English · KJV
H493

אֶלְנַעַם

ʼElnaʻam /el-nah'-am/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom אֵל and נָעֵם
MeaningGod (is his) delight; Elnaam, an Israelite
KJV usageElnaam.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼElnaʻam — 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 ʼElnaʻam, represented by H493, means God (is his) delight. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible, where it identifies a specific Israelite.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole biblical appearance of H493 is in a genealogical list in the book of 1 Chronicles. In this passage, ʼElnaʻam is named as the father of Jeribai and Joshaviah, who are listed among the mighty men associated with King David 1 Chronicles 11:46. The context establishes his identity as a progenitor within a lineage of notable Israelite warriors.

Related Words & Concepts

The single verse mentioning ʼElnaʻam connects him to several other individuals and concepts:

  • H1121 bên (a son): This term is used to establish the direct lineage of Elnaam's offspring, identifying Jeribai and Joshaviah as his sons 1 Chronicles 11:46. It is a foundational word for describing family structure and heritage.
  • H3403 Yᵉrîybay (contentious): The proper name of one of the sons of Elnaam 1 Chronicles 11:46.
  • H3145 Yôwshavyâh (Jehovah-set): The name given to the other son of Elnaam mentioned in the same verse 1 Chronicles 11:46.
  • H447 ʼĔlîyʼêl (God of (his) God): The name of another warrior listed in the same verse. Like ʼElnaʻam, this name incorporates the Hebrew element for God, "El" 1 Chronicles 11:46.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H493 is derived entirely from its definition.

  • Personal Devotion: The name ʼElnaʻam translates to "God (is his) delight," which functions as a direct statement of personal faith and finding joy in God.
  • A Testimony in a Name: While no actions are recorded of ʼElnaʻam, his name serves as a testament. In Hebrew culture, names often reflected a family's beliefs or aspirations, and this name points to a relationship with God centered on delight.
  • Patriarchal Faith: As a father, the name ʼElnaʻam would have been part of the heritage passed to his sons 1 Chronicles 11:46, setting a standard of faith for his household.

Summary

In summary, H493 ʼElnaʻam is a name that, despite its single appearance, carries a rich meaning. Found within a military genealogy 1 Chronicles 11:46, its definition of "God (is his) delight" offers a profound insight into the personal faith that could be expressed even in a proper name. It highlights how identity in ancient Israel was often intertwined with an individual's or family's relationship with God.

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.

  • אֶלְנָעַם

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.

H1121 בֵּן from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, inclu H3403 יְרִיבַי from יָרִיב; contentious; Jeribai, an Israelite; Jeribai. H3145 יוֹשַׁוְיָה from יְהֹוָה and שָׁוָה; Jehovah-set; Joshavjah, an Israelite; Joshaviah. Compare יוֹשָׁה. H447 אֱלִיאֵל from אֵל repeated; God of (his) God; Eliel, the name of nine Israelites; Eliel.

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 1 Chronicles — 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.