חֶפְרִי (cheph.ri)
cheph.ri
Hepherite
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The word chephri functions as a gentilic adjective meaning "Hepherite," identifying a person or group descended from Hepher. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Numbers 26:32, where it serves to classify members of the tribe of Manasseh.
This single occurrence links the descendants of Hepher, son of Gilead, to their broader family lineage within Manasseh. The term highlights a specific clan identity at a moment when Israel was counting its people before entering the Promised Land, preserving the memory of this particular branch of the tribe.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read the long lists of names in Scripture, it is easy to feel disconnected from them. Yet Numbers 26:32 reminds us that God knows each family line by name. The Hepherites were a specific clan within the tribe of Manasseh, recorded during the census before Israel entered the Promised Land. This detail shows that your identity is not lost in the vastness of history; you are known individually.
Being part of a lineage carries weight. It connects us to ancestors who trusted God just as we do today. The preservation of the Hepherite name suggests that every branch of Israel mattered to God’s plan. Similarly, your place in the body of Christ is intentional and valued. You are not an afterthought but a cherished member of His family.
This word invites us to rest in the certainty that God keeps records of those who belong to Him. Whether we come from large or small clans, our standing before God is secure. We can find comfort in knowing that He remembers every name and honors every faithful step taken in previous generations.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Hepherite[s]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַֽ/חֶפְרִֽי\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 26:32
and Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
This verse explicitly identifies the Hepherites as a distinct family unit within Manasseh, preserving their specific clan identity during the census.