עַמִּישַׁדַּי
𐤏𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤃𐤉
Amishaday
H5996 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name of an Israelite: 'Ammishaddai.' The name most likely means 'my kinsman is Shaddai' or 'my people are Shaddai,' referencing direct or clan relationship to the deity known as Shaddai (often rendered as 'the Almighty'). The word functions only as a proper noun, identifying the father of Ahiezer, a leader among the tribe of Dan during the wilderness period.
Semantic Range
proper name (personal name) only; 'my kinsman is Shaddai,' 'my people belong to Shaddai,' 'Ammishaddai'
Root / Etymology
Formed from the noun עַם (ʻam, 'people, kinsman, clan') and the divine epithet שַׁדָּי (Shaddai), commonly used for the God of Israel. The name employs a first person singular suffix (î), making the construction ʻammî ('my kinsman' or 'my people'), followed by Shaddai. Thus, the root origin is ע-מ-ם with the theophoric addition of ש-ד-י.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עַמִּישַׁדַּי appears only in the genealogical lists of Numbers (Num 1:12; 2:25; 7:66, 71; 10:25), where he is named as the father of Ahiezer, chief of the tribe of Dan at the time of the exodus from Egypt. The name is one example of a class of theophoric Hebrew personal names that incorporate a divine title (Shaddai). While 'people of (the) Almighty' is a possible rendering, the possessive י (yod) at the end more naturally means 'my' (my people/my kinsman). This construction reflects Israelite naming conventions that express relationship or devotion to a deity. There is no evidence this name was used for a group, tribe, or geographic identity—its role is exclusively as a personal name. Later English translations sometimes conflate the name's theophoric aspect, but in context it serves simply as a proper name without direct theological assertion. The identification of Ammishaddai as an 'Israelite' is contextually accurate for the wilderness period; use of 'Jew' here is anachronistic and should be avoided.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עַם and שַׁדַּי; people of (the) Almighty; Ammishaddai, an Israelite; Ammishaddai.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עם-שדי (ʿ-m / sh-d-y) — people, kinsman, clan; Shaddai (divine title)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5996-01 |
עַמִּֽישַׁדָּֽי | amishaday | HNp |
Ammishaddai | My kin is Shaddai | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5996-01 |
Numbers 1:12 | עַמִּֽישַׁדָּֽי | amishaday | HNp |
Ammishaddai | My kin is Shaddai |
H5996-01 |
Numbers 2:25 | עַמִּֽישַׁדָּֽי | amishaday | HNp |
of Ammishaddai | My kin is Shaddai |
H5996-01 |
Numbers 7:66 | עַמִּישַׁדָּֽי | amishaday | HNp |
Ammishaddai | My kin is Shaddai |
H5996-01 |
Numbers 7:71 | עַמִּישַׁדָּֽי | amishaday | HNp |
Ammishaddai | My kin is Shaddai |
H5996-01 |
Numbers 10:25 | עַמִּישַׁדָּֽי | amishaday | HNp |
of Ammishaddai | My kin is Shaddai |