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עֲתַלְיָה

𐤏𐤕𐤋𐤉𐤄

Ataleyah

H6271 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עתל to exalt, to restrain, to entangle (root meaning uncertain)

Definition

A proper name referring primarily to a royal Israelite woman: Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and later queen-mother and ruler in Jerusalem during the ninth century BCE. The name is also borne by two male Israelites in post-exilic genealogies. The name itself likely conveys a theological affirmation, with possible meanings including 'Yahweh has constrained/protected' or 'Yahweh is exalted,' reflecting a compound of a verbal form and the divine element 'Yah.'

Semantic Range

proper name—female royal figure (queen-mother of Judah); proper name—male individuals in genealogies; compound personal name containing the divine element 'Yah'; may imply 'Yahweh has restrained,' 'Yahweh is exalted,' or similar theological affirmation

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Likely derived from the root ע-ת-ל (perhaps 'to be exalted, to constrain, to entangle') combined with יָהּ (the shortened form of the Tetragrammaton, referring to Yahweh). The precise root ע-ת-ל is rare and its meaning uncertain; may be related to the name עַתְלַי (Atlai) and other personal names. Some lexica suggest 'constrain,' 'protect,' or 'exalt' as possible senses. The Yahweh-element (יה) indicates the theophoric nature of the name, making the overall meaning something like 'Yahweh is exalted' or 'Yahweh has restrained.' Etymological certainty is limited due to the obscurity of the root ע-ת-ל.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Attested as the name of a significant royal woman in the monarchic period: Athaliah was daughter of Ahab and queen-mother of Judah, notable for her regency after the death of Ahaziah (see 2 Kings 8–11; 2 Chronicles 22–23). The name is also found for two post-exilic male figures in genealogical lists (1 Chronicles 8:26; Ezra 8:7). Although the form עֲתַלְיָהוּ ('Athalyahu') is attested, most references use עֲתַלְיָה. In English Bibles the name is often rendered 'Athaliah,' but older translations sometimes obscure the gender or omit the theophoric element. Some later traditions (including rabbinic and Christian) conflate the distinction between 'Israelite' and 'Judean' contexts regarding Athaliah; in her own time, she would have been a royal consort from Israel exercising power in Jerusalem.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or עֲתַלְיָהוּ; from the same as עַתְלַי and יָהּ; Jah has constrained; Athaljah, the name of an Israelitess and two Israelites; Athaliah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עתל (ʿ-t-l) — to exalt, to restrain, to entangle

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6271-02 עֲתַלְיָ֔הוּ ataleyahu HNp Athaliah Yah is exalted 9
H6271-03 וַֽ/עֲתַלְיָה֙ vaataleyah HC/Np and Athaliah Yah is exalted 4
H6271-01 עֲתַלְיָ֔ה ataleyah HNp Athaliah Yah Is Exalted 3
H6271-04 וַ/עֲתַלְיָ֨הוּ֙ vaataleyahu HC/Np And Athaliah and Yah-is-exalted 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6271-02 2 Kings 8:26 עֲתַלְיָ֔הוּ ataleyahu HNp Athaliah Yah is exalted
H6271-03 2 Kings 11:1 וַֽ/עֲתַלְיָה֙ vaataleyah HC/Np And Athaliah Yah is exalted
H6271-02 2 Kings 11:2 עֲתַלְיָ֖הוּ ataleyahu HNp Athaliah Yah is exalted
H6271-03 2 Kings 11:3 וַ/עֲתַלְיָ֖ה vaataleyah HC/Np and Athaliah Yah is exalted
H6271-01 2 Kings 11:13 עֲתַלְיָ֔ה ataleyah HNp Athaliah Yah Is Exalted
H6271-01 2 Kings 11:14 עֲתַלְיָה֙ ataleyah HNp Athaliah Yah Is Exalted
H6271-02 2 Kings 11:20 עֲתַלְיָ֛הוּ ataleyahu HNp Athaliah Yah is exalted
H6271-01 Ezra 8:7 עֲתַלְיָ֑ה ataleyah HNp Athaliah Yah Is Exalted
H6271-03 1 Chronicles 8:26 וַ/עֲתַלְיָֽה vaataleyah HC/Np and Athaliah Yah is exalted
H6271-02 2 Chronicles 22:2 עֲתַלְיָ֖הוּ ataleyahu HNp Athaliah Yah is exalted
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