Meaning & History
Phanuhel is a Latin form of the biblical name Penuel, found in the Latin New Testament and possibly reflecting a variant transliteration of the Greek original Phanouel.
Etymology
The name derives from Hebrew penuel, meaning "facing God", from the roots pana ("to turn to") and el ("God"). It appears in both the Old and New Testaments, though Phanuhel itself is chiefly a Vulgate rendering.
Biblical Context
In the Hebrew Bible, Penuel is a location (site of Jacob's wrestling with a divine being, Genesis 32:30–31) and a personal name in the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:24). In the Latin New Testament, the name emerges for the father of the prophetess Anna in Luke 2:36; this verse describes Anna as "the daughter of Phanuhel" — a phrase rendered in English as "Phanuel" in some manuscripts and translations.
According to Luke 2:36: "And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuhel, of the tribe of Aser." — Latin Vulgate
Related Forms and Usage
Phanuhel is closely related to the Greek Phanouel and Judeo-Christian–Islamic legend figure Phanuel (sometimes identified with the angel Ramiel). The variant Phunihel appears in some Vetus Latina manuscripts.
- Meaning: "Facing God"
- Origin: Hebrew (via Latin Vulgate)
- Type: Biblical first name (masculine)
- Usage: Latin Bible, and indirectly in Christian tradition