Bible Word Study
בֹּכְרוּ
Bôkᵉrûw · Bokeru, an Israelite
בֹּכְרוּ
Bokeru, an Israelite
Definition
Bokeru is a proper name of an Israelite, specifically a descendant of King Saul through his son Jonathan. The name appears in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 8:38 and 9:44, where he is listed as a son of Azel. As a personal name, it carries the meaning 'his firstborn' or 'his early one,' derived from the root word for 'firstborn.' In the biblical context, it serves primarily to identify an individual within the lineage of the tribe of Benjamin, with no additional narrative or descriptive details provided about his life or actions.
Biblical Usage
The name Bokeru is used exclusively in two parallel genealogical lists in 1 Chronicles (8:38 and 9:44). These passages are part of the extensive chronicles of Israel's tribes, focusing here on the lineage of Saul. Its usage is purely onomastic—serving only to record a name in a family tree—with no narrative context, dialogue, or descriptive action associated with it in the biblical text.
Etymology
The name Bokeru (בֹּכְרוּ) is derived from the Hebrew root בָּכַר (bākar, H1069), which means 'to be firstborn' or 'to bear early.' It is a qal passive participle form, meaning 'his firstborn' or 'one who is early for him.' It is directly related to the common noun בְּכוֹר (bekôr, H1060), meaning 'firstborn.' The name thus signifies a status or hope associated with primogeniture.
Semantic Range
While the individual Bokeru is not theologically significant, the meaning of his name connects to the important biblical theme of the firstborn. In Israelite culture and law, the firstborn held a position of privilege, responsibility, and consecration to God (Exodus 13:2). Understanding the name's etymology can remind a reader of the value and heritage placed on family lineage within God's covenant people, as meticulously recorded in books like Chronicles. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful, reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or character traits. A name meaning 'his firstborn' like Bokeru likely indicated the child's special status as the eldest son, who would traditionally receive a double inheritance and carry the family lineage forward (Deuteronomy 21:17). Recording such names in genealogies was crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, and priestly or royal lineage. בְּכוֹר (bekôr, H1060) — The common noun for 'firstborn,' denoting status, while Bokeru is a personal name derived from it. בָּכַר (bākar, H1069) — The verbal root meaning 'to be firstborn' or 'to bear early,' from which the name is directly formed.
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]