Bezer
Bezer was a descendant of Asher through Helem.
Biography
Bezer is listed in 1 Chronicles 7:37 among the sons of Zophah, within the genealogy of the tribe of Asher. Zophah was a grandson of Helem (also called Hotham), placing Bezer within a specific branch of Asher's extended family that is documented in the Chronicler's genealogical survey of the northern tribes. His name may share a linguistic root with the Hebrew word meaning "gold ore" or "fortification." Bezer is listed alongside six brothers, Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, and Jephunneh, forming a household unit within Asher. The genealogical record preserves his identity as one who belonged to the covenant people of Israel, even if the contours of his individual life remain undeveloped in the biblical text beyond this single naming.
Significance
Bezer's appearance in the Asherite genealogy of 1 Chronicles contributes to the Chronicler's overarching theological project of establishing the comprehensive identity of all Israel as the covenant people of God. The genealogies of Chronicles were written for the post-exilic community, reminding a displaced and diminished people that they were heirs of a vast and divinely ordered heritage. Every clan within each tribe, including minor figures like Bezer within Asher, was part of the sacred inheritance that God had promised to preserve. These records grounded the returned exiles in a narrative of divine faithfulness that stretched back through centuries of ordinary family life, affirming that God had not abandoned even the most obscure branches of his people.
Verse Appearances (1)
1 Chronicles
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]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]