חַרְנֶפֶר
Charnepher, an Israelite
Definition
Charnepher is a proper name of an Israelite man, appearing only once in the Old Testament. He is listed as one of the sons of Zophah, a descendant of Asher, in a genealogical record (1 Chronicles 7:36). As a personal name, it carries no other semantic meaning or different senses in the biblical text. The name's significance is purely genealogical, identifying an individual within the tribe of Asher.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively in 1 Chronicles 7:36 within a genealogical list of the tribe of Asher. It functions solely as a proper noun to name a specific individual, the son of Zophah. There are no patterns of usage, contextual variations, or appearances in other books.
Etymology
The etymology of חַרְנֶפֶר (Charnepher) is uncertain, as noted by most lexicons. It does not derive from a clear Hebrew root, suggesting it may be a name of foreign or archaic origin. Some scholars propose it could be a compound name, but no consensus exists on its original meaning or derivation.
Semantic Range
As a personal name from the tribe of Asher, it reflects the Israelite practice of recording detailed genealogies to preserve tribal lineage, inheritance rights, and identity. The name itself, while its meaning is lost, represents an individual counted among God's covenant people.
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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