Ἰεφθάε
Iephtháe
G2422 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name transliterated as Jephthah; denotes a specific individual, an Israelite leader in the pre-monarchic period of Israel's history. Used exclusively as a proper noun, this word identifies the son of Gilead, renowned as a judge and military leader who delivered the Israelites from the Ammonites. The meaning of the name in its original Hebrew context is generally understood to be 'he opens', as in 'he (i.e., God) opens the womb' or 'he sets free'.
Semantic Range
personal name; used specifically for the Israelite judge Jephthah, no alternate senses
Root / Etymology
Borrowed directly from Hebrew יִפְתָּח (Yiphtach), with Greek rendering adjusted to the phonological system of Greek as Ιεφθάε (Iephthaé). The name itself is derived from the Hebrew root פ-ת-ח (p-t-ḥ), meaning 'to open'. In this Greek form, it functions solely as a transliteration and not as a meaningful Greek word.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἰεφθάε appears in the New Testament only once (Hebrews 11:32) in a list of Israelite judges who exemplified faith. The name is a Greek transliteration preserving the Hebrew phonology of יִפְתָּח. It is not adapted for Greek etymology or meaning, and serves exclusively as a proper noun. In the Septuagint, forms such as Ἰεφθά and Ἰεφθαέ appear in Judges (LXX), always as the personal name and not as a title or descriptor. The standard English translation is 'Jephthah', which reflects neither the original Hebrew meaning nor the range of possible interpretations; it simply renders the name phonetically. The use is strictly historical and non-theological in the context of both Second Temple and New Testament literature. There are no significant lexical variants or extended metaphorical usages. Contrast with other Hebrew names in Greek that sometimes gain metaphorical or titular use. The meaning in Greek is determined almost entirely by reference to the Hebrew background and the narrative role in biblical literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (יִפְתָּח); Jephthaë (i.e. Jiphtach), an Israelite:--Jephthah.
Root Family
Ἰεφθάε (Iephthae) — Jephthah, personal name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2422-01 |
Ἰεφθάε | iephthae | N GEN M SG |
Jephthah | of Jephthah | Iephthae | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2422-01 |
Hebrews 11:32 | Ἰεφθάε | iephthae | N GEN M SG |
Jephthah | of Jephthah | Iephthae |