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אֶלְקָנָה

𐤀𐤋𐤒𐤍𐤄

Eleqanah

H511 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אל קנה El (God), to acquire, to create, to possess

Definition

Elqanah is a personal name meaning 'El (God) has acquired/created/possessed.' In the Hebrew Bible, it designates several individual Israelite men, most notably the father of the prophet Samuel. The lexical components suggest a theophoric name—bearing the divine element 'El' and a verb related to acquisition or creation. The name likely communicates that 'El' has provided, acquired, or established (the child) for the parents, reflecting a divine act or blessing. Used exclusively as a personal name, not for objects or places.

Semantic Range

the personal name Elqanah; may mean 'God has acquired (a son for us),' 'God has created,' or 'God has obtained'; used exclusively for male individuals, never for deities, places, or non-personal contexts

Root / Etymology

From the noun אֵל (El, a Northwest Semitic term for God, particularly the chief deity) and the verb קָנָה (qanah, to acquire, to create, to possess). The second element derives from the root קנה (to acquire, obtain). The name follows a common theophoric naming pattern in ancient Israel, where a divine name is combined with a verbal action.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Elqanah appears most prominently as the father of Samuel (1 Samuel 1), but also as the name of lesser-mentioned individuals, mostly Levites or other Israelites (e.g., 1 Chronicles 6). The use of 'El' rather than the tetragrammaton in the name marks it as part of an older Semitic naming tradition and aligns with early Israelite onomastics, which favored El-theophoric forms before Yahweh-theophoric names became widespread. The root qnh is ambiguous—traditionally rendered 'acquire,' 'purchase,' 'possess,' but also 'create' in poetic contexts (as in Genesis 4:1; Proverbs 8:22). English translations sometimes render the name's meaning as 'God has possessed' or 'God has created,' but these do not capture the personal nature of the naming formula in its original context. The later use of similar forms with 'Yah' or 'Yahu' (such as 'Yochanan') reflects a shift in the favored divine name in Israelite and Judean naming practice.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אֵל and קָנָה; God has obtained; Elkanah, the name of several Israelites; Elkanah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אל קנה (ʾ-l q-n-h) — El (God), acquire, create, possess

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H511-01 אֶ֠לְקָנָה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah 19
H511-02 וְ/אֶלְקָנָ֖ה veeleqanah HC/Np and Elkanah and El-Acquired and Eleqanah 2

Occurrences in Scripture

21 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H511-02 Exodus 6:24 וְ/אֶלְקָנָ֖ה veeleqanah HC/Np and Elkanah and El-Acquired and Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 1:1 אֶ֠לְקָנָה eleqanah HNp was Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 1:4 אֶלְקָנָ֑ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 1:8 אֶלְקָנָ֣ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 1:19 אֶלְקָנָה֙ eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 1:21 אֶלְקָנָ֖ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 1:23 אֶלְקָנָ֨ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 2:11 אֶלְקָנָ֛ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Samuel 2:20 אֶלְקָנָ֣ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
H511-01 1 Chronicles 6:8 אֶלְקָנָ֥ה eleqanah HNp Elkanah El has acquired Eleqanah
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