בִּנְעָא
Bina or Binah, an Israelite
Definition
בִּנְעָא (Binʻâʼ) is a proper noun referring to an Israelite man, a descendant of King Saul through Jonathan. He is listed in the genealogies of the tribe of Benjamin in 1 Chronicles 8:37 and 1 Chronicles 9:43. The name appears in two slightly different forms in the Hebrew text (בִּנְעָא and בִּנְעָה), but both refer to the same individual. His inclusion highlights the continuity of Saul's lineage after his death, connecting the tragic first king to the post-exilic community.
Biblical Usage
This name is used exclusively in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles, specifically in two parallel passages (1 Chronicles 8:37 and 9:43) that trace the lineage of King Saul. In both instances, Binah is listed as the son of Moza and the father of Rephaiah, placing him in the direct line from Saul's son Jonathan. This usage is purely for historical and genealogical identification within the tribe of Benjamin.
Etymology
The etymology of בִּנְעָא is uncertain. Scholars suggest it may be derived from the Hebrew root בִּין (bîn, H995), meaning 'to understand' or 'discern,' which would connect it to the concept of wisdom or discernment. However, this connection is not definitive, and the name's precise origin and meaning remain unclear, as noted in the biblical text itself.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its placement in Scripture is significant. Binah's inclusion in the Chronicler's genealogy (1 Chronicles 9:40-44) serves to reaffirm God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant by showing that even the lineage of Saul, David's rejected predecessor, was preserved and recorded. It underscores the biblical theme that God remembers and accounts for all families within His people, even those associated with failure.
In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried meaning related to character, circumstances of birth, or divine attributes. While the meaning of Binah is uncertain, its preservation in a formal genealogy indicates his family's recognized status within the tribe of Benjamin. Genealogies were crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, and, for the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, royal and priestly lineages.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper name. Other Benjaminite names in the same genealogy, like Rephaiah (H7509, his son) or Moza (H4162, his father), are distinct individuals.
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.
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