בַּכְרִי (bakh.ri)
bakh.ri
Becherite
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The term bakhri is a gentilic adjective meaning "of Becher" or "Becherite." It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Numbers 26:35, where it identifies a specific clan within the tribe of Ephraim. This group traces its lineage to Becher, who was the son of Joseph’s son Ephraim.
As a rare genealogical marker, the word serves primarily to preserve tribal identity during the census taken in the wilderness. The sources note that the name Becher itself may relate to the root for "firstborn" or even "dromedary," though the text uses bakhri strictly to denote descent from this particular ancestor rather than describing a characteristic of the people.
Because it occurs just once, the word offers no broader theological narrative beyond its function in listing the families of Israel. It stands as a precise historical label, anchoring one small branch of Ephraim’s descendants within the larger census record.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Becherite appears in Numbers 26:35 as part of a detailed census record. It identifies the family line descending from Becher, the son of Ephraim and grandson of Joseph. In this context, the word functions as a precise historical marker, anchoring a specific clan within the larger structure of the tribe of Ephraim during the wilderness journey.
While the term itself carries no independent theological narrative, its presence in Scripture highlights the value God places on individual identity and lineage. The careful recording of such small family groups demonstrates that every branch of Israel was known and counted. This attention to detail reminds us that our own histories and connections are held with care by God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Bakrite[s]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/בַּכְרִ֑י1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 26:35
These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
This verse uses the term to specifically identify the family group descending from Becher, distinguishing them from other clans within the tribe of Ephraim.