Hebrew word · H1845

דְּעוּאֵל

de'u'el

Deuel

Proper name, found only for Eliasaph's father (Num 1:14; 7:42, 47; 10:20; compare 2:14). The meaning is uncertain. Proposals: 'known by God' or 'knowledge of God' (from yadaʿ, 'to know'), or a different root.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.14;

father of: Eliasaph (H0460); also called Reuel at Num.2.14;

Also named: re.u.el (רְעוּאֵל "Reuel" H7467I)

§ Deuel = "they know God"

father of Eliasaph, the captain of the tribe of Gad at the time of the numbering of the people at Sinai, also called 'Reuel'

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Numbers 1:14

Range of meaning

Proper name, found only for Eliasaph's father (Num 1:14; 7:42, 47; 10:20; compare 2:14). The meaning is uncertain. Proposals: 'known by God' or 'knowledge of God' (from yadaʿ, 'to know'), or a different root. Many scholars think it is a copying variant of Reuel, 'friend/companion of God' (from reaʿ, 'friend').

Against the English

Most English versions follow the Hebrew 'Deuel' here. At 2:14 they split: some follow the Masoretic 'Reuel,' others harmonize to 'Deuel' with a footnote. Readers may think two different fathers are meant.

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek Septuagint: Ragouēl (Reuel) in every occurrence. Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate ('Duhel'): Deuel, 2:14 included. Reuel is a well-known name elsewhere (Gen 36:4; Exod 2:18, Moses' father-in-law).

Where it appears

Numbers · 4

  1. Numbers 1:14 דְּעוּאֵֽל׃ Deuel

    from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

    Here: The father's name. It is another name built on 'El' (God). Its meaning is uncertain, perhaps 'known by God' or 'knowledge of God,' and it may be the same name as Reuel, 'friend of God' (see the variants).

  2. Numbers 7:42 דְּעוּאֵֽל׃ Deuel

    On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the Gadites, drew near.

  3. Numbers 7:47 דְּעוּאֵֽל׃ פ Deuel

    and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

  4. Numbers 10:20 דְּעוּאֵֽל׃ Deuel

    and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.