אֶלְיָסָף
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤎𐤐
Eleyasaf
H460 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'El has added' or 'God has increased.' The name conveys the idea of a divine act of adding or increasing, typically understood as the granting of children, descendants, or prosperity. In the biblical context, it is borne by two individuals, both identified as belonging to Israelite clans.
Semantic Range
personal name; used for Israelite clan leaders; indicates 'God has added,' 'God has increased,' denoting divine bestowal, especially of progeny or prosperity
Root / Etymology
From the root אֵל ('El', the older Northwest Semitic divine name usually rendered 'God') and the verb יסף (yasaf, 'to add, to increase'). The name is a compound theophoric personal name formed as 'El-yasaf', with the idea that 'El has added' or 'God increases.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, the name אֶלְיָסָף appears in the book of Numbers (Num 1:14; 2:14; 7:42; 10:20), identifying leaders within Israelite clans during the wilderness period. The presence of אֵל as the theophoric element reflects typical Israelite naming conventions that attribute actions (such as granting descendants) to the deity. The meaning 'God has added' parallels other Hebrew names with יסף as the second element (e.g., יוֹסֵף Yosef). The KJV has used 'Eliasaph,' reflecting transliteration, but later traditions sometimes render it 'Eljasaph.' This name remained limited to early Israelite contexts and does not appear in post-exilic or Second Temple period literature. The use of such names highlights familial piety and the acknowledgment of the deity's role in increasing family or clan size, especially in tribal genealogies.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אֵל and יָסַף; God (is) gatherer; Eljasaph, the name of two Israelites; Eliasaph.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אל-יסף (ʾ-l y-s-p) — God, to add, to increase
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H460-01 |
אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf | 6 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H460-01 |
Numbers 1:14 | אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf |
H460-01 |
Numbers 2:14 | אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf |
H460-01 |
Numbers 3:24 | אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf |
H460-01 |
Numbers 7:42 | אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf |
H460-01 |
Numbers 7:47 | אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
of Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf |
H460-01 |
Numbers 10:20 | אֶלְיָסָ֖ף | eleyasaf | HNp |
Eliasaph | God-has-added | Eleyasaf |