Ir
Ir was a son of Bela and descendant of Benjamin (1Ch.7.12).
Biography
Ir was a son of Bela, and through him a grandson of Benjamin, the youngest son of the patriarch Jacob. He is recorded in the genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles 7:12, which preserves the descendants of Benjamin through Bela's line. The Benjaminite genealogies in Chronicles present a somewhat complex picture, incorporating various traditions about the tribe's early family structure. Ir's place in this lineage situates him within the patriarchal era, among the first generations of Israelites to develop tribal identity in Egypt. The name Ir may mean 'city' or 'watcher' in Hebrew, though little else is known about his personal history beyond his genealogical position.
Significance
Ir's place in the Benjaminite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 7 reflects the importance ancient Israel placed on preserving accurate records of tribal descent, even for individuals whose personal stories go unrecorded. As a grandson of Benjamin, Ir stood among the earliest shapers of that tribe's identity, a tribe that would later produce Israel's first king, Saul, and the apostle Paul. The preservation of his name across centuries of oral and written tradition testifies to the theological conviction that every family within the covenant community mattered to God and contributed to the larger story of redemption.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
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]