A depiction of Manoah's wife, a biblical figure sometimes identified with Hazzelelponi

Hazzelelponi[1] (Hebrew: הַצְּלֶלְפּוֹנִי Haṣṣəlelpōnī, "the shade-facing")[2] is a biblical woman mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:3. Tzelafon was named after her.

Hazzelelponi was a daughter of a man named Etam and thus a descendant of Judah.

She was also a sister of Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash, of the tribe of Judah.

Zelelponith

Under the name Zelelponith, she is referred to in rabbinical sources—Midrash Numbers Rabbah Naso 10 and Bava Batra 91a[3]—as being the wife of Manoah and mother of Samson, the famous judge.

According to the ancient Rabbinic tradition, Hazzelelponi was married to Manoah. She also had a daughter called Nishyan or Nashyan.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Spelled Hazelelponi in the King James Version, Asalelphuni in the Vulgate, Heselebbon (Ancient Greek: Ἑσηλεββών Hesēlebbṓn) in the Septuagint, and Zelelponith (Hebrew: צְלֶלְפּוֹנִית Ṣəlelpōnīṯ) in the midrashes.
  2. ^ David Mandel (2007). The Ultimate Who's Who in the Bible. Bridge-Logos. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-88270-372-5.
  3. ^ Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Bava Batra Folio 91.
  4. ^ Samson, Jewish Encyclopedia. "The mother of Samson [was named] Zlelponith, and his sister, Nashyan."
  5. ^ Porter, J. R. (2000). The Illustrated Guide to the Bible. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. p. 75. ISBN 0-7607-2278-1.
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