שְׁבַנְיָה
𐤔𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄
Shevaneyah
H7645 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'Yah has increased' or 'Yah has grown.' The name is formed as a theophoric compound, indicating its bearer is under the favor or growth of Yah (the personal name of Israel's deity). Used primarily as the name of several Israelite men in the biblical narrative, with reference to individuals involved in religious, administrative, or priestly roles after the exile. The semantic range is limited to use as a proper name but reflects the broader practice of expressing a relationship to Yahweh in personal names.
Semantic Range
proper personal name; 'Yah has increased'; 'Yah has grown'; name of several Israelite men in postexilic and late monarchic texts
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁבַנ (š-b-n), related to 'to grow' or 'be exuberant,' combined with the theophoric suffix יָהּ (Yah), a contracted form of the Tetragrammaton. The underlying root refers to increase or growth, while the suffix expresses reference to Yahweh. The name thus means 'Yah has grown' or 'Yah has increased.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׁבַנְיָה (Shebanyah or Shebanyahu in the fuller form) appears as the personal name of several individuals mainly in postexilic contexts such as Nehemiah and 1 Chronicles. Naming patterns with Yah as a suffix were especially common in the later monarchic and postexilic periods. The term illustrates the practice of embedding theological statements or hopes in personal names. While traditional English translations render this as 'Shebaniah,' the original references are to Israelite individuals, usually Levites or leaders involved in religious reforms or covenant ceremonies. Earlier English translations sometimes generalize the name without clarifying its meaning or the implicit relationship to Yahweh. There are no significant variant meanings or applications outside use as a proper name, but its appearance highlights important cultural practices around naming and identity in biblical times.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or שְׁבַנְיָהוּ; from the same as שֶׁבְנָא and יָהּ; Jah has grown (i.e. prospered); Shebanjah, the name of three or four Israelites; Shebaniah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁבנ (š-b-n) — to grow, to increase, to be exuberant
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7645-02 |
שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה | shevaneyah | HNp |
Shebaniah | Yah has increased | 5 |
H7645-03 |
וּ/שְׁבַנְיָ֡הוּ | ushevaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Shebaniah | and Yah-has-increased | 1 |
H7645-01 |
לִ/שְׁבַנְיָ֖ה | lishevaneyah | HR/Np |
of Shebaniah | to Yah-has-increased | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7645-02 |
Nehemiah 9:4 | שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה | shevaneyah | HNp |
Shebaniah | Yah has increased |
H7645-02 |
Nehemiah 9:5 | שְׁבַנְיָ֣ה | shevaneyah | HNp |
Shebaniah | Yah has increased |
H7645-02 |
Nehemiah 10:5 | שְׁבַנְיָ֖ה | shevaneyah | HNp |
Shebaniah | Yah has increased |
H7645-02 |
Nehemiah 10:11 | שְׁבַנְיָ֧ה | shevaneyah | HNp |
Shebaniah | Yah has increased |
H7645-02 |
Nehemiah 10:13 | שְׁבַנְיָֽה | shevaneyah | HNp |
Shebaniah | Yah has increased |
H7645-01 |
Nehemiah 12:14 | לִ/שְׁבַנְיָ֖ה | lishevaneyah | HR/Np |
of Shebaniah | to Yah-has-increased |
H7645-03 |
1 Chronicles 15:24 | וּ/שְׁבַנְיָ֡הוּ | ushevaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Shebaniah | and Yah-has-increased |