🔼The name Pedahel: Summary
- Meaning
- El Upgrades, He Upgrades To The Standard Of El
- Etymology
- From (1) the verb פדה (pada), to upgrade the operating standard, and (2) the word אל ('el), God.
🔼The name Pedahel in the Bible
The name Pedahel occurs only once in the Bible. In Numbers 34:28, Pedahel son of Ammihud of Naphtali is listed among the tribal leaders who were to put the instructions in effect and apportion the land in practice.
🔼Etymology of the name Pedahel
The name Pedahel consists of two elements. The first part of our name comes from the verb פדה (pada), to pay an individual price for collective freedom:
פדה
The verb פדה (pada) describes a letting go of an old standard (say, phonetic spelling) and assuming a new one (standardized spelling). The new standard may appear more restrictive at a personal level but it allows a much greater precision and thus basin of exchange and thus liberty at the collective level.
This verb speaks of an individual price paid for collective freedom and is as such often translated as to ransom or redeem. In the stories of the Bible, the old standard often appears as captor or abductor or slave-driving task master.
Nouns פדוים (peduyim), פדות (pedut), פדיום (pidyom), פדיון (pidyon) and פדין (pidyon) all mean ransom or price of redemption.
The final part of the name Pedahel is the word אל El meaning God:
אל אלה
In names אל ('el) usually refers to אלהים ('elohim), that is Elohim, or God, also known as אלה ('eloah). In English, the words 'God' and 'god' exclusively refer to the deity but in Hebrew the words אל ('l) and אלה ('lh) are far more common and may express approach and negation, acts of wailing and pointing, and may even mean oak or terebinth.
🔼Pedahel meaning
For a meaning of the name Pedahel, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads God Saves. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names has Redeemed of God. BDB Theological Dictionary suggests El Hath Ransomed.