Bible Word Study
עִילַי
ʻÎylay · Ilai, an Israelite
עִילַי
Ilai, an Israelite
Definition
עִילַי (ʻÎylay) is a proper noun referring to Ilai, one of King David's mighty warriors, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:29. The name is derived from a root meaning 'elevated' or 'high,' possibly signifying a person of stature or exalted character. As a personal name, it carries no other distinct meanings or senses in the biblical text. Ilai is listed among David's elite military leaders, specifically noted in the context of his 'Thirty' warriors, highlighting his role as a loyal and valiant supporter of the king.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 11:29, where it identifies 'Ilai the Ahohite' as one of David's mighty men. The context is a historical list of warriors who demonstrated exceptional bravery and loyalty to David, particularly during his rise to power and establishment of his kingdom. The usage is purely as a personal name within a genealogical and military record, with no narrative or poetic development elsewhere in Scripture.
Etymology
The name עִילַי (ʻÎylay) is derived from the Hebrew root עָלָה (ʻālâ, H5927), meaning 'to go up, ascend, or be high.' It is related to words expressing elevation, such as עֹלָה (ʻōlâ, 'burnt offering,' something that ascends) and עֶלְיוֹן (ʻelyôn, 'Most High,' a title for God). As a proper name, Ilai likely conveys the sense of 'exalted one' or 'high one,' reflecting a positive attribute or hope associated with the individual.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names often held significant meaning, reflecting character traits, parental hopes, or divine attributes. Ilai, meaning 'elevated,' may have been given to signify honor, status, or aspiration. As one of David's mighty men, Ilai would have been part of a warrior class esteemed for courage and loyalty, integral to the establishment and defense of the Davidic kingdom, which held theological importance for Israel's identity and God's covenant promises. עָלָה (ʻālâ, H5927) — the root verb meaning 'to ascend,' from which Ilai is derived. עֶלְיוֹן (ʻelyôn, H5945) — an adjective meaning 'Most High,' often used as a divine title, sharing the root concept of elevation.
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]