Bible Word Study
חַמְרָן
Chamrân · Chamran, an Idumaean
חַמְרָן
Chamran, an Idumaean
Definition
Chamran is a proper name identifying an individual from the lineage of Esau, specifically listed among the chiefs of Edom. The name appears only once in the Bible in 1 Chronicles 1:41, where Chamran is recorded as a son of Dishon and a grandson of Seir the Horite, connecting him to the pre-Israelite inhabitants of the land of Edom. As a proper noun, it functions solely as a personal identifier within a genealogical record, with no other attested meanings or applications in the biblical text. The name's significance is entirely tied to its role in establishing the ancestry and tribal structure of the Edomite people.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, within a genealogical list. It appears in 1 Chronicles 1:41 as part of the chronicler's record of the descendants of Esau (Edom). The context is purely genealogical, listing the 'chiefs' that descended from Seir the Horite. There are no patterns of usage beyond this single, specific instance of name-dropping within a family tree.
Etymology
The name Chamran (חַמְרָן) is derived from the Hebrew root חָמַר (H2560, chamar), which means 'to boil, ferment, or be red.' It is related to the word for wine (חֶמֶר, hemer) and the concept of redness. As a proper name, it likely carries the sense of 'red' or 'fermented,' possibly describing a physical characteristic like ruddy complexion or connecting symbolically to the red land of Edom or the redness of Esau at birth (Genesis 25:25).
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near Eastern cultural context, genealogies were crucial for establishing identity, land rights, and social relationships. Listing Chamran as a 'chief' (אַלּוּף, alluph) indicates he was a clan leader within the Edomite tribal confederation. The Horites were the original inhabitants of Mount Seir, whom the descendants of Esau dispossessed (Deuteronomy 2:12). Recording Chamran's Horite ancestry underscores the complex, blended origins of the Edomite nation, which was significant for Israel's understanding of their neighbors and relatives. Edom (אֱדוֹם, H123) — The nation/people group; Chamran is an individual within its lineage. Esau (עֵשָׂו, H6215) — The patriarch; Chamran is a distant descendant. Seir (שֵׂעִיר, H8165) — The geographical region and its eponymous ancestor; Chamran is a grandson of Seir.
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]