עֶגְלָה
𐤏𐤂𐤋𐤄
Egelah
H5698 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
ʻEglâh is used as a proper noun, referring to a woman named Eglah who appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of King David's wives. While the form is identical to the common noun עֶגְלָה ('heifer, young cow'), in this context it functions exclusively as a personal name. The semantic range of the root—typically related to cattle—does not directly inform the meaning of the personal name beyond possible connotations of gentleness or youthfulness implied by the animal term. In naming contexts, such animal names may symbolize desirable qualities or serve as a theophoric or symbolic label.
Semantic Range
proper noun—personal name (a woman named Eglah); outside of proper name use: young female calf, heifer (see עֶגְלָה H5697)
Root / Etymology
From the root ע־ג־ל, which generally carries meanings related to 'calf, young cow.' The name ʻEglâh derives directly from the noun form, but as a personal name its etymological motivation is not explicitly stated in the text.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ʻEglâh is attested as one of David's wives in 2 Samuel 3:5 and 1 Chronicles 3:3. Ancient Israelite naming sometimes adopted animal and plant terms for personal names, possibly reflecting characteristics valued by the family or community, or other unknown symbolic associations. There is no evidence for worship or symbolic veneration linked with this name. Unlike the later English rendering of related terms (e.g., 'Jew'), the usage here simply designates a named individual and conveys no geographic, ethnic, or religious identity markers inherent in the form. The meaning of the name is not discussed or interpreted within the biblical narrative; its selection may reflect naming patterns of the Iron Age Levant or personal/family preference.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as עֶגְלָה; Eglah, a wife of David; Eglah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עגל (ʿ-g-l) — to roll, to be round, to produce calves, to become circular
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4570 | מַעְגָּל | in the round path |
| H5694 | עָגִיל | round ornament-ring |
| H5695 | עֵגֶל | young bull-calves |
| H5696 | עָגֹל | rounded |
| H5697 | עֶגְלָה | with my heifer |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5698-01 |
לְ/עֶגְלָ֖ה | leegelah | HR/Np |
by Eglah | to Eglah | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5698-01 |
2 Samuel 3:5 | לְ/עֶגְלָ֖ה | leegelah | HR/Np |
of Eglah | to Eglah |
H5698-01 |
1 Chronicles 3:3 | לְ/עֶגְלָ֥ה | leegelah | HR/Np |
by Eglah | to Eglah |