Bible Word Study
יַתְנִיאֵל
Yathnîyʼêl · Jathniel, an Israelite
יַתְנִיאֵל
Jathniel, an Israelite
Definition
Yathnîyʼêl (Jathniel) is a proper name meaning 'God endures' or 'continued of God.' It is borne by a single individual in the Old Testament, a Levite from the family of Meshelemiah, who served as a gatekeeper in the temple during the reign of King David (1 Chronicles 26:2). As a proper noun, it has no other semantic senses or differing meanings in other passages. The name itself is a compound theophoric name, combining a concept of endurance or continuance with the divine name El (God).
Biblical Usage
This name is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 26:2. It appears in a genealogical and administrative list detailing the divisions of the Levitical gatekeepers appointed by David for service in the temple. The context is purely identificatory, naming Jathniel as one of the seven sons of Meshelemiah.
Etymology
The name derives from an unused Hebrew root (יתן) meaning 'to endure' or 'to continue,' combined with the divine name אֵל (ʼÊl, H410), meaning 'God.' Thus, the name is a classic Hebrew theophoric name, signifying 'God endures' or 'continued of God.' It expresses a theological affirmation of God's enduring nature or faithfulness.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is used only for identification, its etymology carries theological weight. It belongs to a category of Hebrew names that confess a truth about God's character. 'God endures' speaks to divine faithfulness, permanence, and steadfastness, contrasting with human transience. In the context of a Levitical gatekeeper—a role ensuring order and holiness in worship—the name subtly reinforces that the service is founded on the enduring nature of God. In ancient Israel, names were often meaningful declarations or prayers. Theophoric names like Jathniel, which incorporate a divine element (El), were common and served as constant reminders of God's relationship with the individual and family. A Levite bearing such a name highlights the integration of personal identity with priestly service and theological confession. No direct synonyms exist as it is a unique proper name. However, it shares a structural pattern with other theophoric names ending in אֵל (ʼÊl, H410), such as: נְתַנְאֵל (Nethanʼêl, H5417) — 'God has given'; יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmâʻêl, H3458) — 'God hears.'
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]