Bible Word Study
אֲחִינָדָב
ʼĂchîynâdâb · Achinadab, an Israelite
אֲחִינָדָב
Achinadab, an Israelite
Definition
Achinadab is a personal name meaning 'my brother is noble' or 'brother of liberality.' He is identified as an Israelite official who served as one of King Solomon's twelve district governors, responsible for supplying provisions for the royal household. His specific district was Mahanaim, a region east of the Jordan River (1 Kings 4:14). The name signifies a familial bond ('brother') combined with a quality of nobility or willing generosity.
Biblical Usage
The name Achinadab appears only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings 4:14. It is used in a purely administrative and genealogical context, listing him among Solomon's appointed governors. There is no narrative or dialogue associated with him; his mention serves solely to document the structure of Solomon's kingdom.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'ach (H251), meaning 'brother,' and nadab (H5068), a verb meaning 'to be willing, incite, or offer freely.' Thus, the name literally translates to 'brother of liberality' or 'my brother is noble,' suggesting a character associated with willing generosity or noble conduct.
Semantic Range
While Achinadab himself is a minor figure, his inclusion highlights the theme of divinely ordained order and administration during Solomon's peaceful reign, a fulfillment of God's promise of rest (1 Chronicles 22:9). His name's meaning ('brother of liberality') can subtly point to the ideal of generous, willing service within a community, a value upheld in Israel's law and wisdom literature. In ancient Israelite culture, names often conveyed hopes about a person's character or destiny. A name like Achinadab, emphasizing brotherhood and nobility, reflects values of familial loyalty and honorable conduct. His role as a district governor under Solomon illustrates the centralized administrative system of the united monarchy, where officials were tasked with sustaining the king's court. Ahimaaz (ʼĂchîymaʻats, H290) — another compound name with 'ach (brother), but the second element implies 'anger' or 'strength.' Nadab (Nâdâb, H5070) — shares the root for 'willing/noble,' but is a standalone name, notably borne by Aaron's son.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]