Bible Word Study
בִּרְזוֹת
Birzôwth · Birzoth, an Israelite
בִּרְזוֹת
Birzoth, an Israelite
Definition
Birzoth is a proper noun referring to an individual listed in the genealogy of the tribe of Asher in 1 Chronicles 7:31. The name appears in a list of the sons of Malchiel, who is identified as the 'father of Birzoth.' As a genealogical entry, it signifies a specific, though otherwise unknown, member of the Israelite community. The name itself is likely derived from a root meaning 'holes' or 'piercings,' but its application as a personal name in this context is its sole biblical usage.
Biblical Usage
The word בִּרְזוֹת (Birzôwth) is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 7:31. It functions strictly as a personal name within a genealogical record of the tribe of Asher. There are no other contexts or patterns of usage; it appears solely to document a lineage.
Etymology
The name Birzoth is probably the feminine plural form of an unused Hebrew root, apparently meaning 'to pierce.' Thus, its etymological sense is 'holes' or 'piercings.' It is a proper name derived from a common noun, a typical pattern for Hebrew personal names, though the specific reason for this name's choice is unknown.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, personal names were often significant, sometimes describing a characteristic, a circumstance of birth, or expressing a hope. While the meaning 'holes' or 'piercings' for Birzoth is obscure, its inclusion in a chronicle highlights the importance of detailed genealogical records for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, and continuity within the covenant community.
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]