אֶלְנַעַם
𐤀𐤋𐤍𐤏𐤌
Elenaam
H493 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name likely meaning 'God is pleasant' or 'God brings delight.' The name is constructed as a theophoric compound, expressing an association with a deity (El) and the attribute of pleasantness or delight (naʿam). It is used as the name of an Israelite individual mentioned as the father of two warriors in the lists of David's mighty men.
Semantic Range
personal name, God is pleasant, God brings delight, God is a source of pleasantness
Root / Etymology
Formed from the root אֵל (El, God, deity) and the root נָעַם (to be pleasant, to be delightful). The name is a theophoric compound, common in the Hebrew Bible, combining a divine designation with a desirable attribute, suggesting 'El is pleasant' or 'El brings delight.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name אֶלְנַעַם appears in 1 Chronicles 11:46, where Elnaam is described as the father of Jeribai and Joshaviah, both among the Israelite warriors associated with David. The form and structure of the name reflect common Israelite practices of forming theophoric personal names during the monarchic period. English translations often transliterate the name directly without conveying its semantic content. The attribute 'pleasantness' (נָעַם) in biblical contexts can refer to delightfulness, pleasantness, or favor. The specific historical or religious significance of the name-bearer outside this reference is not indicated in the biblical text. There is no evidence to suggest a development or shift in the meaning of the name across different historical periods; its sole usage is as a personal name. The term should not be confused with other names or words using Naʿam or El as roots elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אֵל and נָעֵם; God (is his) delight; Elnaam, an Israelite; Elnaam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אלנעם (ʾ-l-n-ʿ-m) — El (God), pleasantness, delightfulness
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H493-01 |
אֶלְנָ֑עַם | elenaam | HNp |
Elnaam | God-is-pleasant | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H493-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:46 | אֶלְנָ֑עַם | elenaam | HNp |
Elnaam | God-is-pleasant |