יְעוּאֵל

יְעוּאֵל

Jeuel, the name of four Israelites

Definition

יְעוּאֵל (Yᵉʻûwʼêl) is a proper masculine name meaning 'carried away of God' or 'God sweeps away.' It is borne by four different individuals in the Old Testament, all appearing in genealogical lists. The most notable mention is in 1 Chronicles 9:6, where Jeuel is listed among the descendants of Judah who returned from the Babylonian exile and lived in Jerusalem. The name also appears for other men in 2 Chronicles 29:13 (a Levite), Ezra 8:13 (a descendant of Adonikam), and Ezra 10:43 (a man who married a foreign wife). In each case, the name identifies an individual within the covenant community of Israel.

Biblical Usage

This name is used exclusively in post-exilic biblical books that focus on genealogy and restoration: 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, and Ezra. Its usage is strictly for identifying individuals within lists of returning exiles, Levitical servants, or those involved in covenant reforms. For example, in Ezra 10:43, Jeuel is named among those who had to separate from their foreign wives. The pattern shows it was a name used within families re-establishing their identity in Judah after the exile.

Etymology

The name יְעוּאֵל is a compound of two Hebrew elements. The first part comes from the root יָעָה (yāʻâ, H3261), meaning 'to sweep away' or 'to carry off.' The second part is אֵל (ʼēl, H410), the common noun for 'God.' Thus, the name literally translates to 'carried away of God' or 'God sweeps away,' possibly expressing a theological idea of God's sovereign action, whether in judgment or deliverance. It is a variant of the more common name יְעִיאֵל (Yᵉʻîyʼêl, H3273).

Semantic Range

While primarily a personal name, יְעוּאֵל encapsulates a compact theology of God's sovereignty. The meaning 'carried away of God' or 'God sweeps away' can reflect both divine judgment (being swept away in exile) and divine grace (being gathered or carried by God in restoration). Its appearance in post-exilic genealogies (1 Chronicles 9:6, Ezra 8:13) highlights God's faithfulness in preserving a remnant and restoring their identity. Understanding the name reminds the reader that individuals in these lists were part of a community experiencing God's sweeping acts of history. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. A name like Jeuel, meaning 'carried away of God,' may have been given in remembrance of the traumatic experience of the Babylonian exile or in hope of God's intervening deliverance. Its use in the restoration period suggests a cultural re-engagement with identity and God's action in their national story. The variant spellings in different books (e.g., Jeiel, Jehiel) reflect the fluidity of name transcription in ancient texts. יְעִיאֵל (Yᵉʻîyʼêl, H3273) — A more common variant of the same name, borne by more individuals in the biblical text.

Word Details