ὡσαννά

From the study of Matthew 21:9

Range of meaning

It comes from Hebrew hôšîʿâ nnāʾ (Psalm 118:25: ʾānnāʾ YHWH hôšîʿâ nnāʾ, 'Please, LORD, save, please!'). In spoken Aramaic it was shortened to something like hoshaʿna. The root yāšaʿ means to rescue or deliver, and nāʾ adds urgency ('please, now'). By the first century the word had a second life as a fixed shout in festival worship, used when Psalm 118 was sung and branches were waved. In that setting it worked as an acclamation of praise and welcome while still carrying its root meaning of a cry for rescue.

Against the English

Most English versions keep 'Hosanna' untranslated, which preserves the sound but hides the meaning. Many readers take it to be a synonym for 'Hallelujah' or 'Praise God'. The NLT turns it into 'Praise God', which catches how it functioned but loses the 'save!' at its root. Popular explanations that it means only 'save us now!' catch the root but miss that by this time it had become a cry of homage. That is why the crowd can say 'Hosanna to the Son of David'. A pure plea would more naturally be 'save us, Son of David'.

How it drifted

Centuries of use in Christian worship, especially the 'Hosanna in excelsis' of the Sanctus in the Mass and in hymns, made it simply a church word for praise, and the Hebrew plea behind it was forgotten.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament, Psalm 117:25 (the Greek numbering of Psalm 118) translates the phrase rather than transliterating it: ō kyrie, sōson dē, 'O Lord, save now'. The Mishnah, a Jewish law code written down around 200 CE, describes the lulav (palm, myrtle and willow bundle) being shaken at the words 'O LORD, save please' during the Hallel psalms (Sukkah 3:9). It also describes the procession around the altar on the Feast of Tabernacles with the cry 'Ana YHWH hoshiʿa na' (Sukkah 4:5), and the day later took the name Hoshana Rabbah. Didache 10:6 (late 1st or early 2nd century) has 'Hosanna to the God of David' as a liturgical acclamation. Fitzmyer showed that the form is good Palestinian Aramaic and Hebrew of the period.

From the study of John 12:13

Range of meaning

Greek letters spelling a Hebrew or Aramaic phrase: Hebrew hôšî‘āh nā’ (Psalm 118:25), 'save, please! / save now!', or the shorter Aramaic form hôša‘ nā’. The -na ending turns the command into an urgent request. By the first century the phrase had also become a set shout of the festival liturgy, used as much to acclaim as to ask.

Against the English

English treats 'Hosanna' as a churchly word of praise, roughly 'Hooray for God'. Some versions (NLT) translate it 'Praise God!' That keeps the festive mood but loses the request for rescue that the word still carried.

How it drifted

As the shout moved into Christian worship, people lost touch with the Hebrew behind it. The Didache (around AD 100) already has 'Hosanna to the God of David' (10:6), a pure acclamation. Later hymns and Palm Sunday services fixed it as a praise word.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 118:25 in the Hebrew. The Greek Old Testament translates it rather than transliterating it: sōson dē, 'save, then!' (Ps 117:25 LXX). Psalm 118 closed the Hallel (Psalms 113–118), which was sung at Passover, Tabernacles (Sukkot) and Hanukkah. The Mishnah (Sukkah 3:9; 4:5) describes worshippers shaking palm-branch bundles at 'O LORD, save, please' and walking around the altar crying it. In later Jewish usage the willow bundles themselves were called hoshanot, and the seventh day of Tabernacles is Hoshana Rabbah.

From the study of Mark 11:10

Range of meaning

It comes from the Hebrew hôshîʿâ nnāʾ, 'save, please!' or 'save now!', in Psalm 118:25 (ʾānnāʾ YHWH hôshîʿâ nnāʾ, 'O LORD, save, please!'). The Aramaic form hôshaʿ nāʾ sits behind the Greek spelling. By the first century it was a fixed liturgical word, shouted at festivals with waved branches. It had become an acclamation of joy and homage, while still carrying its old meaning: a call to God to rescue his people.

Against the English

English Bibles leave it untranslated (KJV, BSB, ESV, NIV, NASB, WEB). Most readers take it as a synonym for 'Praise the Lord!' or 'Hallelujah'. NLT renders it 'Praise God', which captures how it worked as a shout but drops the 'save' at its root.

How it drifted

Christian worship took it over very early as pure praise. Didache 10:6, around AD 100, already has 'Hosanna to the God of David', where it cannot mean 'save'. Hymns and liturgy kept that sense, and the Hebrew root dropped out of view.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 118:25 (Hebrew). The Greek Old Testament (LXX) translated it as sōson dē, 'save now'. The Gospels transliterate it instead, which shows it had become a fixed formula. Mishnah Sukkah 3:9 and 4:5 describe Psalm 118:25 being sung while waving the lulav (a palm bundle), and processions round the altar at the Feast of Tabernacles. In later Judaism the willow branches themselves were called hoshanot. It appears in Matthew 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9–10; John 12:13; and as an acclamation in Didache 10:6.