Bible Word Study
אֲחִירָמִי
ʼĂchîyrâmîy · an Achiramite or descendant (collectively) of Achiram
אֲחִירָמִי
an Achiramite or descendant (collectively) of Achiram
Definition
The term אֲחִירָמִי (ʼĂchîyrâmîy) is a patronymic noun meaning 'an Ahiramite,' referring to a descendant or member of the clan of Achiram. It specifically denotes the collective descendants of Achiram, who was a son of Benjamin (Numbers 26:38). This word functions as a gentilic, identifying individuals by their ancestral lineage within the tribe of Benjamin. Its sole biblical occurrence is in the context of a census, listing the Ahiramites as one of the familial clans of Benjamin.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 26:38, within the context of the second census of the Israelites taken in the plains of Moab. It is used to list the clans descended from Benjamin's sons, following the genealogical record. The usage is strictly genealogical and administrative, serving to document the tribal structure of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
Etymology
Derived from the proper name אֲחִירָם (ʼĂchîyrâm, H297), meaning 'my brother is exalted.' The suffix -ִי (-iy) forms a patronymic, indicating 'belonging to' or 'descendant of.' Thus, אֲחִירָמִי literally means 'of Achiram' or 'descended from Achiram.' This follows a common Hebrew pattern for forming family or clan names from ancestral figures.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is primarily genealogical, its inclusion in the census of Numbers 26 highlights the theme of God's faithfulness to the tribes of Israel. The meticulous recording of clans, including the Ahiramites, underscores the importance of lineage in God's covenant promises to the patriarchs and the preservation of tribal identities. It reminds readers of the concrete, historical reality of God's chosen people. In ancient Israelite culture, identity was deeply tied to lineage and clan. A patronymic like 'Ahiramite' was crucial for establishing one's place within the tribe, which affected inheritance rights, social standing, and military organization. The listing in a census was not merely statistical but affirmed the clan's continued existence and share in the tribal inheritance, a concept vastly different from modern individualistic identity. בִּנְיָמִינִי (Binyâmîynîy, H1145) — refers to a member of the entire tribe of Benjamin, whereas אֲחִירָמִי specifies a sub-clan within that tribe.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]