אֵחִי
Echi, an Israelite
Definition
אֵחִי (ʼÊchîy) is a proper noun identifying an individual named Ehi, who appears only in the list of Jacob's descendants who went to Egypt (Genesis 46:21). He is listed as a son of Benjamin, making him one of the patriarch's grandsons and part of the foundational genealogy of the Israelite tribes. The name is likely a variant or shortened form of Ahiram or Aher, as other tribal lists (Numbers 26:38, 1 Chronicles 8:1) present slightly different names for Benjamin's sons, possibly reflecting different textual traditions or naming variations within the clan.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Genesis 46:21, within a genealogical record. Its sole function is to name one of the sons of Benjamin who migrated to Egypt with Jacob's family. This places it strictly in the context of tribal origins and the fulfillment of God's promise to make Israel a great nation, even in Egypt.
Etymology
The name אֵחִי (ʼÊchîy) is probably derived from the Hebrew root אָח (ʼāch, H251), meaning 'brother.' It is essentially the same as the word אֲחִי (ʼăchîy, H277), which also means 'my brother' or is a proper name (Ahi). The name likely signifies 'brotherly' or 'my brother,' a common type of name emphasizing familial relationship and solidarity within the clan structure of early Israel.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its inclusion in the Genesis 46 genealogy is significant. It represents one individual within the 'seventy souls' (Genesis 46:27) of Jacob's house that God promised to multiply into a great nation. Understanding these names underscores the meticulous fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 15:5) and God's faithfulness in preserving every family line, even those mentioned only once, as part of His redemptive plan for Israel.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful and descriptive. A name like Ehi ('my brother') would reflect the high value placed on kinship and tribal brotherhood. The variation in the names of Benjamin's sons across different biblical lists (Genesis, Numbers, Chronicles) was not unusual and may indicate the use of multiple names, nicknames, or different clan traditions for recording lineage, all of which were considered valid representations of the family line.
אֲחִי (ʼĂchîy, H277) — The virtually identical form, meaning 'my brother' or serving as a proper name (Ahi). בֶּן־יָמִין (Ben-yāmîn, H1144) — 'Son of the right hand,' the name of his father, Benjamin, denoting the tribal affiliation.
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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