Becorath
Becorath was an ancestor of King Saul and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
Biography
Becorath was a Benjaminite ancestor who appears in the genealogy of Israel's first king. According to 1 Samuel 9:1, he stands in the line between Aphiah and Zeror, ultimately leading to Kish and then to Saul. Though Becorath himself receives no independent narrative, his placement in this royal lineage is significant: he is part of a carefully preserved ancestral chain that the biblical author uses to introduce Saul as a man of distinguished pedigree. Becorath's name, possibly derived from the Hebrew for 'firstborn,' suggests a position of honor within his family. His era is associated with the transition from the period of the Judges to the emergence of the United Monarchy under Saul around the late eleventh century BC.
Significance
Becorath's significance lies primarily in his genealogical role as a link in the chain leading to Saul, Israel's first anointed king. The detailed genealogy in 1 Samuel 9:1 serves a literary and theological purpose: it establishes Saul's legitimate tribal credentials and noble standing before God chose him through Samuel. This underscores the biblical truth that God works through family histories and ancestral lineages to fulfill His sovereign plans. Becorath also illustrates how anonymous figures in Scripture, though lacking individual stories, are indispensable to the unfolding of God's redemptive narrative, holding places of honor in the genealogical scaffolding of salvation history.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Sam
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]