Bible Word Study
הוֹדַוְיָה
Hôwdavyâh · Hodavjah, the name of three Israelites
הוֹדַוְיָה
Hodavjah, the name of three Israelites
Definition
Hodavjah is a Hebrew personal name meaning 'majesty of Yah' or 'praise of Yahweh.' It is borne by three distinct individuals in the Old Testament. The first is a chief of the half-tribe of Manasseh, noted for his valor (1 Chronicles 5:24). The second is a descendant of Judah who returned from exile (1 Chronicles 9:7). The third is the head of a priestly family whose descendants also returned from exile (Ezra 2:40; Nehemiah 7:43). While the name is the same, the biblical context distinguishes these three separate figures.
Biblical Usage
The name Hodavjah appears exclusively in post-exilic historical books (Chronicles, Ezra) listing genealogies and returnees from the Babylonian captivity. It is used to identify specific individuals within tribal and priestly lineages. In 1 Chronicles 5:24, it identifies a warrior-leader from the Transjordanian tribes. In 1 Chronicles 9:7 and Ezra 2:40 (parallel Nehemiah 7:43), it identifies heads of families belonging to the tribes of Judah and Levi, respectively, who re-established life in Judah.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'Hôd' (H1935), meaning 'splendor,' 'majesty,' or 'praise,' and 'Yah' (H3050), the shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (the LORD). It is a theophoric name, common in Israelite culture, which intentionally incorporates God's name to express a characteristic or action of God. Similar constructions include Hodiah (Hod + Yah) and names ending with '-iah' or '-yahu.'
Semantic Range
As a theophoric name, Hodavjah serves as a constant, personal reminder of God's majestic character ('Hod') and covenantal presence ('Yah'). It reflects the Israelite practice of embedding faith and identity within one's very name. For modern readers, encountering such names highlights how deeply theology was woven into everyday life in ancient Israel, pointing individuals and communities toward the glory and praise of Yahweh. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive and carried significant meaning. A name like Hodavjah, declaring 'majesty of Yahweh,' would have functioned as a daily confession of faith and a statement of identity within the covenant community. It aligns with the common practice of using theophoric names to invoke God's protection and attribute praise to Him, especially in the post-exilic period as the people sought to re-establish their religious identity. Hodiah (H1939) — A similar name ('majesty of Yah') borne by a different individual. Yehoyada (Y3077) — A name with a different first element ('Yahweh knows').
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]