שַׁחֲרַיִם
Shacharajim, an Israelite
Definition
Shachărayim is a proper name meaning 'double dawn' or 'two dawns,' referring to an Israelite man from the tribe of Benjamin. He is mentioned only in 1 Chronicles 8:8, where he is listed among the descendants of Benjamin who lived in Moab. The passage notes that after sending away his wives Hushim and Baara, he later had children in the country of Moab, indicating a complex family history. As a personal name, it does not carry multiple senses but is tied solely to this individual's genealogical record.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 8:8, within a genealogical list of the tribe of Benjamin. Its usage is strictly as a personal name, with no narrative or descriptive context beyond identifying Shachărayim as a father of children in Moab. There are no patterns of usage across books, as it is a unique occurrence in biblical genealogy.
Etymology
Shachărayim is derived from the Hebrew root שַׁחַר (shachar, H7837), meaning 'dawn' or 'morning.' It is the dual form of this noun, literally translating to 'double dawn' or 'two dawns.' The dual form in Hebrew often indicates a pair or twofold nature, though in this case it functions as a poetic personal name rather than describing a literal phenomenon.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried meaningful or descriptive elements, sometimes reflecting hopes, circumstances, or divine attributes. 'Shachărayim' ('double dawn') may have symbolized renewal, hope, or a new beginning, as dawn frequently represents in Hebrew poetry. However, since no background is given for why this individual bore this name, its cultural significance remains speculative. The mention of Moab in his story reflects the interactions and migrations between Israel and neighboring peoples during the genealogical period recorded in Chronicles.
שַׁחַר (shachar, H7837) — the singular root meaning 'dawn' or 'morning,' without the dual implication.
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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