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אֲבִיגַיִל

𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤋

Avigayil

H26 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אב-גיל father, joy, rejoice

Definition

Personal name; most commonly used for two Israelite women in the Hebrew Bible. The name means 'my father is joy' or 'the father is joyful,' reflecting a theophoric or honorific construction. In context the name can reflect parental aspirations for the child's future happiness or status, or convey familial pride. The name itself is not descriptive of the individual's character but expresses a positive familial sentiment.

Semantic Range

personal name, my father is joy, the father is joyful, source of joy, name of two Israelite women, virtue-name reflecting familial joy

Root / Etymology

Compound of אָב (av, 'father') and גִּיל (gil, 'joy, rejoice'); the final segment י (yod) forms a possessive or relational ('my') or could reflect a typical name formation. The elements together denote 'my father is joy' or possibly 'father of joy.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֲבִיגַיִל (ʼĂvîgayil) occurs as the name of Nabal's wife, who later becomes David's wife (1 Samuel 25), and as the name of one of David's sisters and the mother of Amasa (1 Chronicles 2:16-17). There is no indication that both refer to the same person. The name is typically rendered 'Abigail' in English Bibles, but this reflects a conventionalized Anglicization rather than a direct translation of the Hebrew meaning. The name fits into the broader pattern of theophoric or virtue-names in ancient Israelite society, which frequently include familial or divine elements. Later tradition occasionally read the name as an archetype of wisdom and prudence (in reference to the first Abigail), but the Hebrew text uses the name as a conventional personal designation rather than as a title or descriptor. The translation 'Jewess' or similar is anachronistic and not found in early contexts; both individuals were identified as Israelites by lineage. The contraction אֲבִיגַל also appears, possibly as a variant orthography.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or shorter אֲבִיגַל; from אָב and גִּיל; father (i.e. source) of joy; Abigail or Abigal, the name of two Israelitesses; Abigal.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אב-גיל (ʾ-b-g-y-l) — father, joy, rejoicing

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H26-02 אֲבִגָ֑יִל avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy 6
H26-07 וַ/אֲבִיגַ֥יִל vaavigayil HC/Np and Abigail and My-Father-is-Joy 5
H26-05 לַ/אֲֽבִיגַ֕יִל laavigayil HR/Np Abigail to My-Father-is-Joy 2
H26-03 בַּ/אֲבִיגַ֔יִל baavigayil HR/Np with Abigail in My-Father-is-Joy 1
H26-08 וְ/לַ/אֲבִיגַ֨יִל֙ velaavigayil HC/R/Np but to Abigail and to My-Father-is-Joy 1
H26-01 אֲבִיגַ֣ל avigal HNp Abigail My Father Is Joy 1
H26-06 ל/אביגל lvygl HR/Np to Abigail to My-Father-Is-Joy 1
H26-04 לַ/אֲבִיגַ֑ל laavigal HR/Np to Abigail to My-Father-is-Joy 1
H26-09 אבוגיל vvgyl HNp Abigail My Father is Joy 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H26-02 1 Samuel 25:3 אֲבִגָ֑יִל avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy
H26-08 1 Samuel 25:14 וְ/לַ/אֲבִיגַ֨יִל֙ velaavigayil HC/R/Np but to Abigail and to My-Father-is-Joy
H26-09 1 Samuel 25:18 אבוגיל vvgyl HNp Abigail My Father is Joy
H26-02 1 Samuel 25:18 אֲבִיגַ֡יִל avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy
H26-02 1 Samuel 25:23 אֲבִיגַ֨יִל֙ avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy
H26-04 1 Samuel 25:32 לַ/אֲבִיגַ֑ל laavigal HR/Np to Abigail to My-Father-is-Joy
H26-02 1 Samuel 25:36 אֲבִיגַ֣יִל avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy
H26-03 1 Samuel 25:39 בַּ/אֲבִיגַ֔יִל baavigayil HR/Np with Abigail in My-Father-is-Joy
H26-02 1 Samuel 25:40 אֲבִיגַ֖יִל avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy
H26-02 1 Samuel 25:42 אֲבִיגַ֗יִל avigayil HNp Abigail My-Father-Is-Joy
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