אוֹן
On, an Israelite
Definition
The proper noun אוֹן (ʼÔwn) refers to an Israelite man named On, son of Peleth, mentioned only once in the Bible. He is listed among the 250 leaders who joined Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in their rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness (Numbers 16:1). The name On is identical to the Hebrew common noun אוֹן (H202), which typically means 'vigor,' 'wealth,' or 'productive power,' but in this context, it functions solely as a personal name. No other narrative details or actions are provided for this individual beyond his association with the rebellion.
Biblical Usage
The word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 16:1. It is used strictly as a proper name for one of the participants in Korah's rebellion. There are no other occurrences or varied usages in different biblical books.
Etymology
The name On is derived from the identical Hebrew common noun אוֹן (H202), meaning 'vigor,' 'wealth,' or 'productive power.' It shares this root with other Semitic languages. As a personal name, it likely carried a positive connotation of strength or vitality, a common practice in Hebrew onomastics, though its narrative context in the Bible is negative.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. Bearing a name meaning 'vigor' or 'strength' (On) while being recorded only for participating in a rebellion against God's appointed leaders (Moses and Aaron) creates a stark irony. His single mention serves as a historical marker within a larger narrative about the grave consequences of challenging divine authority, rather than detailing his personal character.
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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