Hineni

Hineni is a Hebrew phrase meaning "here I am." The form is used in Biblical Hebrew to express readiness, attention, or willingness to respond to a call or command. It denotes a person's immediate presence and forthright acceptance of what is being asked, often in a formal or solemn context.

In the biblical narrative, Hineni appears in key moments of obedience. Abraham answers God's call with Hineni in the Genesis narrative, signaling his readiness to comply with a divine command. The prophet Samuel responds with Hineni when God calls him as a boy in 1 Samuel. Moses and others similarly respond when summoned at the burning bush in Exodus, signaling availability to undertake divine missions. These occurrences have made Hineni a standard expression of readiness in Jewish interpretive tradition.

In Jewish thought, Hineni is understood as more than a simple statement of presence; it is a stance of devotion and willingness to engage with divine will, often accompanied by humility and responsibility. Beyond Scripture, the term appears in rabbinic literature and is used in liturgical settings to convey readiness to receive and act upon God's word. In modern Hebrew, it survives as a general expression of "I am here" or "I stand ready."