יַחְלְאֵל
Jachleel, an Israelite
Definition
Yachlᵉʼêl (Jachleel) is a proper name belonging to an Israelite, specifically a son of Zebulun according to the genealogical records in Genesis 46:14 and Numbers 26:26. As a personal name, it carries the meaning 'expectant of God' or 'may God wait/endure,' derived from its constituent parts. It functions solely as an identifier for this individual within the tribal lineage of Zebulun, with no other semantic senses or variations in its biblical usage.
Biblical Usage
The name Yachlᵉʼêl appears exclusively in two Old Testament genealogical lists detailing the descendants of Jacob's son Zebulun. In Genesis 46:14, it is listed among the sons of Zebulun who went down to Egypt with Jacob. In Numbers 26:26, it appears again as the name of a Zebulunite clan, the 'Jachleelites,' counted in the census of the second generation in the wilderness. Its usage is strictly onomastic and genealogical.
Etymology
The name Yachlᵉʼêl is a compound of the Hebrew verb יָחַל (yāḥal, H3176), meaning 'to wait, hope, expect,' and the noun אֵל (ʼēl, H410), meaning 'God.' Thus, the name translates literally as 'expectant of God' or 'may God wait.' It is a theophoric name, common in Hebrew, where a divine element (El) is combined with an action or attribute, expressing hope or dependence on God.
Semantic Range
While primarily a personal name, Yachlᵉʼêl embodies a significant theological concept through its etymology. It encapsulates the posture of hopeful waiting upon God (יָחַל), a key theme in the Psalms and Prophets (e.g., Psalm 33:20, Isaiah 40:31). Understanding its meaning transforms it from a mere genealogical entry into a miniature confession of faith, reminding the reader that even the individuals listed in Israel's lineage lived in a relationship of expectation and hope in the God of their fathers.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive and carried meaning about character, circumstances, or parental hopes. A name like Yachlᵉʼêl ('expectant of God') likely reflected the parents' faith or a vow. Its preservation in tribal clan lists (Numbers 26:26) indicates it became an established family or sub-tribal identity, showing how personal names could evolve into enduring social and administrative units within the nation.
Yᵉhôyāḵîn (H3078) — A royal name meaning 'the LORD establishes,' sharing the theme of hope/trust in God but with a different verbal root (כּוּן). Yᵉḥizqîʼēl (H3169) — Meaning 'God strengthens,' another theophoric El-name expressing a different divine action.
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 →