עֵר
𐤏𐤓
Er
H6147 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
ʻÊr is used as a personal name designating two different individuals within the narratives of Genesis: (1) the firstborn son of Judah and (2) the eldest son of Shelah, also a descendant of Judah. As a proper noun, its meaning may be associated with 'wakeful' or 'alert', but in biblical usage, it functions strictly as a name rather than an adjective or common noun. The semantic range is restricted to a personal name in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
personal name (Er); possibly 'wakeful, watchful' (in root meaning only)
Root / Etymology
עוּר (ʿ-w-r), meaning 'to awake, stir, be alert.' The name עֵר (ʻêr) is likely derived from this root, suggesting the sense 'wakeful, vigilant'; however, as a proper name its etymological force is not necessarily active or transparent in its narrative use.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ʻÊr appears exclusively as a personal name in Genesis. The reputed meaning ('wakeful') arises from its root connection to עוּר, but nowhere in the narrative does the text exploit this potential meaning for literary or symbolic effect. Both individuals named ʻÊr are descendants of Judah: the first, Judah's eldest son by Bath-shua the Canaanite, is noted for incurring YHWH's displeasure and dying childless (Genesis 38:3, 6-7). The second ʻÊr is the son of Shelah and is mentioned only in genealogies (Genesis 46:17, 1 Chronicles 4:21). English translations often simply transliterate the name as 'Er'; in later Jewish tradition, the name is not associated with the term 'Jew' or Judean and should not be understood in that light. There are no significant semantic shifts or developments of this term after the biblical period, and it remains a personal name of uncertain or possibly symbolic significance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עוּר; watchful; Er, the name of two Israelites; Er.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עור (ʿ-w-r) — to awake, arouse, be alert, stir up
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H216 | אוֹר | in the skin |
| H219 | אוֹרָה | skins of |
| H4589 | מָעוֹר | their exposed genitals |
| H5782 | עוּר | Let me rouse up |
| H5783 | עוּר | she will be roused |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6147-01 |
עֵֽר | er | HNp |
Er | Er | 9 |
H6147-02 |
לְ/עֵ֣ר | leer | HR/Np |
for Er | to Er | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6147-01 |
Genesis 38:3 | עֵֽר | er | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-02 |
Genesis 38:6 | לְ/עֵ֣ר | leer | HR/Np |
for Er | to Er |
H6147-01 |
Genesis 38:7 | עֵ֚ר | er | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
Genesis 46:12 | עֵ֧ר | er | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
Genesis 46:12 | עֵ֤ר | er-2 | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
Numbers 26:19 | עֵ֣ר | er | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
Numbers 26:19 | עֵ֛ר | er-2 | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
1 Chronicles 2:3 | עֵ֤ר | er | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
1 Chronicles 2:3 | עֵ֣ר | er-2 | HNp |
Er | Er |
H6147-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:21 | עֵ֚ר | er | HNp |
Er | Er |