רִנָּה
Rinnah, an Israelite
Definition
Rinnah is a proper noun referring to an individual listed in the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4:20. As a personal name, it carries the meaning of 'shout' or 'joyful cry,' derived from its common noun counterpart. The name appears only once in the biblical text, identifying Rinnah as a descendant of Judah through the line of Shimon. This single occurrence places Rinnah within the extensive genealogical records that establish the tribal lineages of Israel.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper name for a person in the Old Testament. Its sole occurrence is in 1 Chronicles 4:20, within a genealogical list: 'The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon.' It functions solely to identify an individual within the tribe of Judah's lineage, with no narrative or descriptive context provided beyond the list.
Etymology
The name Rinnah is identical to the common Hebrew feminine noun רִנָּה (rinnâh, H7440), which means 'shout,' 'cry of joy,' 'jubilation,' or 'singing.' It is derived from the root רָנַן (rānan, H7442), meaning 'to shout for joy' or 'to sing.' As a personal name, it likely reflects a positive attribute or hope, a common practice in Hebrew onomastics (name-giving).
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive, conveying hopes, character traits, or circumstances. Naming a child Rinnah ('joyful shout') likely expressed parental joy at the birth or a hope for a life characterized by praise and jubilation. Its use in a genealogy underscores the importance of lineage and identity within the covenant community of Judah.
רִנָּה (rinnâh, H7440) — This is the identical common noun meaning 'shout of joy,' from which the personal name is directly taken. רָנַן (rānan, H7442) — The verbal root meaning 'to shout for joy, to sing,' which is the source for the noun. תְּרוּעָה (terûʿâh, H8643) — A different Hebrew word for a loud shout, blast, or alarm, often used for war cries or trumpet blasts, less focused on pure joy.
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 →