חֲנַנְאֵל
𐤇𐤍𐤍𐤀𐤋
Chananeel
H2606 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
(Personal and place name) Hananel — An Israelite male name meaning 'El (God) is gracious' or 'favored by El.' In biblical contexts, Hananel refers specifically to a person after whom the Tower of Hananel in Jerusalem was named, and by extension to the location itself. The name expresses the theological idea of divine favor or grace from El, the Israelite deity. The term is used exclusively as a proper noun and does not appear as a common noun or adjective.
Semantic Range
personal name, place name (tower in Jerusalem), attributed as 'El has shown favor' or 'favored by El'
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew verb חָנַן (ḥanan, 'to show favor, be gracious') and the theophoric element אֵל (El, 'God'). The compound form denotes 'El is gracious' or 'favored by God.' This formation follows a common pattern in Israelite onomastics, wherein personal names and toponyms incorporate a divine element with an attributive or participial descriptor.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name Hananel appears in post-exilic and Second Temple period texts (notably Nehemiah 3:1; Jeremiah 31:38; Zechariah 14:10), indicating its use in later Israelite and early Judean society. The Tower of Hananel was a well-known landmark in the Jerusalem wall, likely named after an individual (possibly a priest or donor), or metaphorically attributed as a monument dedicated to divine favor. The usage of אֵל (El) in compound names is typical of the pre-exilic and early Second Temple periods—later periods see variations with יה (Yah) or יהו (Yahu). English versions usually transliterate the name as 'Hananeel,' but sometimes, particularly in older translations, it is rendered 'Hananel.' The name is not used to denote Delphic identity or religious association, but rather highlights divine benevolence in naming conventions. Differentiation from other theophoric names (e.g., Hananiah) is crucial, as the latter employs a different divine name element.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָנַן and אֵל; God has favored; Chananel, probably an Israelite, from whom a tower of Jerusalem was named; Hananeel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חנן־אל (ḥ-n-n ʾ-l) — to show favor, to be gracious, God
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2606-01 |
חֲנַנְאֵ֖ל | chananeel | HNp |
of Hananel | El-is-gracious | Chananeel | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2606-01 |
Jeremiah 31:38 | חֲנַנְאֵ֖ל | chananeel | HNp |
of Hananel | El-is-gracious | Chananeel |
H2606-01 |
Zechariah 14:10 | חֲנַנְאֵ֔ל | chananeel | HNp |
of Hananel | El-is-gracious | Chananeel |
H2606-01 |
Nehemiah 3:1 | חֲנַנְאֵֽל | chananeel | HNp |
of Hananel | El-is-gracious | Chananeel |
H2606-01 |
Nehemiah 12:39 | חֲנַנְאֵל֙ | chananeel | HNp |
of Hananeel | El-is-gracious | Chananeel |