אֲחִינֹעַם
𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤍𐤏𐤌
Achinoam
H293 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'my brother is delight/pleasantness.' Used as the name of two women in the Hebrew Bible: (1) Ahinoam the wife of King Saul, mother of Michal; (2) Ahinoam the Jezreelite, a wife of David. The name expresses a familial bond characterized by pleasantness or favor, possibly indicating aspirations or attributes valued in the family or community.
Semantic Range
personal name, 'my brother is pleasant,' 'brother of pleasantness,' proper noun used for two Israelite women
Root / Etymology
From the noun אָח (brother) and the noun נֹעַם (pleasantness, sweetness, delight). Likely reflecting a theophoric or familial formula common in personal names of the Iron Age, expressing kinship and positive attributes, but in this case, the root meanings ('brother' + 'pleasantness') are combined to mean 'my brother is pleasant' or 'brother of pleasantness.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
This compound personal name appears exclusively as a feminine name for Israelite women in the narrative contexts of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel. Both bearers of the name are associated with the royal courts, first with Saul (as his wife) and then with David (as wife and mother of Amnon). The structure of the name follows a common pattern in ancient West Semitic personal names, linking family terms (such as 'brother') with qualities or divine attributes. While later English translations may treat the name 'Ahinoam' as a generic woman's name, its components have meaning in Hebrew and reflect ancient traditions of naming children with auspicious or descriptive meanings. This distinguishes Ahinoam from similar-sounding names which employ differing roots or theophoric elements. There is no evidence that the name's meaning shifted over time or across periods. In rabbinic tradition, Ahinoam is sometimes conflated or identified more narrowly, but such developments do not appear in biblical usage. 'Achinoam' is never used as a group term or outside direct personal reference.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָח and נֹעַם; brother of pleasantness; Achinoam, the name of two Israelitesses; Ahinoam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אח נעם (ʾ-ḥ + n-ʿ-m) — brother, kinsman; pleasantness, delight, sweetness
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H293-01 |
אֲחִינֹ֖עַם | achinoam | HNp |
Ahinoam | My-Brother-is-Pleasantness | 5 |
H293-02 |
לַ/אֲחִינֹ֖עַם | laachinoam | HR/Np |
by-Ahinoam | to My-Brother-is-Delight | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H293-01 |
1 Samuel 14:50 | אֲחִינֹ֖עַם | achinoam | HNp |
Ahinoam | My-Brother-is-Pleasantness |
H293-01 |
1 Samuel 25:43 | אֲחִינֹ֛עַם | achinoam | HNp |
Ahinoam | My-Brother-is-Pleasantness |
H293-01 |
1 Samuel 27:3 | אֲחִינֹ֨עַם֙ | achinoam | HNp |
Ahinoam | My-Brother-is-Pleasantness |
H293-01 |
1 Samuel 30:5 | אֲחִינֹ֨עַם֙ | achinoam | HNp |
Ahinoam | My-Brother-is-Pleasantness |
H293-01 |
2 Samuel 2:2 | אֲחִינֹ֨עַם֙ | achinoam | HNp |
Ahinoam | My-Brother-is-Pleasantness |
H293-02 |
2 Samuel 3:2 | לַ/אֲחִינֹ֖עַם | laachinoam | HR/Np |
of Ahinoam | to My-Brother-is-Delight |
H293-02 |
1 Chronicles 3:1 | לַ/אֲחִינֹ֨עַם֙ | laachinoam | HR/Np |
by-Ahinoam | to My-Brother-is-Delight |