Bible Word Study
אֱלִיעָם
ʼĔlîyʻâm · Eliam, an Israelite
אֱלִיעָם
Eliam, an Israelite
Definition
Eliam is a proper name meaning 'God of the people' or 'my God is kinsman.' It is borne by two distinct individuals in the Old Testament. The first is the father of Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, who later became King David's wife (2 Samuel 11:3). The second is a son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, one of David's mighty warriors (2 Samuel 23:34). The name signifies a personal or familial connection to God as the protector of a community.
Biblical Usage
The name Eliam appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in 2 Samuel. It is used to identify two different men within the narrative of King David's reign. In 2 Samuel 11:3, it identifies Bathsheba's father, connecting her to a notable Israelite family during the story of David's adultery. In 2 Samuel 23:34, it identifies a warrior in David's elite military force, listed among the 'Thirty.'
Etymology
The name Eliam (אֱלִיעָם) is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'El' (אֵל, H410), meaning 'God,' and 'am' (עַם, H5971), meaning 'people' or 'kinsman.' It is constructed similarly to other Hebrew theophoric names (names containing God's name), expressing a relationship where God is seen as the divine patron or protector of a people group or family.
Semantic Range
While a personal name, Eliam's meaning, 'God of the people,' reflects a core biblical theme of God's covenant relationship with Israel. Its appearance in the lineage of Bathsheba (Matthew 1:6 lists her as 'Uriah's wife') connects it subtly to the Davidic line and, ultimately, the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Understanding the name highlights how individuals in biblical narratives were often identified by their relationship to God and community. In ancient Israel, names were deeply significant, often describing character, destiny, or a family's theological affirmation. A name like Eliam served as a constant reminder of God's covenantal presence and protection over an individual's family or clan. It differs from modern naming conventions, which are often chosen for sound or family tradition rather than explicit theological meaning. Eliab (אֱלִיאָב, H446) — Means 'My God is father'; another theophoric name emphasizing God's paternal role. Ammiel (עַמִּיאֵל, H5988) — Means 'My kinsman is God'; a similar compound with the elements reversed.
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]