אֶשְׁבַּעַל
𐤀𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤋
Eshebaal
H792 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: 'Eshbaal'—most likely meaning 'man of Baal' or 'Baal is man'; the name of a son of King Saul. While the constituent elements suggest a theophoric meaning involving 'Baal,' in this context, 'Baal' can refer generically to 'lord' or 'master,' or as a title for the deity Baal. The semantic range of the name includes identification with its bearer and may reflect the use of 'Baal' as a title for Yahweh in earlier Israelite contexts.
Semantic Range
personal name; man of Baal; man of the lord; bearer of the theophoric element 'baal'; in later edits, representative of tension regarding the use of 'Baal' as a divine title
Root / Etymology
From אִישׁ (ʼish, 'man') + בַּעַל (baʽal, 'lord, master, baal'). The name combines two common Hebrew nouns, forming a theophoric or honorific construction. In naming, 'Baal' in pre-exilic Israelite use could denote the deity Baal or, in some contexts, be a title for Yahweh as 'lord.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֶשְׁבַּעַל appears in 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39 as the name of Saul's son, corresponding with אִישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת ('Ishbosheth') in 2 Samuel. The biblical text preserves both forms: the 'Baal' component is sometimes replaced with 'bosheth' ('shame'), reflecting later scribal or theological preference, especially in books influenced by Deuteronomistic or post-exilic editing where association with the deity Baal was viewed negatively. The use of 'Baal' in personal names was common in earlier periods, even among Israelites. This name provides evidence of historical linguistic shifts in divine titles and the changing reception of such elements in names. English translations may substitute 'Ishbosheth' for 'Eshbaal,' potentially obscuring the original form and its theophoric nature. 'Jew' is not an appropriate term for this context; Saul and his sons are Israelites, specifically Benjaminites.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אִישׁ and בַּעַל; man of Baal; Eshbaal (or Ishbosheth), a son of Saul; Eshbaal.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אישׁ + בעל (ʾ-y-š + b-ʿ-l) — man, individual; lord, master, owner
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H792-01 |
אֶשְׁבָּֽעַל | eshebaal | HNp |
Eshbaal | Man of the Lord | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H792-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:33 | אֶשְׁבָּֽעַל | eshebaal | HNp |
Eshbaal | Man of the Lord |
H792-01 |
1 Chronicles 9:39 | אֶשְׁבָּֽעַל | eshebaal | HNp |
Eshbaal | Man of the Lord |