H4232 H4232
Mehujael / Mehiyael (proper noun); great-grandson of Cain in the Sethite genealogy
This name appears twice in Genesis 4:18, with slight spelling variations (Mehujael/Mehiyael), referring to the same person—the great-grandson of Cain and father of Methushael. The dual spelling reflects textual variation or possibly two forms of the same name. Etymology is disputed: possibilities include 'smitten of God' (from מחה 'to strike'), 'God gives life' (from חיה 'to live'), or a compound with the divine name El. The Septuagint's varied renderings reflect ancient interpretive uncertainty.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The personal name of Cain's great-grandson in the antediluvian genealogy, appearing with two Hebrew spellings in Genesis 4:18 (Mehujael and Mehiyael). All language traditions transliterate, though with slight variations reflecting the Hebrew ambiguity. This name, like others in Cain's line, shows the pattern of compound names incorporating El (God), even within the line descended from humanity's first murderer, suggesting the pervasive acknowledgment of deity even outside the covenant line. 2×
AR["مَحُويَائِيلَ", "وَ-مَحُويَائِيلُ"]·ben["আর-মহীয়ায়েল", "মহূয়ায়েল"]·DE["Mechujael", "und-Mechijael"]·EN["Mechuyael", "and-Mechiyael"]·FR["Mechuyael", "et-Mechiyael"]·heb["ו-מחייאל", "מחויאל"]·HI["और-महीयाएल", "महूयाएल"]·ID["Mehuyael", "dan-Mehuyael"]·IT["Mechuyael", "e-Mechiyael"]·jav["Mehuyael", "lan-Mehuyael"]·KO["그리고-메히야엘-이", "메후야엘"]·PT["Meujael", "e-Meujael"]·RU["Мехуиаеля", "а-Мехииаель"]·ES["Mejuyael", "y-Mejiyael"]·SW["Mehuyaeli", "na-Mehuyaeli"]·TR["Mehuyael'i", "ve-Mehiyael"]·urd["اور-محییائیل-نے", "محویائیل"]
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
† מְחוּיָאֵל n.pr.m. great-grandson of Cain Gn 4:18a = מְחִיָּי֯אֵל v 18b (J; A 𝔊L in both Μαιηλ, E Μαουιηλ; cf. further LagOr. ii, 35 BN 96 (Μαιουιαηλ) BuUrgesch. 125).—(Etym. dub.; ThesAdd. 97 perhaps smitten of Ēl √ מחה; BuUrgesch.128 Kerber Eigennam, d. AT. 91 מְחַיִּיאֵל, or מַחְיִיאֵל Ēl maketh alive; DHMMV 10 thinks of n.pr. div. יאל,—cf. Ph. n.pr. יאלפעל, and CISi. 132, 4; especially p. 163 b, = god יאל giveth life (against this GrayProp. N. 164)).