GIDDONAH/GIDANAH

GIDDONAH/GIDANAH

Lehite PN		1. GIDANAH, Nephite son of ISHMAEL, and father of AMULEK, who       
			lived ca. 82 BC (Alma 10:2 has P ms GIDANAH, and GIDDONAH              
			1830-1981).47 
			2. GIDDONAH, High priest, ca. 75 BC (Alma 30:23)

See the discussion of GID above. The last part of the name, -ONAH, remains unexplained. See also the discussion under GIDDIANHI above. 

GIDGIDDONI and GIDGIDDONAH may somehow be derived from or related to biblical Gidgad/Gudgodah (Judges 20:45, Deuteronomy 10:7), and perhaps to Hor-hagidgad 
“Hollow of Gidgad” (Numbers 33:32-33), which may be the same location as Arabic Wadi Ghadhaghedh.48 

Nibley suggests deriving it from the EGYPTIAN name for SIDON, dydwn3.49 

Also possible is the root ǵdn > ‘dn, “luxury” (JH).

See GID, GIDGIDDONAH, GIDDIANHI, GIDDONAH, GIDGIDDONI, SIDON, ZORAM.

47 R. Skousen agrees that GIDANAH is correct here – Skousen, ATV, 3:1774.

48 J. R. Zorn in Freedman, ed., Anchor Bible Dictionary, III: 287.

49 Nibley, LID 26, 28; and ABM 71.