Original Word: פְתוּאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Pthuw'el
Pronunciation: peh-thoo-EL
Phonetic Spelling: (peth-oo-ale')
KJV: Pethuel
NASB: Pethuel
Word Origin: [from H6601 (פָּתָה - To entice) and H410 (אֵל - God)]

1. enlarged of God
2. Pethuel, an Israelite

Pethuel

From pathah and 'el; enlarged of God; Pethuel, an Israelite -- Pethuel.

see HEBREW pathah

see HEBREW 'el

Word Origin
from pathah
Definition
father of the prophet Joel
NASB Translation
Pethuel (1).

מְּתוּאֵל proper name, masculine father of prophet Joel Joel 1:1 (ᵐ5 Βαθουηλ, i.e. בְּתוּאֵל).

Name and Meaning

Pethuel appears only once in inspired Scripture. His name is commonly understood to combine a root that conveys the idea of persuasion, openness, or vision with the divine element “El,” yielding suggested translations such as “God Persuades,” “Opened of God,” or “Vision of God.” Whatever nuance is preferred, the name itself testifies to a work of God in the life of the bearer, a reminder that the Lord both initiates and perfects faith in His people.

Biblical Context

“The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel” (Joel 1:1). With this brief introduction the Book of Joel anchors the prophet in real history and family. Scripture’s consistent practice of naming a prophet’s father (for example, Isaiah 1:1; Jeremiah 1:1) safeguards the authenticity of the prophetic message, rooting it in verifiable lineage rather than anonymous speculation. Joel’s credibility stands, in part, on the known identity of his father.

Historical Background

Although Pethuel’s personal account is unrevealed, the time of his son’s ministry can be placed, most plausibly, in the ninth or eighth century before Christ. The southern kingdom of Judah is the setting, suggested by Joel’s focus on the temple, priests, and Jerusalem (Joel 1:13–14; Joel 2:15–17). Pethuel therefore lived during an era of covenant infidelity, agricultural devastation, and looming foreign threat—conditions addressed directly in Joel’s call to repentance.

Literary Setting in Joel

Joel’s opening verse functions like a title page, locating the prophecy in the household of Pethuel. The rest of the book never mentions him again, but the initial reference performs several important tasks:
• It provides historical witness, assuring later generations that Joel was a real man with a real father.
• It introduces a theme of generational responsibility. Joel urges the elders to tell their children what God has done (Joel 1:2–3). The naming of Pethuel subtly models the same principle: faith is transmitted through families.
• It advocates covenant continuity. In Hebrew culture a man’s significance was often measured by his descendants; here the order is reversed, highlighting a father whose chief honor is to be known through the prophetic ministry of his son.

Theological Significance

1. Prophetic Authority. By recording the lineage, the text affirms that prophetic words come through chosen vessels in actual history, not myth.
2. Covenant Faithfulness. Pethuel’s inclusion testifies that God works over generations. The covenant promise to raise up faithful witnesses (Deuteronomy 18:18) is embodied in the father-son relationship of Pethuel and Joel.
3. Divine Initiative. The possible meaning “God Persuades” underscores grace. Before Joel called a nation to repentance, God had already “persuaded” or “opened” a man—Pethuel—to covenant life, paving the way for his son’s ministry.

Applications for Church and Family Ministry

• Heritage of Faith. Parents today are reminded that the most lasting legacy may not be personal achievement, but children who hear and proclaim the word of the Lord.
• Naming with Purpose. Biblical names often reflect theology. Believers are encouraged to speak and pray Scripture over their children, shaping identity around God’s character.
• Intergenerational Partnership. Congregations should honor older saints whose quiet faithfulness raises up the next generation of leaders, just as Pethuel’s unseen influence stands behind Joel’s public ministry.

Typological and Prophetic Insight

Joel’s prophecy points forward to the outpouring of the Spirit fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:16). In that sense Pethuel, whose name may imply “vision of God,” becomes an indirect figure in the larger redemptive story: a father of the prophet through whom God promised universal prophecy, dreams, and visions (Joel 2:28–32). Thus an obscure patriarch is woven into the tapestry that culminates in the Messiah’s ascension gift to His Church.

Summary

Pethuel’s single appearance is sufficient to affirm the historical reliability of Joel, illustrate God’s multigenerational faithfulness, and encourage families and churches to invest in spiritual legacy. In silence and anonymity, Pethuel stands as a quiet witness that a life hidden in God can bear fruit far beyond its own generation.

פְּתוּאֵֽל׃ פתואל׃ pə·ṯū·’êl pəṯū’êl petuElInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts