Bible Word Study
אֱלִישׁוּעַ
ʼĔlîyshûwaʻ · Elishua, the son of King David
אֱלִישׁוּעַ
Elishua, the son of King David
Definition
Elishua is a proper name given to one of King David's sons, as recorded in the biblical genealogies. The name means 'God of supplication' or 'God of riches,' reflecting a theophoric element common in Hebrew names. He is listed among the sons born to David in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:15, 1 Chronicles 14:5). While the name itself is not associated with multiple meanings, its significance lies in its composition and its bearer's place in the Davidic lineage.
Biblical Usage
The name Elishua appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the context of listing King David's children. It is found in the historical books of 2 Samuel 5:15 and 1 Chronicles 14:5, where it serves to document the royal offspring born after David established his capital in Jerusalem. There are no narrative stories or distinct patterns of usage beyond these genealogical records.
Etymology
Elishua is derived from two Hebrew elements: 'El' (H410, אֵל), meaning 'God,' and 'shua' (H7769, שׁוּעַ), which can mean 'cry for help' (supplication) or 'wealth' (riches). Thus, the name can be interpreted as 'God of supplication' or 'God of riches.' It is a theophoric name, a common practice in ancient Israel where divine names or titles were incorporated into personal names to express devotion or attribute a characteristic to God.
Semantic Range
As a theophoric name borne by a son of David, Elishua subtly reinforces the theological importance of the Davidic covenant and lineage, through which the Messiah would come. Understanding the name's meaning—'God of supplication' or 'God of riches'—highlights how personal names in Scripture often served as declarations of faith or reminders of God's nature. It enriches reading by connecting individual identities in genealogies to broader themes of divine provision and relationship. In ancient Israelite culture, names were deeply meaningful, often reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or attributes of God. Elishua, as a royal name, signifies the integration of faith into the identity of the king's household. The dual possible meanings ('supplication' or 'riches') may reflect either a focus on divine reliance or acknowledgment of God as the source of prosperity, both relevant in the context of David's reign. Eliyahu (ʼEliyāhû, H452) — another theophoric name meaning 'Yahweh is my God,' belonging to the prophet Elijah. Elisha (ʼElishaʻ, H477) — a similar name meaning 'God is salvation,' borne by Elijah's successor. Both share the 'El' element but have distinct second components and refer to different significant biblical figures.
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]