עֲטָרָה
Atarah, an Israelitess
Definition
עֲטָרָה (Atarah) is a proper noun referring to an Israelite woman named Atarah, who is mentioned only once in the Bible. She is identified as the wife of Jerahmeel and the mother of Onam (1 Chronicles 2:26). The name itself is identical to the common Hebrew noun עֲטָרָה (H5850), meaning 'crown' or 'wreath,' suggesting her name likely carried the symbolic meaning of 'crown' or 'adornment.' As a personal name, it does not carry multiple senses, but its singular biblical appearance places her within the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively as a proper name for an individual in the Old Testament. It appears only in 1 Chronicles 2:26 within a genealogical list detailing the descendants of Judah through Jerahmeel. The context is purely genealogical, listing family relationships without narrative detail about her life or actions.
Etymology
The name עֲטָרָה (ʻĂṭârâh) is derived directly from the common noun עֲטָרָה (ʻaṭārâh, H5850), meaning 'crown,' 'wreath,' or 'garland.' It is a feminine noun used literally for a royal or ceremonial headpiece and metaphorically for honor or glory. As a personal name, it follows a common Hebrew practice of using nouns denoting beauty, value, or divine attributes.
Semantic Range
While the individual Atarah is not a focus of theological narrative, her inclusion in the genealogy of Judah (1 Chronicles 2) is significant. These genealogies establish the lineage leading to King David and, ultimately, to Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3, 16). Understanding that her name means 'crown' can symbolically remind readers of the royal, messianic line being traced, where even names in a list can point to God's sovereign plan for redemption through Judah's tribe.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful and descriptive. Bestowing the name 'Atarah' (Crown) upon a daughter likely expressed the parents' hopes for her honor, beauty, or valued status within the family. Its use in a genealogy underscores the importance of lineage and inheritance in Israel's social and religious identity.
כֶּתֶר (kether, H3805) — another word for 'crown,' often with a more regal or royal connotation. נֵזֶר (nezer, H5145) — 'consecrated crown' or 'diadem,' often related to priestly or Nazirite dedication. צָנִיף (tsanîyph, H6797) — 'turban' or 'head-wrap,' sometimes translated as a type of crown or headdress.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →