1182. Beelyada
Lexical Summary
Beelyada: Beelyada

Original Word: בְּעֶלְיָדָע
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: B`elyada`
Pronunciation: beh-el-yah-DAH
Phonetic Spelling: (beh-el-yaw-daw')
KJV: Beeliada
NASB: Beeliada
Word Origin: [from H1168 (בַּעַל - Baal) and H3045 (יָדַע - know)]

1. Baal has known
2. Beeljada, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Beeliada

From Ba'al and yada'; Baal has known; Beeljada, an Israelite -- Beeliada.

see HEBREW Ba'al

see HEBREW yada'

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from Baal and yada
Definition
"Baal knows," a son of David
NASB Translation
Beeliada (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
בְּעֶלְיָדָע proper name, masculine (Baal knows) son of David 1 Chronicles 14:7, the original name changed to אלידע 2 Samuel 5:16 (compare We Dr).

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Name Background

Beelyada (בְּעֶלְיָדָע) bears a theophoric element that originally contained the divine title “Baal,” later rendered with “El” in the parallel list of 2 Samuel 5:16 (“Eliada”) to avoid any association with the Canaanite deity. The full sense, “Baal/El knows” or “Baal/El has known,” underscores divine knowledge and care. The variant forms illustrate Israel’s growing concern to distance covenant theology from pagan terminology while preserving the personal history of David’s household.

Biblical Occurrence

1 Chronicles 14:7: “Beelyada, Elishama, and Eliphelet.”

The Chronicler includes Beelyada among the sons born to David after his ascension to the throne in Jerusalem. The sole mention occurs in a catalog that emphasizes God’s blessing on David’s royal line and the establishment of his reign in the fortified city.

Historical Setting

After uniting the tribes, David captured Jerusalem and made it his administrative and religious center (2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 11). The birth of sons there symbolized divine favor and dynastic stability. Whereas David’s earlier sons were born during years of conflict, the Jerusalem-born offspring—including Beelyada—reflect a season of God-granted consolidation and peace (1 Chronicles 14:2).

Ministry Significance within the Davidic House

1. Covenant Assurance: Every son listed after the covenant promises of 2 Samuel 7 testifies that the Lord “will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Though Solomon alone became heir, the larger set of sons such as Beelyada showcases the overflowing nature of God’s promise to preserve David’s lineage.
2. Testimony against Syncretism: The shift from “Baal” to “El” in the record demonstrates Israel’s vigilance against idolatry. That the Chronicler retains the older form, yet without commendation or critique, reminds readers of the tension between cultural memory and covenant purity.
3. Royal Responsibilities: Sons of the king often served as administrators, military commanders, or covenant witnesses (2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Kings 4:12-14). While Scripture offers no further exploits for Beelyada, his placement in the list suggests potential service within the expanding bureaucracy of David’s kingdom.

Theological Reflections

• God’s Sovereignty over Names and History: Even minor figures in genealogies display the Lord’s intimate governance of family lines that shape redemptive history.
• Purity of Worship: The textual transition from a Baal-based to an El-based theophoric name underscores the mandate to worship Yahweh alone and expunge rival deities from Israel’s vocabulary and life (Exodus 23:13).
• Anticipation of the Messiah: Every Davidic son foreshadows the greater Son, Jesus Christ, who fulfills the everlasting covenant (Luke 1:32-33). Beelyada’s brief appearance thereby participates in the larger tapestry that culminates in the Incarnation.

Lessons for Today

1. Faithful Parenting: David’s acknowledgment of God’s favor through his children calls modern believers to raise offspring in covenant faithfulness, recognizing them as gifts from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-4).
2. Guardianship of Language: Just as Israel refined its nomenclature to honor God alone, Christians are urged to ensure their speech and cultural expressions reflect undiluted allegiance to the Lord (Colossians 3:17).
3. Value of the Unnoticed: Beelyada’s single-verse legacy encourages believers that importance in God’s kingdom is not measured by human acclaim but by one’s placement in His sovereign plan (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

Summary

Beelyada, though mentioned only once, contributes to the chronicled evidence of God’s faithfulness to David, the vigilant purification of Israel’s worship, and the unfolding lineage leading to the Messiah. His brief presence in Scripture invites readers to rejoice in God’s detailed orchestration of history and to pursue worship untainted by idolatry.

Forms and Transliterations
וּבְעֶלְיָדָ֖ע ובעלידע ū·ḇə·‘el·yā·ḏā‘ ūḇə‘elyāḏā‘ uveelyaDa
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Englishman's Concordance
1 Chronicles 14:7
HEB: וֶאֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע וּבְעֶלְיָדָ֖ע וֶאֱלִיפָֽלֶט׃
NAS: Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.
KJV: And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet.
INT: Elishama Beeliada and Eliphelet

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 1182
1 Occurrence


ū·ḇə·‘el·yā·ḏā‘ — 1 Occ.

1181
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