### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **channôwth**, represented by `{{H2589}}`, is rooted in the concept of prayer and means **supplication** or to **be gracious, intreated**. Though it appears only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**, its usage captures a powerful sense of earnest pleading in moments of deep distress. It describes an appeal for favor or grace, whether directed toward God or another person.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The two occurrences of `{{H2589}}` highlight its use in contexts of profound suffering. In the psalmist's lament, it forms a desperate question: "Hath God forgotten to **be gracious**?" [[Psalms 77:9]]. Here, it probes the very nature of God's character in a time of perceived abandonment. In a different context, Job uses the word to describe his personal anguish, stating his breath is strange to his wife, "though I **intreated** for the children's sake of mine own body" [[Job 19:17]]. This shows the word applied to a deeply personal and human appeal for compassion.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Psalms 77:9]] illuminate the despair surrounding this plea for grace:
* `{{H7911}}` **shâkach** (forget): Defined as "to mislay, i.e. to be oblivious of... forget." It is paired directly with `{{H2589}}` to ask if it is possible for God to forget his graciousness.
* `{{H639}}` **ʼaph** (anger): Meaning "ire; anger... wrath," this word presents the force that threatens to overwhelm God's grace in the psalmist's cry.
* `{{H7356}}` **racham** (tender mercies): Meaning "compassion... tender love, (great, tender) mercy, pity," this is the attribute that the psalmist fears has been "shut up" by God's anger [[Psalms 77:9]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2589}}` is concentrated in its ability to express a fundamental cry of the soul.
* **A Plea Amidst Divine Silence:** In [[Psalms 77:9]], the word is at the heart of a theological crisis. The supplication is a challenge born of suffering, questioning if God's anger `{{H639}}` can cause Him to forget to be gracious and shut up His tender mercies `{{H7356}}`.
* **Supplication in Human Rejection:** Job's use of the term brings the concept to the human level. He "intreated" his own wife, showing that this same type of desperate appeal for favor exists within the most intimate of human relationships during times of trial.
* **The Essence of Prayer:** Derived from a root meaning prayer, `{{H2589}}` encapsulates the act of supplication itself, a vulnerable appeal for grace from a higher power or from a fellow human being.
### Summary
In summary, while rare, `{{H2589}}` is a poignant term for **supplication** and **intreaty**. Its two appearances powerfully illustrate the dual nature of this human experience: the theological cry to a seemingly distant God and the personal plea to an estranged loved one. The word **channôwth** captures the raw essence of asking for grace when it feels most absent.
TRV