גִּינַ֑ת (gi.nat)
gi.nat
Ginath
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
Ginath is a proper name appearing only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the narrative of King Omri’s reign in 1 Kings 16. The text identifies him simply as the father of Tibni, a figure who briefly contested the throne against Omri’s son, Achab. Because his appearances are limited to these genealogical notes, Ginath himself plays no active role in the story; he is mentioned solely to establish the lineage of a rival claimant.
The name is traditionally interpreted to mean "protection" or "defense." In the context of the divided monarchy, where tribal loyalty and family lineage were critical to political legitimacy, such a name would have carried significant weight for a patriarch. However, the biblical record does not elaborate on Ginath’s personal character or deeds, leaving his historical significance entirely tied to his son Tibni’s brief rebellion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Ginath appears in the Hebrew Bible only twice, both times as part of a genealogical record in 1 Kings 16. It identifies the father of Tibni, a man who briefly challenged King Omri for the throne of Israel. The text does not describe any actions taken by Ginath himself; he is mentioned solely to establish the lineage of a rival claimant during a time of political division.
While the name itself is traditionally interpreted to mean "protection" or "defense," the biblical narrative offers no further insight into his character or deeds. His significance lies entirely in his role as a patriarch within a turbulent period of Israel’s history. For readers today, this brief mention serves as a reminder that Scripture often records family lines to provide context for larger historical events, even when those individuals remain silent figures in the background.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Ginath2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גִּינַת֙1×
- גִּינַ֑ת1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 16:21
Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.
This verse introduces Ginath as the father of Tibni, establishing the lineage of one of two factions vying for control of Israel.
-
I Kings 16:22
But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath; so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
Here, the text again references Tibni as the son of Ginath to confirm that Omri’s forces prevailed over the rival line.