עֵרִי
Eri, an Israelite
Definition
Eri is a proper name given to one of the sons of Gad, the seventh son of Jacob, making him a grandson of the patriarch and a member of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. As a personal name, it identifies a specific individual within the genealogical records of the tribe of Gad. The name appears in the foundational list of Jacob's family who went to Egypt (Genesis 46:16) and later in the census of the Israelites taken in the plains of Moab (Numbers 26:16). There are no other major senses or meanings for this word; it functions solely as a personal identifier.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively in two Old Testament genealogical contexts, both listing the sons of Gad. It first appears in Genesis 46:16, which records the descendants of Jacob who migrated to Egypt. It is used again in Numbers 26:16, in the second wilderness census taken before entering the Promised Land. The usage is strictly for lineage identification within the tribe of Gad, showing the continuity of the family line from the patriarchal era to the generation of the Exodus.
Etymology
The name Eri (עֵרִי) is derived from the Hebrew root עוּר (`ur`, H5782), which carries the primary meaning 'to be awake, to stir up, or to rouse oneself.' As a personal name, it is understood to mean 'watchful' or 'my watcher.' It is formed as a noun from this root, typical of many Hebrew names that express an attribute or a statement about God (e.g., 'God is my watcher').
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its inclusion in the biblical record underscores the importance of individual lineage within God's covenant community. Every named descendant in the genealogies of Genesis and Numbers contributes to the fulfillment of God's promise to make Abraham's offspring numerous (Genesis 15:5). Understanding that Eri's name means 'watchful' can remind the reader that even individuals in long lists were known and watched over by God as part of His unfolding plan for Israel.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. Bestowing a name like Eri ('watchful') likely reflected parental hopes for the child's character or an acknowledgment of divine care. His inclusion in the tribal genealogy established his identity, inheritance rights, and place within the social and religious structure of Israel. For modern readers, it is easy to skip over such names, but in their original context, they affirmed the individual's membership in the covenant people.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper name. Other sons of Gad listed alongside Eri include Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Ozni (H244), and Areli (H692).
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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