Meaning & Origin
Peninnah is derived from the Hebrew words pen (opened) and yinah (noble woman). In the Hebrew Bible, Peninnah is the second wife of Elkanah and the mother of five sons and two daughters with him. Despite her initial difficulty conceiving and the favoritism of her rival Hannah, Peninnah is later praised by God for her great suffering and her comforting words to Hannah, which helped her to conceive and later give birth to her own son, Samuel.
Spiritual meaning
Symbolizes endurance, comfort, and compassion.
Language details
Peninnah
Peninnah means rich gift or precious one
Pronunciation & Numerology
Pronunciation
peh-NIN-ah
/pɛˈnɪnə/
Lucky number
7
Lucky day
Saturday
Lucky colors
Life path
6
Lucky stone
Amethyst
Cultural & Spiritual notes
Peninnah, a Hebrew name, carries a sense of nobility and resilience, rooted in ancient Israelite history. It is the name of a biblical character, the wife of Elkanah, who, despite faced with the pain of infertility and jealousy, exemplified grace, endurance, and compassion. The name Peninnah reflects a strong and admirable woman, who stoically endured adversity and offered comfort to others—traits passed down through generations and celebrated throughout the Hebrew and Christian traditions.
Peninnah's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the grace with which one can face suffering. As a spiritual name, Peninnah reminds us of the importance of enduring in faith, even during periods of difficulty, and of sharing compassion and empathy with others, especially those who may be experiencing their own struggles. Furthermore, the name invites us to acknowledge the power of God's timing and the deep wells of wisdom and comfort He gives to those who trust in His providence.
Historical references
In the Old Testament, Peninnah is mentioned as one of the wives of Elkanah, who also had a favored wife named Hannah. Peninnah had children but was often provoked by Hannah's childlessness. This story is found in 1 Samuel 1:1-8.
11th Century BCE approximately
In the New Testament, Peninnah is not directly mentioned, but she is believed to be the Peninnah mentioned in the apocryphal book of Tobit. In this story, Peninnah is the wife of Tobit, a pious Israelite exiled in Assyria, and is the mother of the couple's four children.
7th to 3rd Century BCE
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