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Etymology •
& Meaning •
Hebrew •
Greek •
Bible •
Names •
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Meaning and etymology of the name Jonathan
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Jonathan  / 
The name Jonathan (which, by the way, has nothing to do with the name John) is among the most popular names in the Bible. The most famous Jonathan is the eldest son of Saul (1 Samuel 14:49) and beloved friend of David. Others are: An idolatrous wannabe Levite (Judges 18:3); Uncle of David (1 Chronicles 27:32); Faithful to David son of Abiathar (2 Samuel 15:27); Son of Shimei, the brother of David (2 Samuel 21:21); One of David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23:32); a Judahite (1 Chronicles 2:32); A commander in the days of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 40:8); A scribe whose house was made into a prison for Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:15); Opponent of Ezra's connubial reforms (Ezra 10:15); A chief among the returnees (Ezra 8:6); A musician at the dedication of the new Jerusalem wall (Nehemiah 12:35) A household head (Nehemiah 12:14); A postexilic priest (Nehemiah 12:11).
The name Jonathan (=Yo-Nathan) consists of two elements. The first part is  , which is the commonly accepted abbreviated form of  , which is YHWH, the Name of the Lord (see the names Jochebed and Joab).
The second part of the name Jonathan is from the same verb as the name Nathan, which comes from the verb  (natan), to give. Besides the regular meaning of giving, this verb is used in all sorts of placing, putting, committing, bestowing, even suffering, throwing, etc. Obviously, the derivations of this verb all mean gift:  (mattan);  (mattana);  (mattat). A special term for a certain kind of servant to Levites,  (netinim), the Nethinim or Given Ones, is also derived from this root (see Ezra 2:58, 8:20; compare with Numbers 31:30).
For the meaning of the name Jonathan, NOBS Study Bible Name List reads Yahweh Has Given. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads The Lord Gave or Lord Of Giving.
Related names are Nathan, Elnathan, Nathanael, Nethanel, Nathan-melech, and Nethaniah.
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