Bible Word Study
אֱלִיפָל
ʼĔlîyphâl · Eliphal, an Israelite
אֱלִיפָל
Eliphal, an Israelite
Definition
Eliphal is a proper name given to one of King David's mighty warriors, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:35. The name means 'God of judgment' or 'God has judged,' reflecting a common Hebrew naming convention that invokes divine attributes or actions. As a personal name, it does not have multiple senses or meanings; it functions solely to identify this specific individual within the biblical narrative. His sole mention is in the list of David's valiant men, placing him in a context of military loyalty and renown.
Biblical Usage
The name Eliphal is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 11:35. It appears within a catalog of King David's most celebrated warriors, specifically in the list of the 'Thirty' or 'Thirty and Three' (1 Chronicles 11:10-47). This context is exclusively historical and genealogical, serving to memorialize the individuals who supported David's kingdom. There are no other usages or patterns, as it is a unique personal identifier.
Etymology
Eliphal (אֱלִיפָל) is a compound name derived from two Hebrew elements: 'El' (אֵל, H410), meaning 'God,' and a form of the verb 'palal' (פָּלַל, H6419), meaning 'to judge' or 'to intercede.' Thus, the name literally translates to 'God of judgment' or 'God has judged.' This follows a standard pattern for Hebrew theophoric names, where a divine title ('El') is combined with a verb or noun describing God's character or action.
Semantic Range
While the name Eliphal itself is not theologically loaded, its etymology points to the biblical concept of God as the righteous judge. Understanding the name's meaning ('God of judgment') can enrich the reading of 1 Chronicles 11 by subtly reminding the reader that the exploits of David's warriors occurred under the sovereignty and judgment of God. It reflects the Israelite practice of embedding theological truths into personal identity. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often semantically significant, conveying hopes, character traits, or acknowledgments of divine action. Eliphal, meaning 'God of judgment,' likely expressed the parents' faith in or experience of God's justice. Being listed among David's mighty men was a high cultural honor, denoting exceptional bravery, skill, and loyalty to the king during the establishment of his monarchy. Eliphelet (אֱלִיפֶלֶט, H467) — Another theophoric name meaning 'God is deliverance,' also borne by one of David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23:34).
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]