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יְחִיָּה

𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤄

Yechiyah

H3174 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חיה to live, to be alive, to preserve life

Definition

Personal name meaning 'YHWH lives' or 'May YHWH live.' Used as a theophoric Israelite name in the Hebrew Bible, indicating dedication or recognition of the deity's enduring vitality. Occurs solely as a proper name and not as a common noun or verb.

Semantic Range

YHWH lives, may YHWH live, YHWH gives life; proper personal name with theophoric element

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חיה (ḥ-y-h), meaning 'to live,' combined in theophoric fashion with the shortened divine name יָהּ (Yah), symbolizing the Tetragrammaton (YHWH). Thus, יְחִיָּה (Yᵉchîyâh) is a compound: 'YHWH lives' or 'may YHWH give life.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name appears in genealogical lists, such as 1 Chronicles 15:24, as an Israelite individual. Its formation belongs to a wider pattern of Hebrew theophoric names that combine a verb—typically expressing action, blessing, or endurance—with a divine element. While traditional English translations often use 'Jechiah' or 'Jehiah,' these forms are later transliterations and do not reproduce the full nuance of the original Hebrew. During the monarchic and post-exilic periods, names invoking the divine name (Yah/Yahu) were common, especially as expressions of faith and identity within Israelite communities. The meaning centers entirely on the biblical Israelite context; the term's usage does not extend into common speech or titles, nor does it denote geographic or religious identity outside the individual's name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָיָה and יָהּ; Jah will live; Jechijah, an Israelite; Jehiah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חיה (ḥ-y-h) — to live, to be alive, to preserve life

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2416 חַי in the lives
H2417 חַי the living one
H2418 חֲיָא Live!
H2421 חָיָה I will cause to live
H2422 חָיֶה living ones

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3174-01 וִֽ/יחִיָּ֔ה vichiyah HC/Np and Jehiah and YHWH-lives 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3174-01 1 Chronicles 15:24 וִֽ/יחִיָּ֔ה vichiyah HC/Np and Jehiah and YHWH-lives
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