Ἤρ
Ḗr
G2262 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Er. A personal name of Israelite origin, used to refer to two different individuals in the ancestral narratives. The name itself does not carry independent lexical meaning within Greek but represents a transliterated Hebrew personal name.
Semantic Range
male personal name in genealogical lists, ancestral figure
Root / Etymology
Transliteration of the Hebrew עֵר (ʿēr), adapted in Greek as Ἤρ (Ēr). Etymology uncertain; the original Hebrew may derive from a root meaning 'watchful' or 'awake,' but in Greek the form is simply a transcription of the Hebrew name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Septuagint and New Testament genealogies, Ἤρ refers to two different individuals: (1) the eldest son of Judah and a Canaanite woman, who dies early (Genesis 38; Matthew 1:3), and (2) a son of Shelah (1 Chronicles 4:21). The Greek Ἤρ is used exclusively as a proper name and does not acquire additional meanings. The LXX and NT consistently preserve Hebrew genealogical names via Greek transliteration, following Jewish naming conventions rather than conveying lexical sense. Traditional English translations often retain 'Er' without alteration; no ethnic, religious, or geographic identity is implied in the Greek other than that of the ancestral figure. The name is not attested in other Greek literature except as a citation of the biblical figure. No semantic shift is evident in Greek usage over time.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (עֵר); Er, an Israelite:--Er.
Root Family
Ἤρ (Ēr) — personal name, proper noun
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2262-01 |
Ἢρ | er | N GEN M SG |
Er | of Er | Er | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2262-01 |
Luke 3:28 | Ἢρ | er | N GEN M SG |
Er | of Er | Er |