Hebrew word · H5677

עֵ֫בֶר

'ever

Eber

A personal name borne by several men in the Hebrew Bible, most famously the ancestor of Abraham. It is related to the root ‘br, 'to cross over', and to the noun 'other side, region beyond'. Many link it to the word 'Hebrew' (‘ivri), though that link is debated.

Appears 15 times in 15 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.21;

son of: Shelah (H7974);

father of: Peleg (H6389) and Joktan (H3355)

Also named: Eber (Ἐβέρ "Eber" G1443)

§ Eber or Heber = "the region beyond"

1) son of Salah, great grandson of Shem, father of Peleg and Joktan

2) a Gadite chief

3) a Benjamite, son of Elpaal and descendant of Sharahaim

4) a Benjamite, son of Shashak

5) a priest in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Nehemiah 12:20

Range of meaning

A personal name borne by several men in the Hebrew Bible, most famously the ancestor of Abraham. It is related to the root ‘br, 'to cross over', and to the noun 'other side, region beyond'. Many link it to the word 'Hebrew' (‘ivri), though that link is debated.

Against the English

No English drift, since English simply transliterates the name.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 10:21–25; 11:14–17; 1 Chr 5:13; 8:12, 22; Neh 12:20.

From the study of Numbers 24:24

Range of meaning

As a proper name, Eber, great-grandson of Shem and ancestor of Abraham's line (Gen 10:21, 24–25; 11:14–17). 'All the children of Eber' (Gen 10:21) is wider than Israel. As a common noun, ʿēber means 'region beyond, the other side', especially 'beyond the River' (the Euphrates) or 'beyond the Jordan'.

Against the English

Almost every English version keeps the name 'Eber', which most readers do not recognise. The ancient versions explained it: the Septuagint has 'Hebrews', the Vulgate 'Hebraeos', and Targum Onkelos 'all beyond the Euphrates'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Genesis 10:21 calls Shem 'father of all the children of Eber'. 'Beyond the River' (ʿeber ha-nahar) is the official Persian-period name of the province west of the Euphrates (Ezra 4:10–11; also 1 Kgs 5:4 [Eng. 4:24] with the direction reversed).

Where it appears

Genesis · 7

  1. Genesis 10:21 עֵ֔בֶר Eber

    And sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber.

  2. Genesis 10:24 עֵֽבֶר׃ Eber

    Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.

  3. Genesis 10:25 וּלְעֵ֥בֶר and to Eber

    Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan.

  4. Genesis 11:14 עֵֽבֶר׃ Eber

    When Shelah was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber.

  5. Genesis 11:15 עֵ֔בֶר Eber

    And after he had become the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

  6. Genesis 11:16 עֵ֕בֶר Eber

    When Eber was 34 years old, he became the father of Peleg.

  7. Genesis 11:17 עֵ֗בֶר Eber

    And after he had become the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 24:24 עֵ֑בֶר Eber

    Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.”

    Here: Eber is the ancestor named in Genesis 10:21–25 and 11:14–17, from whom 'Hebrew' (ʿibri) is derived. The word also means 'the far side', as in the region 'beyond the River' (the Euphrates). It may mean the Hebrews, the wider family of Eber's descendants, or the lands across the Euphrates. All three readings are ancient.

1 Chronicles · 6

  1. 1 Chronicles 1:18 עֵֽבֶר׃ Eber

    Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.

  2. 1 Chronicles 1:19 וּלְעֵ֥בֶר and to Eber

    Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan.

  3. 1 Chronicles 1:25 עֵ֥בֶר Eber

    Eber, Peleg, Reu,

  4. 1 Chronicles 5:13 וָעֵ֖בֶר and Eber

    Their kinsmen by families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.

  5. 1 Chronicles 8:12 עֵ֥בֶר Eber

    The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its villages),

  6. 1 Chronicles 8:22 וָעֵ֖בֶר and Eber

    Ishpan, Eber, Eliel,

Nehemiah · 1

  1. Nehemiah 12:20 עֵֽבֶר׃ Eber

    of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

    Here: The head of the Amok house in Joiakim's day. The name is the same as that of Eber, Abraham's ancestor (Gen 10:21–25; 11:14–17), and is related to the root ‘br, 'to cross over' or 'the other side'. Here it is simply a man's name, with no symbolic weight.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.