יְהוֹנָדָב
Jehonadab, the name of an Israelite and of an Arab
Definition
יְהוֹנָדָב (Jehonadab) is a proper name meaning 'Yahweh is generous' or 'Yahweh has impelled.' It refers to two distinct biblical figures. First, it denotes Jonadab, the shrewd and cunning friend of Amnon in 2 Samuel 13:5, who devised the plan that led to Amnon's rape of Tamar. Second, and more prominently, it refers to Jehonadab son of Rechab, a strict Rechabite leader who allied with King Jehu in purging Baal worship from Israel (2 Kings 10:15-23). This Jehonadab is later upheld in Jeremiah 35 as a model of obedience for his clan's adherence to a nomadic, ascetic lifestyle in contrast to Judah's disobedience.
Biblical Usage
The name appears seven times in the Old Testament. In its first usage (2 Samuel 13:3, 5), it refers to David's nephew, Jonadab, a character associated with deception in a narrative of personal tragedy. All other occurrences refer to Jehonadab the Rechabite. In 2 Kings 10:15-23, he is an ally to Jehu's religious reforms. In Jeremiah 35:6-19, he is the revered ancestor whose commands the Rechabites faithfully obey, serving as a prophetic object lesson against Judah's faithlessness to God.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: יְהוֹ (Yᵉhô), a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (H3068), and נָדַב (nādab, H5068), meaning 'to be generous,' 'to impel,' or 'to incite.' Thus, the name signifies 'Yahweh is generous' or 'Yahweh has impelled.' A variant form, יוֹנָדָב (Yônādāb, H3122), exists, which uses a shorter form of the divine name.
Semantic Range
Jehonadab the Rechabite is a significant theological figure representing radical obedience and separation for religious purity. His alliance with Jehu highlights zealous action for Yahweh's exclusive worship. In Jeremiah 35, his legacy becomes a powerful prophetic symbol: the faithful obedience of a clan to a human command shames Judah's disobedience to divine commands. This contrast underscores themes of covenant faithfulness, the blessings of obedience, and the severe consequences of apostasy.
As a Rechabite, Jehonadab led a clan that rejected settled agricultural life (Jeremiah 35:7), abstaining from wine, building houses, and planting vineyards. This nomadic, ascetic lifestyle was likely a protest against Canaanite cultural assimilation and a commitment to preserving a distinct identity as followers of Yahweh. His name, invoking Yahweh's generosity, reflects a deep integration of faith and cultural practice.
יוֹנָדָב (Yônādāb, H3122) — A variant spelling of the same name, used for the same two individuals (e.g., 2 Samuel 13:32, Jeremiah 35:6).
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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