בֵּרִי
(only in the plural and with the article) the Berites, a place in Palestine
Definition
The Hebrew word בֵּרִי (Bêrîy) appears only in the plural form with the definite article (הַבְּרִים, haB'rîm), meaning 'the Berites.' It refers to a specific clan or family group, likely named after an ancestor named Bêri, within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. The sole biblical occurrence is in 2 Samuel 20:14, where it is listed among the places Sheba passed through during his rebellion against King David. This suggests the Berites were a known local community, possibly settled in a specific village or region. The term is strictly a proper noun identifying a people group and does not carry any other semantic meanings.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the historical narrative of 2 Samuel 20:14. The context is geographical and tribal, listing the locations through which the rebel Sheba son of Bichri traveled: 'And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled, and they also went after him.' The 'Berites' are mentioned as one of these groups, indicating their association with the territory of Benjamin. There are no other usage patterns, as it is a hapax legomenon (a word occurring only once).
Etymology
The etymology of בֵּרִי (Bêrîy) is uncertain. It is likely a gentilic noun (a name for a people) derived from a personal name, Bêri, meaning 'my well' or 'my son of a well,' though this is speculative. It follows a common Hebrew pattern for forming clan or family names (e.g., Danites from Dan). No clear cognates or root words are definitively established, contributing to its classification as 'of uncertain derivation.'
Semantic Range
In its original cultural setting, 'the Berites' identified a specific kinship or residential group within ancient Israelite society, likely part of the tribe of Benjamin. Such clan names were crucial for social identity, land inheritance, and military musters. Their mention in a list of locations (2 Samuel 20:14) reflects the practice of tracing movements through known tribal territories. Modern readers might overlook the significance of such a brief reference, but it underscores the detailed tribal geography and social structures that formed the backdrop of biblical narratives.
מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah, H4940) — a broader term for family, clan, or household, whereas הַבְּרִים specifies one particular clan. שֵׁבֶט (shevet, H7626) — refers to a tribe, a larger division than a single clan like the Berites.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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