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אֲחִימַן

𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤌𐤍

Achiman

H289 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אָח, מָנָה brother, portion, share, allot

Definition

Personal name meaning 'my brother is a portion' or 'brother of a share,' likely connoting familial abundance or inheritance. Used as the name of individuals in the Hebrew Bible, notably (1) an Anakite, one of the giant descendants encountered by the Israelite spies in Canaan, and (2) a post-exilic Levitical gatekeeper.

Semantic Range

personal name, brother as portion/share, name of an Anakite, name of a Levitical gatekeeper

Root / Etymology

From the roots אָח (ach, 'brother') and מָן (man, from מָנָה, 'portion, share'), forming the meaning 'my brother is a portion' or 'brother of a share.' The name is a theophoric and metaphorical construction, expressing that a brother is a share from God or that the individual is gifted with a brotherhood as part of inheritance or divine favor.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Torah, אֲחִימַן (Ahiman) appears as one of the three sons of Anak, representing the Anakite clans inhabiting Hebron (Num 13:22; Josh 15:14; Judg 1:10) and associated with formidable stature and strength. The use of the name for a post-exilic gatekeeper (1 Chr 9:17) reflects the reuse of ancient personal names in later generations, with no necessary connection to the earlier Anakite lineage. The meaning of the name, as with many Hebrew theophoric or relational personal names, may express a prayerful hope or commemoration of familial blessing. English translation tradition sometimes simply renders the name 'Ahiman,' obscuring the compound construction and referential nuance. The alternative spelling אֲחִימָן reflects orthographic variation without semantic change. The same base (אָמְנָה/מָנָה) appears in other compound names, often carrying connotations of fate, allotment, or blessing. There is no evidence that the name refers to a specific geographic or tribal origin beyond personal designation—one instance connects it to the Anakite (pre-Israelite) population, another to a Levitical Israelite role post-exile.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or אֲחִימָן ; from אָח and מִן; brother of a portion (i.e. gift); Achiman, the name of an Anakite and of an Israelite; Ahiman.

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Root Family

אח, מנה (ʾ-ḥ; m-n-h) — brother, portion, share, allotment

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H289-01 אֲחִימַן֙ achiman HNp Ahiman My-Brother-is-a-Share 3
H289-02 וַ/אֲחִימָ֑ן vaachiman HC/Np and-Ahiman And My-Brother-Is-a-Share 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H289-01 Numbers 13:22 אֲחִימַן֙ achiman HNp Ahiman My-Brother-is-a-Share
H289-01 Joshua 15:14 אֲחִימַן֙ achiman HNp Ahiman My-Brother-is-a-Share
H289-01 Judges 1:10 אֲחִימַ֖ן achiman HNp Ahiman My-Brother-is-a-Share
H289-02 1 Chronicles 9:17 וַ/אֲחִימָ֑ן vaachiman HC/Np and-Ahiman And My-Brother-Is-a-Share
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