בֶּן־חוּר

𐤁𐤍־𐤇𐤅𐤓

Chur

H1133 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בן, חור son, descendant, male offspring (for בן); Hur (personal name of uncertain meaning)

Definition

A personal name meaning 'son of Hur.' Used as an Israelite male name, specifically designating an individual as the direct descendant (son) of a man named Hur. In the biblical narrative, this name operates primarily as a genealogical designation rather than functioning as a common noun or descriptive epithet. Occasionally, such patronymic forms are used to describe lineage or clan identity.

Semantic Range

personal name indicating 'son of Hur,' patronymic used for identification, genealogical reference

Root / Etymology

The name בֶּן־חוּר (Ben-Chur) is a compound of בֵּן (ben, 'son [of]') and חוּר (Hur, a personal name of uncertain etymology but found elsewhere as a proper name). The term thus literally means 'son of Hur.' The use of בֵּן to indicate direct offspring or (in some cases) more distant descent is common in Hebrew patronymic constructions.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In its ancient Israelite context, בֶּן־חוּר is best understood as a patronymic, identifying an individual through his paternal lineage—a standard practice both for establishing social status and rights within Israelite tribal society. The phrase appears in Exodus 31:2 and other passages related to the construction of the tabernacle, as Ben-Chur is listed among those appointed to leadership or craftsmanship roles. Since 'Ben-Chur' is a straightforward patronymic, English tradition sometimes renders this as 'the son of Hur'; it is not a family or clan name in the biblical context, but directly indicates a first-generation filial relationship. It is important to note that such patronymic usage does not imply modern surnames or family names; it is always a phrase indicating descent. Later tradition and translations have sometimes conflated or rendered these forms anachronistically as family names. The personal name Hur is itself attested in various places in the Hebrew Bible, though its meaning remains unclear.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בֵּן and חוּר; son of Chur; Ben-Chur, an Israelite; the son of Hur.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish family

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1004 בַּיִת in the houses
H1005 בַּיִת the built-house
H1006 בַּיִת the house
H1007 בֵּית אָוֶן house-of
H1008 בֵּית־אֵל in house of

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1133-02 ח֖וּר chur HNp Hur Chur 1
H1133-01 בֶּן ben HNcmsc Ben son 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1133-01 1 Kings 4:8 בֶּן ben HNcmsc Ben son
H1133-02 1 Kings 4:8 ח֖וּר chur HNp Hur Chur