462. Elienay
Lexical Summary
Elienay: Elienai

Original Word: אֱלִיעֵינַי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Eliy`eynay
Pronunciation: el-yay-an-eye
Phonetic Spelling: (el-ee-ay-nah'ee)
KJV: Elienai
NASB: Elienai
Word Origin: [probably contracted for H454 (אֶליְהוֹעֵינַי אֶליוֹעֵינַי - Elyhoenai)]

1. Elienai, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Elienai

Probably contracted for Elyhow'eynay; Elienai, an Israelite -- Elienai.

see HEBREW Elyhow'eynay

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
probably a contr. for Elyoenay
Definition
an Isr.
NASB Translation
Elienai (1).

Topical Lexicon
Genealogical Setting

Elienai appears once in Scripture, within the Benjamite genealogy preserved in 1 Chronicles 8: 20. He stands among the sons of Shimei, a descendant of Elpaal, whose line settled the strategic towns of Lod and Ono (1 Chronicles 8: 12). By placing Elienai in this record, the Chronicler—writing for the post-exilic community—confirms that the tribe of Benjamin survived national catastrophe and remained entitled to its heritage after the exile (compare 1 Chronicles 9: 1).

Relationship to the House of Saul and Subsequent History

Elpaal’s branch lies close to the line of King Saul (1 Chronicles 8: 33). Recording Elienai therefore undergirds the historical continuity from Israel’s first monarchy to later Benjamites, including the Apostle Paul, who identified himself as “a Hebrew of Hebrews; of the tribe of Benjamin” (Philippians 3: 5). The inclusion of unheralded figures such as Elienai quietly validates Paul’s claim and attests that God preserved an identifiable remnant through exile and dispersion.

Theological Overtones of the Name

Though the entry forbears lexical minutiae, the form of Elienai’s name testifies that God hears and answers. After the disastrous near-extinction of Benjamin in Judges 20 and the later Babylonian captivity, every child born to the tribe could be celebrated as tangible proof of divine response to prayer: “I sought the LORD, and He answered me” (Psalm 34: 4). Thus the mere appearance of the name in the register becomes a proclamation of covenant faithfulness.

Narrative Function in Chronicles

1 Chronicles alternates between royal annals and seemingly routine family lists. By weaving Elienai into the account line, the Chronicler highlights that ordinary Israelites were as vital to the restoration as priests and kings. The pattern anticipates New-Testament teaching that “the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12: 22). Elienai’s silent presence therefore stresses that God’s purposes advance through every member of the covenant community.

Covenantal and Ministerial Implications

• Divine Memory: Elienai illustrates that God records names unknown to history, encouraging believers whose service is hidden (Malachi 3: 16).
• Generational Witness: A name celebrating answered prayer reminds parents and leaders that intercession shapes family trajectories.
• Community Identity: His place in a tribal roll underscores that faith is lived out corporately; ministry must cultivate both individual devotion and communal solidarity.
• Hope After Ruin: Benjamin’s revival—from near annihilation to post-exilic restoration—offers modern congregations a paradigm for recovery after crisis.

Redemptive Trajectory

Names like Elienai form quiet threads in the tapestry of salvation history, leading ultimately to the climactic “Yes” and “Amen” secured in Christ (2 Corinthians 1: 20). Each otherwise obscure entry in the Chronicles stands as a testimony that the God who answered once continues to answer still.

Forms and Transliterations
וֶאֱלִיעֵנַ֥י ואליעני veelieNai we’ĕlî‘ênay we·’ĕ·lî·‘ê·nay
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Chronicles 8:20
HEB: וֶאֱלִיעֵנַ֥י וְצִלְּתַ֖י וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל׃
NAS: Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
KJV: And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
INT: Elienai Zillethai Eliel

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 462
1 Occurrence


we·’ĕ·lî·‘ê·nay — 1 Occ.

461
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