בֵּנַיִם
be.na.yim
champion
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Analysis of בֵּנַיִם (H1143) The Hebrew word בֵּנַיִם carries the meaning "champion"—a designation for someone of exceptional strength or prowess. With only two documented occurrences in the biblical text, this term represents a relatively rare designation in Hebrew Scripture, suggesting it was employed with specificity rather than routine frequency. The rarity of this word's appearance limits our ability to establish a broad semantic range from biblical usage alone. However, its definition as "champion" indicates it functioned as an honorific title marking individuals distinguished by exceptional martial or physical capability. The specific contexts of its two appearances would determine whether the term applied to military leadership, individual warriors, or figurative representations of strength, though such contextual detail is not provided in the lexical data available. The word's limited attestation reflects the specialized nature of its usage—Hebrew possessed other more common terms for warriors and military figures, making בֵּנַיִם a marked choice when it did appear. This selectivity suggests that when biblical authors employed this particular term, they intended to emphasize an elevated or distinctive status among the strong or courageous.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences across the text
A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span went out.
1 Samuel 17:23As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words; and David heard them.