Iri
Iri was a son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin (1Ch.7.7).
Biography
Iri was a son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob's twelve sons. He is listed among the sons of Bela in the Benjaminite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 7:7, which enumerates Bela's descendants as mighty warriors and heads of their families. The genealogy notes that the sons of Bela numbered 22,034 men of military age, suggesting that Iri's line contributed significantly to the tribe's martial strength during the period of Israel's settlement and early nationhood. As a grandson of the patriarch Benjamin, Iri belonged to the founding generation of Benjaminite family divisions that would shape the tribe's identity in Canaan.
Significance
Iri's mention in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 7 as a son of Bela highlights the Benjaminite tradition of military strength that characterized the tribe throughout Israel's history, from the warriors of the book of Judges to the soldiers who served David. The genealogical note that Bela's sons were mighty warriors connects Iri and his brothers to the tribal identity that persisted from the patriarchal era through the monarchy. His name, preserved in Scripture's meticulous tribal records, testifies to the covenant faithfulness of a God who remembers every family within his people, not merely the famous or the powerful.
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]