is too often unready to answer yet or severely impatient. Avoidance often declares, we don’t have time for this divine interruption with our goals and agendas. Yet He continues to call us, “Akeka, Where are you?” in that certain voice our spirit hears, a special personalized summons to return and listen to His amazing invitation.
How God called to some people in the Old Testament, and how they responded to the call.
Ayyekkah Where are you? Hineni Here I am!
Abraham requested to sacrifice Isaac 22:1 (NKJV) 22 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Bereshis 22:1 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 22 And it came to pass after these things, that G-d did test Avraham, and said unto him, Avraham: and he said, Hineni (Behold, here I am).
Isaac is on the altar, the angel calls Abraham to cancel the sacrifice. Genesis 22:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV) 11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” Bereshis 22:11Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 11 And the Malach Hashem called unto him out of Shomayim, and said, Avraham, Avraham: and he said, Hineni.
God sees what Laban is doing to Jacob, God calls him in a dream. Genesis 31:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV) 11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. Bereshis 31:11-12 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 11 And the Malach HaElohim spoke unto me in a chalom saying, Ya’akov: And I said, Hineni. 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the male goats leaping upon the tzon are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Lavan doeth unto thee.
Jacob’s journey to Egypt to meet his son Joseph who is alive and well. Genesis 46:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV) 46 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” Bereshis 46:1-2 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 46 And Yisroel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Be’erah Sheva, and offered zevakhim unto Elohei Aviv Yitzchak. 2 And Elohim spoke unto Yisroel in the marot halailah, and said, Ya’akov, Ya’akov. And he said, Hineni.
Moses encounters the living God in middle of the burning bush Exodus 3:4 New King James Version (NKJV) 4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Shemot 3:4 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 4 And when Hashem saw that he turned aside to see, Elohim called out unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moshe, Moshe. And he said, Hineni.
Samuel is called three times by God. 1 Samuel 3:10 New King James Version (NKJV) 10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” Shmuel Alef 3:10 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 10 And Hashem came, and stood, and called as at other times, Shmuel, Shmuel. Then Shmuel answered, Speak; for Thy eved shomei’a. (Please read the whole chapter for better appreciation.)
Isaiah’s lips are purged in his vision and responds to the call of God. Isaiah 6:8 New King James Version (NKJV) 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Yeshayah 6:8 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 8 Also I heard the voice of Adonoi, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Hineni; send me.
Adam and Eve Adam and Eve are hiding from God after eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:8-10). God asks, “Where are you” (in Hebrew: Ayyekkah?) but instead of answering “Here we are,” Adam comes up with a complaining excuse for hiding. To the divine call Adam failed, and blamed his wife as the cause of his disobedience.
In the Hebrew, Hineni is also the response of a father giving total attention when his child is calling to him. Isaac on his way to Mount Moriah was carrying the wood but he couldn't see the lamb of the sacrifice, so he calls his father Abraham for an explanation. He answers him giving complete attention to his concern. God answers us with the same diligence, when we are close and call to Him.
The Father response Genesis 22:7 English Standard Version (ESV) 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Bereshis 22:7 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 7 And Yitzchak spoke unto Avraham his father, and said, Avi (My father): and he said, Hineni, beni (Here am I, my son). And he said, Hinei, the eish (fire) and the wood: but where is the seh (lamb) for a burnt offering? [YESHAYAH 53:7]
When you cry out to God, Where are You? He will respond: Hineni I AM here.
Isaiah 58:6-9 New King James Version (NKJV) Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
Yeshayah 58:8-9 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) 8 Then shall thy light break forth like the shachar (dawn), and thine healing titzmach (shall spring forth; Tzemach) speedily; and thy tzedek shall go before thee; the kavod Hashem shall be thy rearguard. 9 Then shalt thou call, and Hashem shall answer; thou shalt cry for help, and He shall say, Hineni!
God is calling us with an “Ayyekkak” Where are you?
Is He calling you to put upon the altar of sacrifice your Isaac?
Is He calling you in the midst of your desperation because you have been cheated and mistreated like Jacob?
Is He calling you out of your familiar comfortable territory and taking you out to an unknown one?
Is He calling you from the burning bush like Moses, asking you to remove your sandals and abandon yourself in His hands?
Or perhaps He has been calling you and you have not completely discerned His voice and you were answering to someone else like Samuel?
Have your lips been cleansed and anointed and He is calling for someone to go for Him like Isaiah?
If you have been seeking His face, not His hand, and you have discerned His voice, then in the moment of your trouble, when you cry out to Him: Where are you? Then as He has always been “standing” HINENI-Here I stand, by your side He swiftly will answer: HINENI -I AM HERE -the reply of a comforting father to his child.
Prophets in the Old Testament used Hineni
2 Kings 4: (NKJV) 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
2 Kings 2:9 (NKJV) 9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
3 versions of Jesus’s questions of “Ayyekkah Where are you?”
- What are you looking for? John 1:38
- Why are you looking for me? Luke 2:49
- What do you want me to do for you? Mark 10:36, Mark 10:51
Jesus said and did what He saw the Father doing. Mark 10:51 (NKJV) 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
Putting this together for us:
The Word Hineni can we pronounced with differing accents like all words but we have adopted the more Jewish version and pronounce it hee-nay-nee.
How to pronounce Hineni: https://www.definitions.net/pronounce/hineni
A deeper meaning from a Jewish rabbi "THERE ARE TWO WAYS to say "I'm here" in Hebrew. Like any language, there are probably lots more, but here are the top two. "Po ani" means I'm here, or I'm present, or just present, the correct form when someone is, say, taking the roll. The more formal or deeper expression is "Hineni" (pronounced hee- nay-nee). It means "Here I am," and is mostly used when God personally calls on someone in the Bible to do something difficult and important. Abraham? "Here I am." Moses? "Here I am." It's very complete and emotionally charged, and implies, "Here I am: ready, willing and able." There's a special prayer on Yom Kippur called "Hineni" which starts, "Here I am in deep humility . . . "
"Here I am" is a powerful and layered statement, but there's another meaning to hineni, even deeper and more resonant: Here I stand. It's not a meek thought; it's a bottom line. "Here I stand. Here I will make my stand. I know what will most likely happen, but it does not matter, since I will not be moving. This is where I am going to make my stand. Hineni."
https://www.weeklystandard.com/larry-miller/hineni
When you look at the Hebrew letters that make up the word Hineni (הנני)
Remember you read Hebrew from right to left- backwards from how we read English & there are no vowels
so if you see the word Hineni (הנני) it can sometimes have dots below the letters to infer vowels like this
Each Hebrew letter was often used in the psalms and old testament as an acrostic to help the people remember scripture like
Almighty God
Blesses his people
Compassionately
Delights in
Everlasting
Faithfulness
etc.
the H ה h
HEY - Man with his arms raised- to look, reveal, Breathe
the Ns נ N
NUN- Seed- a seed, continue, Heir, Son
the Y י y
YAD- Arm with closed hand- to work, throw, worship
So I see so much more in the meaning of this word Hineni for us to contemplate:
H=With arms raised = Look, reveal, Breathe – reminds us of a grounding breath prayer, an intention that we are here, now, present in this moment, seeking a relationship with God
HERE I AM, HERE I STAND
Ns=Seed, continue, heir - reminds us of the promise He has given us, His Spirit working in us and through us eternally
HERE I AM, HERE I STAND
Y=Arm & closed hand – Hand, work, throw, worship – reminds me of the work of sowing and growing, of solitary work-a spiritual practice-that cannot be done alone and its fruit in us is overflowing to others
HERE I AM, HERE I STAND
Ayyekkah Where are you?
Hineni Here I am!