Hebrew word · H682

אָצֵל

'atzel

Azel

Unclear. It may be a place name (Azal or Azel), possibly the same as Beth-ezel (Micah 1:11) or modern Wadi Yasul southeast of Jerusalem. Or it may be the common word ʾēṣel, 'beside, near', giving 'reach to its side' or 'reach close by'.

Appears 7 times in 5 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.8.37;

son of: Binea (H1150);

brother of: Raphah (H7498) and Eleasah (H0501H);

father of: Azrikam (H5840H), Bocheru (H1074), Ishmael (H3458I), Sheariah (H8187), Obadiah (H5662J) and Hanan (H2605H)

§ Azel = "reserved"

n pr m (CLBL)

a Benjamite descendant of Saul and Jonathan

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 Zechariah 14:5

Range of meaning

Unclear. It may be a place name (Azal or Azel), possibly the same as Beth-ezel (Micah 1:11) or modern Wadi Yasul southeast of Jerusalem. Or it may be the common word ʾēṣel, 'beside, near', giving 'reach to its side' or 'reach close by'.

Against the English

Most English versions print it as a name ('Azal' or 'Azel'), which hides how uncertain it is.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint has 'Iasol', a name. Aquila and Symmachus are reported to take it as 'nearby'. The Vulgate has 'usque ad proximum', 'as far as the next'.

Where it appears

1 Chronicles · 6

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:37 אָצֵ֥ל Azel

    Moza was the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.

  2. 1 Chronicles 8:38 וּלְאָצֵל֮ אָצַֽל׃ and [belonged] to Azel, Azel

    Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

  3. 1 Chronicles 9:43 אָצֵ֥ל Azel

    Moza was the father of Binea. Rephaiah was his son, Elasah his son, and Azel his son.

  4. 1 Chronicles 9:44 וּלְאָצֵל֮ אָצַֽל׃ פ and [belonged] to Azel, Azel

    And Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

Zechariah · 1

  1. Zechariah 14:5 אָצַל֒ Azal

    You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.

    Here: An unknown place, probably east or southeast of Jerusalem. It may be Beth-ezel (Micah 1:11) or Wadi Yasul. It might also not be a name at all but the word 'beside, alongside'.

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