אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן
Elon of Beth-chanan, a place in Palestine
Definition
אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן (Elon Beth-chanan) is a proper noun identifying a specific location in ancient Israel. It is best understood as a place name meaning 'Oak-grove of the House of Favor' or 'Oak of Beth-hanan.' This site is mentioned only once in the Bible, in 1 Kings 4:9, where it is listed as one of the districts under the administration of Ben-Deker, an official of King Solomon. The name suggests it was a settlement or estate notable for its oak trees and possibly associated with a person or family named Hanan. As a geographical marker, it helps define the extent of Solomon's administrative organization in the tribe of Dan.
Biblical Usage
This compound place name is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings 4:9. It appears in a purely administrative and geographical context as part of a list detailing the twelve officers responsible for providing food for Solomon's royal household. The usage provides no narrative detail about the place itself but serves to document the structure of Solomon's kingdom. It is grouped with other towns in the territory allotted to the tribe of Dan.
Etymology
The name is a compound of three Hebrew elements: אֵילוֹן (ʼêylôwn, H356), meaning 'oak' or 'oak-grove'; בַּיִת (bayith, H1004), meaning 'house'; and חָנַן (chânan, H2603), a verb meaning 'to be gracious' or 'to show favor.' The name thus literally translates to 'Oak-grove of the House of Favor.' It likely originated as a descriptive name for a settlement situated near a prominent grove of oak trees, possibly belonging to or founded by someone named Hanan ('gracious one').
Semantic Range
In ancient Israel, place names often described physical geography (like an oak grove) or commemorated individuals or families. Oaks were significant trees, often associated with strength, longevity, and sometimes sacred sites (e.g., Genesis 12:6, 13:18). The element 'House of...' could indicate a familial estate or a small settlement. This name reflects the common practice of identifying locations by their natural features and their human associations, providing a snapshot of the cultural and physical landscape of Solomon's united kingdom.
אֵילוֹן (ʼÊylôwn, H356) — A simpler place name meaning 'oak-grove,' such as Elon in Judges 12:12. בֵּית (Bêyth, H1004) — A common prefix in place names (e.g., Bethlehem, Bethel) meaning 'house of.'
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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