אִי־כָבוֹד
𐤀𐤉־𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃
I Khavod
H350 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'Inglorious' or 'No glory'; used as a symbolic name conveying the absence or departure of honor or glory, particularly in reference to the loss of divine presence or favor. The term is composed of a negative particle ('not') and the noun 'glory,' thus denoting the absence or removal of honor, importance, or the symbolic presence of glory.
Semantic Range
absence of glory, inglorious, no honor, removal of honor, the departure of divine presence (when referring to כָּבוֹד in religious or symbolic contexts), personal name signaling catastrophic loss
Root / Etymology
From the root אי (not, lacking) and כָּבוֹד (glory, honor, importance). The root אי is a negative particle expressing lack or nonexistence, while כָּבוֹד derives from the root כבד (to be heavy, significant, honored). 'אִי־כָבוֹד' is a phrase construction functioning as a proper noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name 'אִי־כָבוֹד' is borne by the son of Phineas in 1 Samuel 4:21–22, born at the time of the Ark's capture by the Philistines. The context explains the name as marking the loss of God's visible presence or favor ('glory') from Israel. While often rendered as 'Ichabod' or 'no glory' in English translations, the term reflects a personalized lament tied to a specific crisis. The negative אִי- is not the usual negation (לא/אַל) but a privative prefix, used occasionally in names and terms of loss or lack. The word כָּבוֹד in biblical usage refers broadly to honor, dignity, divine presence, or importance — both social and theological. The phrase structure is unique among biblical personal names and serves as a narrative device underscoring the perceived catastrophic loss. Later English tradition paraphrased or transliterated the name; however, older Jewish exegetical sources sometimes interpret the phrase as 'woe, the glory!' but the privative sense is consistent with Hebrew usage. The semantic force is more poignant than simply 'inglorious.' This term occurs exclusively as a proper name and does not function as a common noun or adjective. No evidence suggests broader use outside this narrative context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אִיlemma אי missing vowel, corrected to אִי and כָּבוֹד; (there is) no glory, i.e. inglorious; Ikabod, a son of Phineas; I-chabod.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אי, כבד (ʾ-y; k-b-d) — lack, nonexistence; heaviness, honor, glory
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H350-01 |
אִֽי | i | HTj |
no | No-Glory | 1 |
H350-03 |
כָבוֹד֙ | khavod | HNp |
glory | No-Glory | 1 |
H350-02 |
אִיכָב֣וֹד | ikhavod | HNp |
Ichabod | No-Glory | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H350-01 |
1 Samuel 4:21 | אִֽי | i | HTj |
no | No-Glory |
H350-03 |
1 Samuel 4:21 | כָבוֹד֙ | khavod | HNp |
glory | No-Glory |
H350-02 |
1 Samuel 14:3 | אִיכָב֣וֹד | ikhavod | HNp |
Ichabod | No-Glory |