אֶלְחָנָן
Elchanan, an Israelite
Definition
Elchanan is a Hebrew proper name meaning 'God is gracious' or 'God has been gracious.' In the Bible, it refers to an Israelite warrior from Bethlehem, noted for his military prowess. He is most famously recorded as the slayer of Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, in 1 Chronicles 20:5. In 2 Samuel 21:19, a parallel account credits Elchanan with killing 'Goliath the Gittite,' a discrepancy often harmonized by noting that Chronicles provides the more detailed familial identification (Lahmi, brother of Goliath), while the Samuel account may use 'Goliath' as a representative title for the Philistine champion's lineage.
Biblical Usage
The name Elchanan appears exclusively in military contexts within the historical books of Samuel and Chronicles. He is listed among King David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23:24, 1 Chronicles 11:26), indicating his status as an elite warrior. His most significant action is defeating a key Philistine champion, as recorded in both 2 Samuel 21:19 and 1 Chronicles 20:5, though with the noted variation in the specific opponent's name.
Etymology
The name Elchanan (אֶלְחָנָן) is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'El' (אֵל, H410), meaning 'God,' and the verb 'chanan' (חָנַן, H2603), meaning 'to be gracious' or 'to show favor.' It is a theophoric name, common in Israelite culture, that declares a characteristic or action of God. It is essentially synonymous with the more common name 'John' (Yochanan) in meaning, differing in the divine element used ('El' versus the short form 'Yah' or 'Yo').
Semantic Range
As a theophoric name meaning 'God is gracious,' Elchanan serves as a personal, lived testimony to the foundational biblical truth of God's gracious character. His story, particularly his victory over a Philistine giant, echoes the theme that God's grace empowers His people for seemingly impossible tasks, paralleling the more famous narrative of David and Goliath. Understanding the name reinforces that Israel's military successes were ultimately attributed to God's gracious intervention on behalf of His covenant people.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive and carried significant meaning. A name like Elchanan was not just a label but a statement of faith or a parent's gratitude for God's favor, possibly given after a longed-for birth. His role as one of David's 'mighty men' (gibborim) placed him in a prestigious warrior class, essential for establishing and securing the kingdom. The textual variation between Samuel and Chronicles regarding his defeated foe reflects different historical sources or scribal traditions, a common feature in ancient Near Eastern historical records.
Yochanan (יְהוֹחָנָן, H3076) — Shares the same root (חנן) and core meaning 'Yahweh is gracious,' but uses the divine name Yahweh (יהו).
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 →