עַדְלַי
𐤏𐤃𐤋𐤉
Adelay
H5724 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Adlai, a personal name of an individual listed in genealogies of the Hebrew Bible, without further lexical meaning apart from designation as a proper name. The name is recorded as the father of Shaphat, and grandfather of Amasa, who was an officer in King David's administration (1 Chronicles 27:29). The precise etymological meaning of the name is unknown, as it derives from a root or formation not used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
proper name of a person, specifically an Israelite; used only in genealogical lists as a patronymic
Root / Etymology
The name עַדְלַי (ʻAdlay) appears to be formed from an unused or otherwise unattested root in biblical Hebrew. Some have suggested connections with roots related to 'justice' (דָּלָה or עָדַל), but there is no sufficient linguistic evidence for this identification. The etymology remains uncertain, as does any compositional or theophoric element in the name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Adlai is attested only as a personal name in 1 Chronicles 27:29, in a genealogical context relating to the administration of King David. There is no indication of geographic, tribal, or religious identity associated with the name beyond its appearance in this genealogy. The name's meaning is not explained in the biblical text, nor does it recur as a common Israelite name elsewhere in the corpus. (In English Bible translations, the name is simply transliterated. No theological or interpretive weight should be assigned to this name due to lack of narrative or linguistic development in the Hebrew Bible.)
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Adlai, an Israelite; Adlai.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עדל (ʿ-d-l) — uncertain, unattested root
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5725 | עֲדֻלָּם | Adullam |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5724-01 |
עַדְלָֽי | adelay | HNp |
Adlai | Adlai | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5724-01 |
1 Chronicles 27:29 | עַדְלָֽי | adelay | HNp |
Adlai | Adlai |