Bible Word Study
עֶגְלָה
ʻEglâh · Eglah, a wife of David
עֶגְלָה
Eglah, a wife of David
Definition
Eglah is a proper name meaning 'heifer' or 'young cow,' used to identify one of King David's wives. In the biblical record, she is specifically mentioned as the mother of David's son Ithream (2 Samuel 3:5, 1 Chronicles 3:3). As a proper noun, it functions solely as a personal name and does not carry other semantic senses. The name is identical to the common Hebrew noun for a young female cow, suggesting a symbolic or descriptive origin for the individual.
Biblical Usage
The name Eglah appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in genealogical lists of David's sons born in Hebron. It is used in the historical book of 2 Samuel 3:5 and the later chronicle of 1 Chronicles 3:3, with identical context. Its usage is strictly as a personal identifier within royal family records.
Etymology
Eglah (עֶגְלָה) is derived from the same root as the common noun 'eglah' (H5697), meaning 'heifer' or 'young cow.' It is a feminine noun used as a proper name. The root is shared with words related to circling or rounding, possibly describing the animal's plump, rounded form or its circular motion when yoked.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, Eglah's inclusion in the Davidic lineage highlights God's faithfulness in building David's house, a crucial step toward the Messianic line. Her mention, though brief, contributes to the historical integrity of the biblical record of the kings, affirming the detailed fulfillment of God's promise to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Understanding her name's meaning ('heifer') may reflect cultural naming conventions, reminding readers of the historical and cultural embeddedness of God's redemptive story. Using an animal name like 'Heifer' for a person was common in ancient Semitic cultures, often denoting desired traits like strength, fertility, or value. As a wife of David, Eglah held a significant social position within the royal household in Hebron, contributing to the establishment of his dynasty during his reign over Judah before the unification of Israel. eglah (עֶגְלָה, H5697) — the common noun for 'heifer,' from which the proper name is derived; parah (פָּרָה, H6510) — a more general term for 'cow' or 'heifer.'
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]