Lexical Summary Adnah: Adnah Original Word: עַדְנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Adnah From adan; pleasure; Adnah, the name of two Israelites -- Adnah. see HEBREW adan Brown-Driver-Briggs עֵדְנָה proper name, masculine 1. a prince of Judah2Chronicles 17:14, ᵐ5. Εδνα(α)ς 2 a Manassite 1 Chronicles 12:21, probably (reading׳ע), with Manuscripts, for עַדְנַח; van d. H. עַדְנָח, ᵐ5 Εδνα). — See also עַדְנָא. above Topical Lexicon Identity and Biblical Occurrences Adnah appears twice in the Old Testament narrative, each time as a military leader distinguished for courage and loyalty. The first reference (1 Chronicles 12:20-21) places him among the Manassite commanders who defected to David while the future king was still in exile at Ziklag. The second (2 Chronicles 17:14) lists an Adnah from Judah who served King Jehoshaphat as commander over three hundred thousand warriors. Because the events are separated by roughly a century and a half, scholarship recognizes two different men sharing the same name. Adnah of Manasseh: David’s Early Ally 1 Chronicles 12 describes a decisive season in David’s life when support from the tribes was still far from universal. “When David went to Ziklag, men of Manasseh defected to him—Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Joha, and Jozabad, all mighty men of valor, commanders in the army” (1 Chronicles 12:20). Adnah’s defection required discernment and courage: In choosing David, Adnah aligned himself with God’s revealed purpose for Israel’s monarchy (1 Samuel 16:1-13). His account illustrates how individual obedience can hasten the fulfillment of covenant promises. Adnah of Judah: Jehoshaphat’s Commander During Jehoshaphat’s reign, Judah enjoyed relative stability and underwent wide-scale spiritual renewal (2 Chronicles 17:3-6, 9). Administrative reforms included a carefully organized standing army. “From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander with three hundred thousand valiant warriors” (2 Chronicles 17:14). Key observations: Themes of Faithfulness and Valor 1. Discernment of God’s purposes. Adnah of Manasseh read the spiritual landscape correctly, supporting God’s chosen king. Historical Significance The twin appearances of Adnah mark turning points in Israel’s monarchy: the consolidation of David’s support base and the strengthening of Judah’s defenses during an era of reform. In each context a faithful remnant rallies behind God’s ordained leadership, foreshadowing how divine sovereignty works through willing human agents. Ministry Implications • Spiritual alignment precedes strategic effectiveness. Recognizing where God is at work equips believers to invest effort where it will yield eternal fruit. Typological Insight Adnah’s allegiance to David prefigures the believer’s transfer of loyalty from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). Just as Adnah risked repudiation by standing with the true king before that kingship was universally acknowledged, Christians confess Christ’s lordship in a world that has not yet fully yielded to His reign. Lessons for Contemporary Believers 1. Test contemporary allegiances in light of Scripture and God’s overarching redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations עַ֠דְנַח עַדְנָ֣ה עדנה עדנח ‘aḏ·naḥ ‘aḏ·nāh ‘aḏnaḥ ‘aḏnāh Adnach adNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 12:21 HEB: עָלָ֣יו ׀ מִֽמְּנַשֶּׁ֡ה עַ֠דְנַח וְיוֹזָבָ֤ד וִידִֽיעֲאֵל֙ INT: cast down Manasseh Adnah Josabad Jediael 2 Chronicles 17:14 2 Occurrences |
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