English · KJV
H1427

גַּדִּיאֵל

Gaddîyʼêl /gad-dee-ale'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom גָּד and אֵל
Meaningfortune of God; Gaddiel, an Israelite
KJV usageGaddiel.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Gaddîyʼêl — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew name Gaddîyʼêl, represented by H1427, means fortune of God. It appears just 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. This name identifies a specific Israelite who participated in a key event during the wilderness wanderings.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

Gaddiel's sole appearance in the biblical narrative is in the list of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout the land of Canaan. He is explicitly named as the representative chosen from the tribe of Zebulun. His identity is recorded in the passage that lists each spy, his father, and his tribe: "Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi" Numbers 13:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from his introductory verse provide his complete context:

  • H2074 Zᵉbûwlûwn (habitation; Zebulon, a son of Jacob; also his territory and tribe; Zebulun): This identifies the specific tribe that Gaddiel was chosen to represent on the spying mission Numbers 13:10.
  • H1121 bên (a son (as a builder of the family name)): This establishes Gaddiel's direct lineage and patriarchal identity as the son of Sodi Numbers 13:10.
  • H5476 Çôwdîy (a confidant; Sodi, an Israelite; Sodi): This is the proper name of Gaddiel's father, providing his direct parentage Numbers 13:10.
  • H4294 maṭṭeh (a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe): This word is used to denote the tribal division of Israel from which Gaddiel was selected Numbers 13:10.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1427 is rooted in the meaning of the name itself and the context of the mission.

  • A Name of Providence: The name Gaddiel, "fortune of God," carries a meaning of divine blessing or destiny.
  • Tribal Representation: His selection as the spy for Zebulun placed him in a position of great responsibility, acting as the eyes for his entire tribe regarding the Promised Land Numbers 13:10.
  • Context of Faith: Being part of the twelve spies, Gaddiel's story is tied to the pivotal moment of faith and doubt that would determine Israel's fate for the next generation.

Summary

In summary, H1427 is the proper name of a single individual, Gaddiel, mentioned once in Scripture. His identity is defined by his father, Sodi, and his role as the representative for the tribe of Zebulun among the twelve spies. The name itself, meaning "fortune of God," stands within the crucial narrative of Israel's assessment of the land God had promised them.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • גַּדִּיאֵל

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H2074 זְבוּלוּן or זְבֻלוּן; or זְבוּלֻן; from זָבַל; habitation; Zebulon, a son of Jacob; also his territory and tribe; Zebulun. H1121 בֵּן from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, inclu H5476 סוֹדִי from סוֹד; a confidant; Sodi, an Israelite; Sodi. H4294 מַטֶּה or (feminine) מַטָּה; from נָטָה; a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (fi

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Numbers — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.