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H3012 · Hebrew · Old Testament
יִגְדַּלְיָהוּ
Yigdalyahu
Proper noun (person)
Igdaliah — 'Yahweh is great'

Definition

Yigdalyahu (יִגְדַּלְיָהוּ) is a theophoric name meaning "Yahweh is great\” or "May Yahweh be magnified\”, from the root gadal (to be great, to magnify). The name appears once in Jeremiah 35:4, identifying a man of God whose sons kept a chamber in the Temple.

Usage & Theological Significance

The root gadal carries the full weight of divine magnification — the same root appears in Psalm 34:3 ("O magnify the LORD with me") and Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46, translating megalynō). To bear the name "Yahweh is great" was to carry a doxological proclamation in one's very identity.

The brief mention of Yigdalyahu in Jeremiah 35 places him in the era of the Rechabites — a context of covenant faithfulness contrasted against Judah's apostasy. His sons kept a room in the Temple of the LORD, suggesting a household committed to sacred service. Even peripheral figures in Scripture often carry names that preach: Yahweh is great, even when His people are faithless.

Key Bible Verses

Jeremiah 35:4 I brought them into the house of the LORD into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God.
Psalm 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Luke 1:46 And Mary said: 'My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.'
Psalm 35:27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, 'The LORD be exalted.'
Isaiah 12:4 Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

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