"And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow."
Biblical Name · Hebrew Origin
Benaiah Meaning in the Bible
Benaiah
boy
Benaiah means "The Lord has built; Yahweh has built up", a boy's name of Hebrew origin. Benaiah appears in the King James Bible, and 2 Samuel 23:20 is the passage most often tied to it. Benaiah embodies God-built courage — the kind of fearless faith that faces lions in snowstorms because it knows who builds its strength.
Is Benaiah in the Bible?
Yes — Benaiah appears in the King James Bible, including 2 Samuel 23:20.
Pronunciation:/beh-NAY-uh/
OriginHebrew
MeaningThe Lord has built; Yahweh has built up
What does Benaiah mean?
Benaiah is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning "The Lord has built; Yahweh has built up". Benaiah was one of David's mighty men — a warrior of extraordinary courage who killed a lion in a snowy pit and defeated an Egyptian giant with the giant's own spear.
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Editor’s reflection
'The LORD has built' — the bodyguard who went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
Benaiah (Hebrew בְּנָיָהוּ) joins banah, 'to build,' with Yah: 'the LORD has built,' or 'the LORD builds up.' It is a covenant name of the same construction as Obadiah and Hezekiah, and it belongs to more than a dozen men in the Old Testament — most of them Levites and temple musicians.
The Benaiah who matters is the son of Jehoiada, one of David's mighty men. His résumé in 2 Samuel 23 reads like a list of things nobody else would attempt: 'he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow' (2 Samuel 23:20). He also killed an Egyptian of great size with the man's own spear, having gone at him with nothing but a staff.
David made him captain of the bodyguard, over the Cherethites and Pelethites. When Adonijah tried to seize the throne, Benaiah stood with Nathan and Zadok for Solomon, and he is the one who carries out Solomon's judgments on Adonijah, Joab and Shimei. He ends as commander of the whole army (1 Kings 2:35) — the loyal soldier promoted to the top.
The name is uncommon in English today and works well: three syllables, clear stress on the second, and a meaning that fits the psalm Solomon's father would have known — 'Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it' (Psalm 127:1). Ben is the ready short form.
“He went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.”
What does Benaiah mean in the Bible?
Benaiah means "The Lord has built; Yahweh has built up" and is a name of Hebrew origin. Below is what Scripture and Christian tradition attach to that meaning.
Benaiah was one of David's mighty men — a warrior of extraordinary courage who killed a lion in a snowy pit and defeated an Egyptian giant with the giant's own spear. His name means 'the Lord has built,' reflecting that true strength is built by God, not self-made.
Where does Benaiah appear in the Bible (KJV)?
Benaiah is connected to 2 key passages in the King James Bible, beginning with 2 Samuel 23:20. Each verse is quoted in full below.
"And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host."
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Which books of the Bible mention Benaiah?
Benaiah is mentioned across 3 books of the Bible. Follow any book below to read it in the KJV.
What is the spiritual meaning of Benaiah?
Benaiah embodies God-built courage — the kind of fearless faith that faces lions in snowstorms because it knows who builds its strength.
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What names are related to Benaiah?
Names like Benaiah
Other Hebrew biblical names that share the spirit of "The Lord has built; Yahweh has built up" — discovered by matching meaning category and origin.
Names that pair well with Benaiah
Sibling sets, middle-name combinations, and complementary pairings chosen for matching origin, meaning, and similar syllable weight.
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Benaiah name meaning: frequently asked questions
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was one of David's mighty men and captain of his bodyguard. 2 Samuel 23:20 records that he killed two lionlike men of Moab and went down into a pit on a snowy day to kill a lion. He backed Solomon against Adonijah and became commander of Israel's army. His name means 'the LORD has built.'
Yes — Benaiah appears in the King James Bible, including 2 Samuel 23:20.
Benaiah means "The Lord has built; Yahweh has built up." It is a Hebrew name. The King James Bible uses it in 2 Samuel 23:20, so the meaning is carried by a real person in Scripture.
Common questions about the name Benaiah
Can I download a free King James Bible PDF to study the name Benaiah?
Yes. The complete King James Bible is available as a free PDF download — all 66 books, 1,189 chapters, ready to read offline or print. No sign-up required.
Where can I read the full biblical context for Benaiah?
You can read every verse where Benaiah appears in the King James Bible by downloading the free KJV PDF or reading online. The download page also includes a bookmarked Book of Psalms KJV PDF for easy reference.