Topical Encyclopedia
Eber is a significant figure in the genealogical records of the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. He is recognized as an ancestor of several notable biblical figures and is often associated with the origins of the Hebrew people. Eber's lineage is detailed in the genealogies found in the Book of Genesis, and his name is believed to be the root of the term "Hebrew."
Genealogy and Biblical ReferencesEber is introduced in the genealogical records of Genesis as a descendant of Shem, one of Noah's three sons. In
Genesis 10:21-25, Eber is listed as a great-grandson of Shem through Arphaxad and Shelah. The passage states: "Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber" (
Genesis 10:21-24).
Eber is further mentioned in the genealogical account of
Genesis 11:14-17, which provides additional details about his descendants: "When Shelah was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber. And after he had become the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters. When Eber was 34 years old, he became the father of Peleg. And after he had become the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters" (
Genesis 11:14-17).
Significance of EberEber is particularly significant as the father of Peleg, during whose lifetime "the earth was divided" (
Genesis 10:25). This phrase has been interpreted in various ways, including the division of languages at the Tower of Babel or a geographical division of the earth. Eber's other son, Joktan, is also noted in the genealogies, and his descendants are associated with various tribes and regions in the Arabian Peninsula.
The name "Eber" is etymologically linked to the term "Hebrew," which is used throughout the Old Testament to describe the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This connection underscores Eber's importance as a patriarchal figure in the lineage leading to the Israelites.
Cultural and Theological ContextIn the broader cultural and theological context, Eber represents a key link in the biblical narrative of God's covenantal promises. As a descendant of Shem, Eber is part of the line through which God chose to work His redemptive plan for humanity. The genealogies that include Eber serve to trace the lineage of the Israelites back to the post-flood world, emphasizing the continuity of God's promises from Noah through to the patriarchs.
Eber's place in the genealogies highlights the importance of family lineage and heritage in the biblical narrative. His descendants, particularly through Peleg, are part of the unfolding account of God's chosen people, leading ultimately to the birth of Jesus Christ, who is seen as the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham and his descendants.
ConclusionEber's role in the biblical genealogies underscores the importance of ancestry and divine promise in the narrative of the Old Testament. As an ancestor of the Hebrews, Eber's legacy is foundational to the identity and history of the Israelite people. His mention in the genealogical records serves as a reminder of the continuity of God's plan and the unfolding of His purposes through successive generations.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Eberone that passes; anger
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Eber(the region beyond).
- Son of Salah, and great-grandson of Shem. (Genesis 10:24;1 Chronicles 1:19) (B.C. 2277-1813.) [For confusion between Eber and Heber seeHEBER]
- Son of Elpaal and descendant of Sharahaim of the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 8:12) (B.C. 1400).
- A priest in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua. (Nehemiah 12:20) (B.C. 445.)
ATS Bible Dictionary
EberSeeHEBER.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Beyond.
(1.). The third post-duluvian patriach after Shem (Genesis 10:24;11:14). He is regarded as the founder of the Hebrew race (10:21;Numbers 24:24). InLuke 3:35 he is called Heber.
(2.) One of the seven heads of the families of the Gadites (1 Chronicles 5:13).
(3.) The oldest of the three sons of Elpaal the Benjamite (8:12).
(4.) One of the heads of the familes of Benjamites in Jerusalem (22).
(5.) The head of the priestly family of Amok in the time of Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:20).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
EBERe'-ber (`ebher; Eber, in Genesis; Obed, in Ch):
(1) Occurs in the genealogies (Genesis 10:21, 25;Genesis 11:14) as the great-grandson of Shem and father of Peleg and Joktan. The word means "the other side," "across," and the form "Hebrew," which is derived from it, is intended to denote the people or tribe who came "from the other, side of the river" (i.e. the Euphrates), from Haran (Genesis 11:31), whence Abraham and his dependents migrated to Canaan.
(2) A Gadite (1 Chronicles 5:13).
(3) & (4) Two Benjamites (1 Chronicles 8:12, 22).
(5) The head of a priestly family (Nehemiah 12:20).
A. C. Grant
Greek
1443.Eber -- Heber, an ancestor of Christ... 1442, 1443.
Eber. 1444 . Heber, an ancestor of Christ. Part of Speech:
Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration:
Eber Phonetic
...5317. Phalek -- Peleg, a patriarch
... Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Phalek Phonetic Spelling:
(fal'-ek) Short Definition: Peleg Definition: Peleg, son ofEber, and one...
1444. Hebraikos -- Hebrew, the Jewish language.
... Word Origin fromEber Definition Hebrew, the Jewish language. Hebrew. FromEber;
Hebraic or the Jewish language -- Hebrew. see GREEKEber. 1443, 1444....
1446. Hebrais -- Hebrew, the Aramaic vernacular of Pal.
... Word Origin fromEber Definition Hebrew, the Aramaic vernacular of Pal.... Hebrew. From
Eber; the Hebraistic (Hebrew) or Jewish (Chaldee) language -- Hebrew....
1445. Hebraios -- a Hebrew or Jew
... Word Origin fromEber Definition a Hebrew or Jew NASB Word Usage Hebrew of Hebrews
(1), Hebrews (2). Hebrew. FromEber; a Hebr?An (ie Hebrew) or Jew -- Hebrew....
Strong's Hebrew
5677.Eber -- "region beyond," a descendant of Shem, also the name...... 5676, 5677.
Eber. 5678 . "region beyond
... desc. of Shem, also the name
of several Isr. NASB Word Usage
Eber (15).
Eber, Heber. The
...83.eber -- pinions
... 82, 83.eber. 84 . pinions. Transliteration:eber Phonetic Spelling: (ay-ber')
Short Definition: wings.... see HEBREW 'abar. 82, 83.eber. 84 . Strong's Numbers
5680. Ibri -- perhaps descendant ofEber, also another name for an...
... Ibri. 5681 . perhaps descendant ofEber, also another name for an Israelite.
Transliteration: Ibri Phonetic Spelling: (ib-ree') Short Definition: Hebrews....
5676.eber -- region across or beyond, side
... 5675, 5676.eber. 5677 . region across or beyond, side. Transliteration:eber
Phonetic Spelling: (ay'-ber) Short Definition: beyond.... 5675, 5676.eber. 5677...
6389. Peleg -- a son ofEber
... 6388, 6389. Peleg. 6390 . a son ofEber. Transliteration: Peleg Phonetic
Spelling: (peh'-leg) Short Definition: Peleg. Word Origin...
8038. Shemeber -- "name of pinion," king of Zeboiim
... Word Origin appar. from shem andeber Definition "name of pinion," king of Zeboiim
NASB Word Usage Shemeber (1). Shemeber.... see HEBREW 'eber. 8037, 8038....
5675. abar -- region across or beyond
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding toeber Definition region across or beyond NASB
Word Usage beyond (12), region beyond (2).... see HEBREWeber. 5674b, 5675....
84. ebrah -- a pinion
... Word Origin fem. ofeber Definition a pinion NASB Word Usage pinion (1), pinions
(3). feather, wing. Feminine of 'eber -- feather, wing. see HEBREW 'eber....
5678. ebrah -- overflow, arrogance, fury
... Word Origin fem. ofeber Definition overflow, arrogance, fury NASB Word Usage anger
(1), fury (14), overflowings (1), rage (1), wrath (16).... see HEBREWeber....
5682. Abarim -- "regions beyond," a mountainous region North of...
... Abarim, passages. Plural ofeber; regions beyond; Abarim, a place in Palestine --
Abarim, passages. see HEBREWeber. 5681, 5682. Abarim. 5683 ....
Library
PaulEber
... PaulEber. Portrait of PaulEber PaulEber " P.119. As [49]Justus Jonas
had somewhat of [50]Luther's talents and frank courage, so...
Of the Genealogy of Shem, in Whose Line the City of God is...
... Salah himself, too, was the same age when he begatEber.Eber lived 134 years,
and begat Peleg, in whose days the earth was divided....
Subject Index
... doberlit/w/wesley/hymn/jwg03/jwg0350.htmHoly Lamb, who thee receive, [593]colophon-
p2.23.eber, [594]eber-p0.2, [595]eber-p1.2, [596]jonasj-p1.4....
Chapter xi
... 14, 15. And Shelah lived thirty years and begatEber. And Shelah lived, after he
begatEber, four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters....
Chapter x
... (c) The Sons of Shem (v.21-31). 21. Children were born also to Shem, the father
of all the sons ofEber, the elder brother of Japheth....
The Form of Concord. AD 1577.
... The Melanchthonians, nicknamed Philppists and Crypto-Calvinists, [504] prominent
among whom were Camerarius, Bugenhagen,Eber, Crell, Major, Cruciger, Strigel...
Alexander.
... THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. LESSON XV. ALEXANDER. "Ships shall come from Chittim, and
shall afflictEber, and shall afflict Assur.""Num. xxiv.24....
C. The Genealogy of Jesus. Ch. 3:23-38
... the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the
son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son ofEber, the son of...
Preface
... From his time there has been a constant succession of hymn writers in the German
Church. [8]PaulEber, an intimate friend of Melancthon, wrote for his children...
Chronology from Adam.
... And Arphaxad, when 135 years old, begat Salah. And Salah begat a son when 130. And
his sonEber, when 134. And from him the Hebrews name their race....
Thesaurus
Eber (16 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
EBER.
... (5) The head of a priestly family (Nehemiah
12:20). AC Grant. Multi-Version Concordance
Eber (16 Occurrences).
...Peleg (8 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Division, one of the sons ofEber; so called because
"in his days was the earth divided" (Genesis 10:25)....
Begot (119 Occurrences)
... Genesis 10:24 And Arphaxad begot Shelah; and Shelah begotEber. (DBY JPS YLT).... (DBY
JPS). Genesis 11:14 And Shelah lived thirty years, and begotEber. (DBY JPS)....
Joktan (6 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Little, the second of the two sons ofEber (Genesis
10:25; 1 Chronicles 1:19).... Genesis 10:25 ToEber were born two sons....
Begetteth (52 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Genesis 11:14 And Salah hath lived thirty years, and begettethEber.... (YLT).
Genesis 11:16 AndEber liveth four and thirty years, and begetteth Peleg....
Heber (13 Occurrences)
... (5.) A Gadite (5:13). (seeEBER.). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HEBER.... (5) Heber,
of our Lord's genealogy (Luke 3:35 the King James Version), better,Eber....
Salah (6 Occurrences)
... Genesis 10:24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begatEber. (KJV WBS YLT).... Genesis
11:14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begatEber: (KJV WBS YLT)....
Thirty (189 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Genesis 11:14 Shelah lived thirty years,
and became the father ofEber: (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)....
Shelah (18 Occurrences)
... substituted for "the Shilonite" of Nehemiah 11:5 1 Chronicles 9:5. (2) (shelach):
The son or (Septuagint) grandson of Arpachshad and father ofEber (Genesis 10...
Begotten (77 Occurrences)
... YLT). Genesis 10:21 As to Shem, father of all sons ofEber, brother of Japheth
the elder, he hath also begotten: (YLT). Genesis 10...
Resources
Who are Semites? | GotQuestions.orgWho are the Hebrews? | GotQuestions.orgWho were the sons of Noah, and what happened to them and their descendants? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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