בַּ֫עַל חָנָן (ba.al cha.nan)
ba.al cha.nan
Baal-hanan
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Baal-hanan translates to "Baal is gracious." It appears five times in the Hebrew Bible, identifying two distinct men who share this title. The first is an early king of Edom mentioned in Genesis 36:38. He is described as the son of Achbor and a successor in the line of Edomite rulers before the establishment of the Israelite monarchy.
The second individual with this name appears in 1 Chronicles 27:29. Serving during the time of King David, he was a Gederite responsible for managing the king’s olive and sycamore-fig plantations. This role indicates a position of significant administrative trust within the royal estate.
The components of the name reflect the religious landscape of the ancient Near East. Baal was a common deity title in Canaanite culture, meaning "lord" or "master." The addition of chanan, meaning "gracious," suggests a personal acknowledgment of divine favor. While the Edomite king’s name likely reflects local religious traditions, David’s official bears a similar structure, showing how such names persisted across different social and political contexts in Israel’s history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Baal-hanan, meaning "Baal is gracious," appears in Scripture to identify two distinct men from very different walks of life. In Genesis and Chronicles, it marks an Edomite king who ruled before Israel had its own monarchy. This early figure reminds us that God’s sovereign plan was already moving through the nations, even among those outside the covenant line.
Centuries later, a man with the same name served King David as an administrator over olive and sycamore-fig plantations (1 Chronicles 27:28). His role required trust and skill in managing resources. This shows that names reflecting local religious culture were common and did not automatically define a person’s faithfulness to God. What matters is how we steward the duties placed before us.
Whether ruling a kingdom or tending crops, these individuals illustrate that God works through people in every station. We can find encouragement in knowing that our current responsibilities, however humble, are seen and used by Him for His purposes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Hanan5×
- Baal-5×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חָנָ֖ן3×
- בַּ֥עַל3×
- בַּ֣עַל2×
- חָנָ֣ן1×
- חָנָ֔ן1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 36:38
Shaul died, and Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
This verse introduces Baal-hanan as a successor to Shaul in the Edomite royal line, highlighting his political significance before Israel established its monarchy.
-
I Chronicles 27:28
Over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the lowland was Baal Hanan the Gederite. Over the cellars of oil was Joash.
Here the name identifies an official under David who managed agricultural resources, showing how the name was used for trusted administrators in Israel.