הוֹדְוָה
Hodevah (or Hodevjah), an Israelite
Definition
Hodevah (also spelled Hodevjah) is a proper name referring to an Israelite man listed among the exiles who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. The name appears only in Nehemiah 7:43, within a census record of the 'sons of the province' who came back under the leadership of Zerubbabel. As a personal name, it carries the meaning 'praise of Yah' or 'splendor of Yahweh,' derived from its longer form. There are no other major senses or differing meanings for this specific spelling in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in Nehemiah 7:43. It functions solely as a personal name within a genealogical list. The context is the post-exilic period, where Nehemiah is recounting the register of the first group of returnees. Hodevah is listed among the 'sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono' (Nehemiah 7:37), a group totaling 721 people. No patterns of usage exist beyond this single, administrative occurrence.
Etymology
The name הוֹדְוָה (Hôwdᵉvâh) is a shortened or variant form of the longer name הוֹדַוְיָה (Hôdavyâh, Strong's H1938), which means 'praise of Yah' or 'splendor of Yahweh.' It is a compound name built from the root הוֹד (hôd), meaning 'splendor' or 'majesty,' and a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (יה). This naming convention was common, reflecting the parents' devotion and attributing glory to God.
Semantic Range
While the individual Hodevah is not a major biblical figure, his name is theologically significant. It is a 'theophoric' name, embedding part of God's name (Yahweh) within it. Such names served as constant, personal reminders of God's character and covenant relationship with His people. In the context of the return from exile, a name meaning 'praise of Yah' reflects the hope and worship that motivated the community to rebuild. Understanding this enriches reading by highlighting how identity and faith were intertwined for Israelites, even in simple genealogical records.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were not merely labels but often carried meaning and intention. Giving a child a name like Hodevah ('praise of Yah') was an act of faith, invoking God's blessing and declaring a family's allegiance. The recording of such names in official lists (like Nehemiah 7) was crucial for establishing lineage, inheritance rights, and tribal identity after the dislocation of the exile. This differs from modern naming, where meaning is often secondary to sound or family tradition.
Hodaviah (הוֹדַוְיָה, H1938) — The longer, full form of the same name, meaning 'praise of Yah.' It is used for different individuals (e.g., 1 Chronicles 3:24, 1 Chronicles 9:7).
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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