בְּנָיָה (H1141) — Hebrew Lexicon

בְּנָיָה

𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄

Benayahu

H1141 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בנה to build, to establish

Definition

A personal name meaning 'Yahweh has built' or 'Yahweh has established.' Used for multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible, especially notable as the name of one of King David's elite warriors from Kabzeel, later a military commander under Solomon. The name expresses the notion of foundational strength or establishment attributed to Yahweh. In naming contexts it typically reflects confidence in divine support or origin, and was common among Israelite families.

Semantic Range

personal name, 'Yahweh has built,' 'Yahweh has established,' name of individuals, theophoric expression of divine support or establishment

Root / Etymology

Formed from the verb root בנה (to build, to establish) and the theophoric suffix יה (shortened form of Yahweh), yielding the construct 'Yahweh has built/established.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

This name appears in a variety of narrative and genealogical contexts, generally for different individuals in the monarchic and postexilic periods—twelve bearers are listed in the Hebrew Bible. The use of theophoric names (names incorporating a deity's name) such as בְּנָיָה affirms the cultural pattern of expressing devotion or familial blessing through names. Although modern English translations often use the rendering 'Benaiah,' this Anglicization obscures the theophoric element and the compound meaning. In biblical tradition, the name is never used as a title or description but strictly as a proper noun; it is always attached to the historical figure's direct genealogy or achievements. The meaning and structure are shared with other theophoric names from the biblical period. Later Jewish tradition associates the name with virtue or strength, though the biblical usage is strictly nominative. Contrast with names formed on the root בנה without the theophoric element: these carry a simple 'build/establish' semantic domain without specifically attributing action to Yahweh.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or בּנָיָהוּ; (prolonged) from בָּנָה and יָהּ; Jah has built; Benajah, the name of twelve Israelites; Benaiah.

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, to establish

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1004	בַּיִת	in the houses
H1005	בַּיִת	the built-house
H1006	בַּיִת	the house
H1007	בֵּית אָוֶן	house-of
H1008	בֵּית־אֵל	in house of
H1009	בֵּית אַרְבֵּאל	house of
H1010	בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן	house-of
H1011	בֵּית בִּרְאִי	and in the house of
H1012	בֵּית בָּרָה	house of
H1013	בֵּית־גָּדֵר	house-of
H1014	בֵּית גָּמוּל	house of
H1015	בֵּית דִּבְלָתַיִם	house-of
H1016	בֵּית־דָּגוֹן	house-of
H1017	בֵּית הָאֱלִי	house of
H1018	בֵּית הָאֵצֶל	house of
H1020	בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת	house-of
H1021	בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם	house-of
H1022	בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי	house of
H1023	בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק	house-of
H1024	בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת	and house of
H1025	בֵּית הָעֵמֶק	house of
H1026	בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה	house-of
H1027	בֵּית הָרָם	house-of
H1028	בֵּית הָרָן	house of
H1029	בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה	house-of
H1030	בֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁי	house-of
H1031	בֵּית חׇגְלָה	house of
H1032	בֵּית חוֹרוֹן	house-of
H1033	בֵּית כַּר	to the built-house of
H1034	בֵּית לְבָאוֹת	and house-of
H1035	בֵּית לֶחֶם	in the house of
H1036	בֵּית לְעַפְרָה	in the built-house of
H1038	בֵּית מַעֲכָה	house of
H1039	בֵּית נִמְרָה	house of
H1041	בֵּית עַזְמָוֶת	house of
H1042	בֵּית עֲנוֹת	and house of
H1043	בֵּית עֲנָת	and house-of
H1044	בֵּית עֵקֶד	house-of
H1046	בֵּית פֶּלֶט	and house of
H1047	בֵּית פְּעוֹר	house of
H1048	בֵּית פַּצֵּץ	and house-of
H1049	בֵּית צוּר	house of
H1050	בֵּית רְחוֹב	house-of
H1051	בֵּית רָפָא	house of
H1052	בֵּית שְׁאָן	in the built-house of
H1053	בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ	in the built-house of
H1054	בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ	and house of
H1121	בֵּן	sons
H1122	בֵּן	son
H1123	בֵּן	sons of
H1124	בְּנָא	the ones building
H1125	בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב	son
H1126	בֶּן־אוֹנִי	son
H1127	בֶּן־גֶּבֶר	son
H1128	בֶּן־דֶּקֶר	son
H1129	בָּנָה	he built
H1130	בֶּן־הֲדַד	son
H1131	בִּנּוּי	Built-Up One
H1132	בֶּן־זוֹחֵת	and son of
H1133	בֶּן־חוּר	son
H1134	בֶּן־חַיִל	to a son of
H1135	בֶּן־חָנָן	son
H1136	בֶּן־חֶסֶד	son
H1137	בָּנִי	Built-one
H1138	בֻּנִּי	Built One
H1139	בְּנֵי־בְּרַק	and sons of
H1140	בִּנְיָה	and the built-structure
H1142	בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן	among sons of
H1145	בֶּן־יְמִינִי	son
H1146	בִּנְיָן	constructed structure
H1147	בִּנְיָן	the built structure
H1151	בֶּן־עַמִּי	son
H1323	בַּת	daughters
H1324	בַּת	daughter of
H1337	בַּת רַבִּים	daughter of
H1339	בַּת־שֶׁבַע	daughter of
H1340	בַּת־שׁוּעַ	to a daughter of
H205	אָוֶן	and building-stone
H2995	יַבְנְאֵל	and God-Builds
H2996	יַבְנֶה	Yabneh, Building-place
H2997	יִבְנְיָה	Yah Has Built
H2998	יִבְנִיָּה	Yah Builds
H358	אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן	house of
H3845	לִבְנִי	to my son
H4011	מִבְנֶה	like the built-structure of
H4012	מְבֻנַּי	Built-Up One
H4996	נֹא	his son
H5524	סֻכּוֹת בְּנוֹת	daughters of
H5854	עַטְרוֹת בֵּית יוֹאָב	house of
H62	אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה	house of
H68	אֶבֶן	your building-stones
H69	אֶבֶן	building-stone of
H72	אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר	building-stone of
H8401	תֶּבֶן	the straw residue
H8403	תַּבְנִית	in building-pattern of
H885	בְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקַן	sons of
H935	בּוֹא	daughter of
H956	בּוּת	and daughter of
H995	בִּין	son of
H996	בֵּין	son

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H1141-04`	וּ/בְנָיָ֨הוּ֙	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built	14
`H1141-02`	בְּנָיָ֖הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built	13
`H1141-01`	בְּנָיָ֖ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built	8
`H1141-03`	וּ/בְנָיָה֙	uvenayah	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built	3
`H1141-06`	בְנָיָ֜הוּ	venayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh-has-built	2
`H1141-05`	וְ/לִ/בְנָיָ֧הוּ	velivenayahu	`HC/R/Np`	and to Benaiah	and to Yahweh-has-built	2

Occurrences in Scripture

42 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H1141-04`	2 Samuel 8:18	וּ/בְנָיָ֨הוּ֙	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-03`	2 Samuel 20:23	וּ/בְנָיָה֙	uvenayah	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	2 Samuel 23:20	וּ/בְנָיָ֨הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	And Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-02`	2 Samuel 23:22	בְּנָיָ֖הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	2 Samuel 23:30	בְּנָיָ֨הוּ֙	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-04`	1 Kings 1:8	וּ/בְנָיָ֨הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Kings 1:10	וּ/בְנָיָ֜הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-05`	1 Kings 1:26	וְ/לִ/בְנָיָ֧הוּ	velivenayahu	`HC/R/Np`	and-to-Benaiah	and to Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-05`	1 Kings 1:32	וְ/לִ/בְנָיָ֖הוּ	velivenayahu	`HC/R/Np`	and to Benaiah	and to Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 1:36	בְּנָיָ֧הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-04`	1 Kings 1:38	וּ/בְנָיָ֣הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Kings 1:44	וּ/בְנָיָ֨הוּ֙	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 2:25	בְּנָיָ֣הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 2:29	בְּנָיָ֧הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-06`	1 Kings 2:30	בְנָיָ֜הוּ	venayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 2:30	בְּנָיָ֤הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 2:34	בְּנָיָ֨הוּ֙	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 2:35	בְּנָיָ֧הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	1 Kings 2:46	בְּנָיָ֨הוּ֙	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-04`	1 Kings 4:4	וּ/בְנָיָ֥הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	And Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-02`	Ezekiel 11:1	בְּנָיָ֖הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-01`	Ezekiel 11:13	בְּנָיָ֖ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-03`	Ezra 10:25	וּ/בְנָיָֽה	uvenayah	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-01`	Ezra 10:30	בְּנָיָ֤ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-01`	Ezra 10:35	בְּנָיָ֥ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-01`	Ezra 10:43	בְּנָיָֽה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-03`	1 Chronicles 4:36	וּ/בְנָיָֽה	uvenayah	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-01`	1 Chronicles 11:22	בְּנָיָ֨ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	1 Chronicles 11:24	בְּנָיָ֖הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-01`	1 Chronicles 11:31	בְּנָיָ֖ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-04`	1 Chronicles 15:18	וּ/בְנָיָ֡הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Chronicles 15:20	וּ/בְנָיָ֑הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Chronicles 15:24	וּ/בְנָיָ֤הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Chronicles 16:5	וּ/בְנָיָהוּ֩	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Chronicles 16:6	וּ/בְנָיָ֥הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-04`	1 Chronicles 18:17	וּ/בְנָיָ֨הוּ֙	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-02`	1 Chronicles 27:5	בְּנָיָ֧הוּ	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-06`	1 Chronicles 27:6	בְנָיָ֛הוּ	venayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh-has-built
`H1141-01`	1 Chronicles 27:14	בְּנָיָ֥ה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-02`	1 Chronicles 27:34	בְּנָיָ֨הוּ֙	benayahu	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-01`	2 Chronicles 20:14	בְּ֠נָיָה	benayah	`HNp`	Benaiah	Yahweh has built
`H1141-04`	2 Chronicles 31:13	וּ/בְנָיָ֑הוּ	uvenayahu	`HC/Np`	and Benaiah	and Yahweh-has-built

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