יׇגְלִי
Jogli, an Israelite
Definition
Jogli is a proper name meaning 'He (God) is exiled' or 'He will be exiled,' derived from the Hebrew root for exile. In the Bible, Jogli appears only once as the name of a Danite leader, the father of Bukki (Numbers 34:22). He was appointed as a representative from the tribe of Dan to assist in the division of the land of Canaan after the Israelite conquest. The name itself, while belonging to an individual, carries the etymological sense of banishment or removal, reflecting a theme present in Israel's history.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively as a proper noun in the Old Testament, occurring only in Numbers 34:22. It identifies Jogli as the father of Bukki, a prince from the tribe of Dan who was chosen to help distribute the Promised Land. The usage is purely genealogical and administrative within the context of land allocation.
Etymology
The name Jogli (יָגְלִי) comes from the Hebrew root גָּלָה (galah, H1540), meaning 'to uncover, remove, go into exile.' It is a theophoric name, likely a shortened form incorporating the divine name (Yahweh), meaning 'Yahweh is exiled' or 'May Yahweh show himself.' It follows a common naming pattern where God's action or attribute is declared.
Semantic Range
While the name Jogli itself is not theologically central, its etymology from 'exile' connects to the broader biblical theme of God's presence amidst displacement. The naming may reflect a parental hope or acknowledgment of God's sovereignty even in times of judgment or wandering, as seen in the Exodus and later captivities. Understanding this root enriches the perception of how Israelites viewed their identity and God's role in their historical journey.
In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried significant meaning, reflecting circumstances, hopes, or divine attributes. A name meaning 'exiled' might indicate a family's experience of displacement or a theological affirmation of God's involvement in all life situations, including hardship. It differs from modern naming conventions, which are often less semantically loaded.
גָּלָה (galah, H1540) — the root verb meaning 'to uncover, go into exile.'
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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