Mehetabel (name)

Mehetabel is a Hebrew given name, traditionally given to females. It is composed of two elements: Mehet, which means "favored by" or "benefited by," and El, a shortened form of Elohim, meaning "God." Therefore, the name Mehetabel can be interpreted as "God has benefited," "favored by God," or "God makes happy."

The name appears in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) in two instances. One Mehetabel is the wife of Hadar, a king of Edom (Genesis 36:39). The other is the mother of Shemaiah, a false prophet who was hired by Tobiah and Sanballat to frighten Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:10-13).

Due to its biblical connections and the positive meaning associated with divine favor, Mehetabel has been used, though infrequently, as a given name in Jewish and Christian cultures. Its usage is more common in historical contexts than in modern times.