Original Word: יַתְנִיאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yathniy'el
Pronunciation: yahth-nee-EL
Phonetic Spelling: (yath-nee-ale')
KJV: Jathniel
NASB: Jathniel
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to endure, and H410 (אֵל - God)]

1. continued of God
2. Jathniel, an Israelite

Jathniel

From an unused root meaning to endure, and 'el; continued of God; Jathniel, an Israelite -- Jathniel.

see HEBREW 'el

Word Origin
from tanah and el
Definition
"God hires," a Levite
NASB Translation
Jathniel (1).

יַתְנִיאֵל proper name, masculine a Levite (El hireth); — 1 Chronicles 26:2; Ιενουηλ, ᵐ5^L Ναθαναηλ.

II. [תָּנָה] verb recount, rehearse (?) (ᵑ7 תַּנֵּי, Syriac , is recount, Arabic II, IV. is celebrate, but Hebrew ת = Aramaic ת = Arabic is very dubious); —

Pi`el Imperfect3masculine plural יְתַנּוּ Judges 5:11 let them recount (Vrss) the victories of ׳י; Infinitive construct תַּנּוֺת Judges 11:40 to celebrate (modern), or mourn (Vrss), with ל person

[תְּנוּאָה] see [ נוא]. תְּנוּבָה see [נוב].

תנך (√ of following).

Name and Meaning

יַתְנִיאֵל (Yathniʾel, Jathniel) carries the sense “God has given” or “whom God gives.” The form follows the common -ʾel suffix that ties the bearer’s identity to the covenant God of Israel, implying that his life and ministry are the result of divine gift and calling.

Biblical Occurrence

1 Chronicles 26:2 lists Jathniel as “the fourth” son of Meshelemiah, a Korahite:

“Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, and Jathniel the fourth” (Berean Standard Bible).

Historical Context: Gatekeepers in Davidic Worship

1 Chronicles 26 records David’s final organization of the Levites shortly before Solomon built the temple. The gatekeepers (Hebrew: shoʿarim) were charged with:
• guarding the entrances to the sanctuary (1 Chronicles 9:22–27)
• supervising the treasuries and dedicated things (1 Chronicles 26:20–28)
• maintaining order and purity within the sacred precincts (2 Chronicles 23:19)

Meshelemiah’s family, to which Jathniel belonged, was drawn from the Korahites, descendants of Kohath. Their forefather Korah had rebelled (Numbers 16), yet many of his line were restored to honored service—some became singers (Psalm headings “of the sons of Korah”), others gatekeepers. Jathniel therefore stands as evidence that divine grace can transform a tarnished heritage into a legacy of faithful stewardship.

Ministry Significance

1. Service at the threshold: Gatekeepers symbolized watchfulness, discernment, and readiness. They ensured that nothing unclean would intrude on holy space (Ezra 8:24–30).
2. Custodians of God’s gifts: By guarding both the gates and the treasuries, they safeguarded the offerings of the people, enabling continual worship.
3. Part of a larger body: Jathniel’s name appears amid detailed rosters, reminding readers that every servant—however briefly mentioned—contributes to the harmony of corporate worship (1 Corinthians 12:18).

Spiritual Insights

• A given name that means “God has given” underlines that ministry itself is a gift from God, not a human achievement (Ephesians 4:7–12).
• Redemption of lineage: From Korah’s fall sprang descendants like Jathniel who chose faithfulness. God’s purposes prevail over ancestral failure (Psalm 85:1–2).
• Uncelebrated faithfulness: Scripture preserves even the fourth son in a list, teaching that obscurity in man’s eyes can still be honored in God’s record (Hebrews 6:10).

Lessons for Today

1. Embrace assigned roles—whether prominent or hidden—as divine appointments.
2. Guard the “gates” of heart, home, and congregation with vigilance, ensuring that what enters nurtures holiness.
3. Trust God to redeem family histories and establish new legacies of service for His glory.

יַתְנִיאֵ֖ל יתניאל yaṯ·nî·’êl yaṯnî’êl yatniElInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts