חֲרוּפִי
a Charuphite or inhabitant of Charuph (or Chariph)
Definition
The term חֲרוּפִי (Chărûwphîy) is a gentilic noun meaning 'a Charuphite' or 'an inhabitant of Charuph (or Chariph).' It identifies an individual as belonging to a specific, though otherwise obscure, location or clan named Charuph. The word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in 1 Chronicles 12:5, where it describes Eluzai, one of the mighty men who joined David at Ziklag. This single usage provides no further differentiation in meaning, as it functions solely as a geographical or tribal identifier.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only one time in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 12:5. It is used in a list of warriors from the tribe of Benjamin who defected to David while he was in exile at Ziklag. The context is purely genealogical and geographical, serving to specify the origin of the warrior Eluzai. There are no patterns of usage across different books or contexts.
Etymology
The word is a patrial (a noun denoting origin) derived from a place name, Charuph. Its etymology is linked by scholars to a probable collateral form of the root חָרִיף (chārîyph, H2756), which relates to the concept of 'early' or 'autumn,' possibly suggesting a connection to harvest time or an early settlement. The exact location of Charuph remains unknown.
Semantic Range
As a gentilic, this term reflects the strong importance of tribal and geographical identity in ancient Israelite society. A person was often identified by their clan or town of origin, which conveyed social standing and lineage. The specific location of Charuph is lost to history, highlighting how many minor clans and settlements from this era are known only from brief mentions in biblical lists.
Other gentilic nouns function similarly, such as: יְהוּדִי (Yehûwdîy, H3064) — a Judahite or Jew, from the tribe/kingdom of Judah; יִשְׂרְאֵלִי (Yisrâʼêlîy, H3478) — an Israelite, from the people/nation of Israel.
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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