עִבְרִי
Ibri, an Israelite
Definition
The proper noun עִבְרִי (ʻIbrîy) refers specifically to an individual named Ibri, an Israelite. It occurs only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 24:27, where Ibri is listed among the descendants of Merari, a son of Levi. This name is identical in form to the more common term for 'Hebrew' (also עִבְרִי, H5680), but in this single biblical instance, it functions solely as a personal name. There are no other distinct meanings or senses for this word in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 24:27, within a genealogical list. The context is purely administrative, recording the divisions of the Levitical priests and musicians during the time of King David. The name Ibri appears as one of the sons of Jaaziah, from the clan of Merari. There are no patterns of usage, as it is a unique personal name in a single verse.
Etymology
The word is etymologically identical to the term for 'Hebrew' (עִבְרִי, H5680), which is derived from the name Eber (עֵבֶר, H5677), a patriarch mentioned in Genesis 10:21-25. The name likely means 'one from beyond' or 'the region beyond,' possibly referring to someone who crossed over a river or boundary. As a personal name, 'Ibri' would carry this same basic meaning, identifying the individual with the broader ethnic or geographical concept.
Semantic Range
As a personal name found in a Levitical genealogy, 'Ibri' signifies the individual's inclusion within the priestly lineage of Israel. Names in ancient Israel often carried meaningful associations with family heritage, divine attributes, or hopes. Bearing a name identical to the ethnic term 'Hebrew' might have connected this individual to the collective identity and story of the Israelite people, though the specific reason for this naming is not explained in the text.
עִבְרִי (ʻIbrîy, H5680) — The identical term used as an ethnic designation for the Hebrew people, rather than a personal name.
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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