אֶלְנָתָן
el.na.tan
Elnathan
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew name אֶלְנָתָן (el.na.tan) appears three times in the Bible. Its short definition provides us with its most basic meaning: Elnathan. As a proper name, it is used to identify an individual person, not a concept or an abstract idea. Without additional context from the verses where it appears, we can only analyze the name itself. The name likely derives its meaning from its components. 'El' is a common element in Hebrew names and often stands for the divine or a god. 'Nathan' means 'gift' or 'given one'. Thus, 'Elnathan' is likely a name that means 'gift of God' or 'divine gift'. Based on the limited information provided, the name Elnathan seems to hold value as a personal identification, likely a significant individual in the biblical context.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences across the text
Then Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt;
Jeremiah 36:12he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s room: and behold, all the princes were sitting there, Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
Jeremiah 36:25Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them.