To BE GRACIOUS, show favour freely — the root behind chen ('favour') and behind the names Hannah, Hanan, and (through Hebrew Yochanan) JOHN, 'Jehovah has been gracious.' Joseph uses it as a blessing over the little brother he has not seen in twenty-two years and cannot yet claim: 'God be gracious to you, my son' (43:29). It is the last thing he manages to say before his compassion overwhelms him and he leaves the room. ⚠ The same verb form this entry's own transliteration already anticipated, yechonkha, does its most famous work in the priestly blessing — 'Jehovah make his face shine on you, and be gracious to you' (Numbers 6:25, already on these pages) — the single verse most English speakers who have never opened a Hebrew Bible could still recognize by sound. → first discussed at Gen 43:29