H1022 H1022
Bethlehemite — a gentilicof Bethlehem, identifying someone as from that town
The gentilic adjective identifying a person as hailing from Bethlehem. It appears exclusively in the narratives of David's rise: Jesse is called 'the Bethlehemite' when Samuel is sent to anoint one of his sons (1 Sam 16:1, 18), David identifies himself by this designation before Saul (1 Sam 17:58), and the giant-slayer Elhanan is described as a Bethlehemite (2 Sam 21:19). The term carries a quiet literary weight, linking David's humble origins to the town that would become synonymous with messianic hope.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The gentilic adjective meaning 'of Bethlehem,' used to identify individuals by their hometown. Jesse is introduced as 'the Bethlehemite' in 1 Samuel 16:1, 18; David is recognized as 'son of the Bethlehemite' in 1 Samuel 17:58; and Elhanan the warrior bears the same designation in 2 Samuel 21:19. Spanish 'bet-lehemita,' French and German 'Bethlehemite' all preserve the same gentilicform, pointing to a single consistent usage as a demonym. 4×
AR["الْبَيْتِ-اللَّحْمِيُّ", "بَيْتَ-اللَّحْمِي", "بَيْتَ-اللَّحْمِيِّ"]·ben["বেথলেহেমীয়", "বৈৎলেহমীয়"]·DE["Bethlehemite", "der-Bethlehemite"]·EN["Bethlehemite", "the-Bethlehemite"]·FR["Bethlehemite", "le-Bethlehemite"]·heb["בית-ה-לחמי"]·HI["बयत-ह-लचमि", "बेतलहमी", "बैत-लेचेम-क"]·ID["orang-Bet-Lehem", "orang-Betlehem"]·IT["Bethlehemite", "il-Bethlehemite"]·jav["tiyang-Bètlehèm", "tiyang-Bètléhèm"]·KO["베들레헴-사람", "베들레헴-사람이"]·PT["de-Beit-Lechem", "o-beitlechemita"]·RU["Бейт-Лахмийца", "Бейт-Лахмийцу", "Бет-Лахмянин"]·ES["bet-ha-lajmi", "bet-lehemita"]·SW["Mbethlehemu"]·TR["Bet-Lahemli", "Beytlehemli", "Beytlehemli-ye"]·urd["بیت-لحمی", "بیت-لحمی-کا۔"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי adj.gent. the Bethlehemite 1 S 16:18; 17:58; 2 S 21:19, so read prob. also in ‖ 1 Ch 20:5 for MT את לחמי cf. Be Th EwH iii. 70 WeH. 266 Kue DrSm; בּ׳־הַלּ׳ 1 S 16:1.