לִקְחִי

Likchi, an Israelite

Definition

Likchi is a proper name of an Israelite man, appearing only once in the Hebrew Bible. He is identified as a son of Shemidah, who was a descendant of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:19). The name is part of a genealogical list detailing the family lineages of the tribe of Manasseh. As a proper noun, it refers solely to this individual and carries no other semantic senses or meanings in the biblical text.

Biblical Usage

The word is used exclusively in 1 Chronicles 7:19 within a genealogical record. It functions solely to identify a specific person in the lineage of the tribe of Manasseh. There are no patterns of usage across different books or contexts, as it is a unique, hapax legomenon (a word occurring only once).

Etymology

The name Likchi (לִקְחִי) is derived from the Hebrew root לָקַח (laqach, H3947), which means 'to take, receive, or acquire.' It is a noun formed from this root, likely in a participial or gentilic form, and can be understood to mean 'learned,' 'acquired,' or 'my acquisition.' This follows a common Hebrew naming convention where personal names are formed from verbs or nouns describing an attribute or a statement (often about God).

Semantic Range

In ancient Israelite culture, names often held significant meaning, reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or attributes. Likchi's name, meaning 'learned' or 'my acquisition,' may have indicated a valued or welcomed child. Its placement in a genealogy underscores the importance of family lineage and tribal identity in preserving the history and inheritance of the people of Israel.

Word Details

Scripture References