יְפֻנֶּה
𐤉𐤐𐤍𐤄
Yefuneh
H3312 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Yᵉphunneh is a personal name meaning 'he will turn' or 'he will be attentive/ready,' depending on context and form. As a proper noun in the Hebrew Bible, it refers specifically to two individuals of the Israelite period, most notably Jephunneh the Kenizzite, the father of Caleb. The name is derived from the verb 'to turn; to face; to pay attention,' and likely signals a sense of turning toward (God, reality, or leadership), or being prepared/attentive.
Semantic Range
personal name, 'he will be turned,' 'he will be prepared,' 'he will pay attention'; referent for two individuals in the Hebrew Bible; genealogical epithet
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root פנה (p-n-h), 'to turn' or 'to face.' The form יְפֻנֶּה is the qal imperfect (third masculine singular) passive or a similar passive-like form, literally meaning 'he will be turned' or 'he will be prepared.' As a personal name, it likely conveys the idea of someone whose attention is turned (perhaps toward God, or toward a task/mission), or one who is made ready/prepared.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name יְפֻנֶּה appears primarily as an epithet for Caleb's father in the narrative of the wilderness generation and the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 13:6, 14:6, 14:30, etc.). Jephunneh is described as a Kenizzite, suggesting a possible non-Israelite or mixed heritage incorporated into the Israelite confederation, a nuance which reflects the diversity within early Israel. The name does not recur with frequency outside a genealogical context and is not used as a common noun (i.e., it is not a general term for preparedness). The English translation 'Jephunneh' is a convention; the underlying Hebrew form is a theophoric or attribute-based personal name. In translation traditions, Jephunneh is sometimes treated simply as a non-translated proper name, but the root concept of 'turning' or 'being attentive' is relevant to personal naming practices of the era.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פָּנָה; he will be prepared; Jephunneh, the name of two Israelites; Jephunneh.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פנה (p-n-h) — to turn, to face, to pay attention
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3942 | לִפְנַי | before me |
| H6434 | פֵּן | the corners |
| H6435 | פֵּן | lest |
| H6437 | פָּנָה | in their turning |
| H6438 | פִּנָּה | structural corner |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3312-01 |
יְפֻנֶּֽה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned | 16 |
Occurrences in Scripture
16 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3312-01 |
Numbers 13:6 | יְפֻנֶּֽה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Numbers 14:6 | יְפֻנֶּ֔ה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Numbers 14:30 | יְפֻנֶּ֔ה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Numbers 14:38 | יְפֻנֶּ֑ה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Numbers 26:65 | יְפֻנֶּ֔ה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Numbers 32:12 | יְפֻנֶּה֙ | yefuneh | HNp |
Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Numbers 34:19 | יְפֻנֶּֽה | yefuneh | HNp |
of Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Deuteronomy 1:36 | יְפֻנֶּה֙ | yefuneh | HNp |
Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Joshua 14:6 | יְפֻנֶּ֖ה | yefuneh | HNp |
Jephunneh | He will be turned |
H3312-01 |
Joshua 14:13 | יְפֻנֶּ֖ה | yefuneh | HNp |
Jephunneh | He will be turned |