Lexical Definition

‎אֶלְנָתָן‎ ʼElnâthân (el-naw-thawn') Elnathan ^N:N-M-P
from ‎אֵל‎ and ‎נָתַן‎; God (is the) giver

Elnathan.

• § Elnathan = "God has given"
• Elnathan, the name of four Israelites

1) king Jehoiachin's maternal grandfather
2) three chief men in Ezra's time
3) son of Achbor, a military commander under Jehoiakim

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.26.22
• son of: Achbor (עַכְבּוֹר)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אֶלְנָתָן‎ (God has given, compare ‎נְתַנְאֵל‎, & Assyrian Ilu-iddin Dl^{Pr 207, Phoenician} ‎בעליתן‎, ‎יתנבעל‎, Palmyrene ‎עתנתן‎, ‎והבלת‎, Vog^{Pal 30 & p. 31 f}, Nabataean ‎והבאל‎, ‎קסנתן‎ Eut^{Nab 12, 1}, Sabean ‎והבאל‎, ‎אלוהב‎ DHM^{ZMG 1883, 15. 361. 388} CIS^{iv.1,1.2.6, Theodore, Diodate}).
a. the grandfather of Jehoiakim 2Kgs 24:8 compare Jer 26:22; Jer 36:12; Jer 36:25 (?).
b. Levites of the time of Ezra Ezra 8:16 (3 t. in verse).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Son of Achbor • A royal official during the reign of King Jehoiakim.

Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy

Elnathan, the son of Achbor, was a royal official during the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah (Jer.26.22; 36.12,25).

• A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.26.22;
• only referred to as Elnathan אֶלְנָתָן;
• a son of Achbor עַכְבּוֹר.

Elnathan, the son of Achbor, was a prominent royal official during the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah. He is first mentioned in Jeremiah 26:22, where King Jehoiakim sent him, along with other officials, to Egypt to capture the prophet Uriah, who had prophesied against Judah. Elnathan and the other officials brought Uriah back to Jehoiakim, who had him executed. Later, in Jeremiah 36, Elnathan is present when the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies is read before the king. When Jehoiakim cuts up the scroll and burns it, Elnathan and two other officials plead with the king not to do so, showing their respect for the prophetic word (Jer.36.12,25). Despite their efforts, Jehoiakim refuses to listen and continues to reject Jeremiah's warnings. Elnathan's actions reveal his role as a trusted advisor to the king and his involvement in significant events during Jehoiakim's reign. However, his ultimate loyalty appears to be to the king rather than to the prophetic message.

All entries for Elnathan: אֶלְנָתָן

Related Profiles:

• Achbor (father)