בִּרְזוֹת
𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤅𐤕
Birezot
H1269 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Birzoth is used exclusively as a proper place name in the Hebrew Bible (specifically, 'Birzavith' in the Ketiv reading of 1 Chronicles 7:31, with the marginal Qere reading 'Birzoth'). The lexical meaning is uncertain due to the term's unique use; it may refer to 'holes' or 'openings,' possibly indicating a geographic feature. As used in the text, it designates a location associated with clan lineage within the tribal genealogy of Asher.
Semantic Range
proper place name associated with Asherite genealogy; hypothetical: holes, openings (based on proposed root)
Root / Etymology
Likely derived from a root ברז (brz), which is not attested elsewhere in Hebrew. The proposed core meaning is 'to pierce' or 'to bore', based on comparative Semitic roots (cf. Aramaic and Arabic cognates meaning 'to bore, pierce'). The -ות ending is a feminine plural marker. Due to its status as a hapax legomenon and the lack of an attested verb ברז in Hebrew, the etymology remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name appears only in genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles and is not preserved elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible or extrabiblical sources. The marginal reading ('Birzavith') and consonantal text ('Birzoth') differ slightly, indicative of textual uncertainty, which is not uncommon in long genealogical sections of Chronicles. English translations sometimes render the term simply as a place name without attempting to translate or derive a meaning due to this uncertainty. The proposed meaning 'holes' or 'openings' is based on the supposed root meaning, but there is no evidence that the location or clan named here was defined by such a feature. The shift from Ketiv (Birzavith) to Qere (Birzoth) reflects scribal tradition rather than a shift in actual referent or meaning. Later translation traditions, including the LXX, treat it as a proper name, not as an appellative or common noun.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably feminine plural from an unused root (apparently mean to pierce); holes; Birzoth, an Israelite; Birzavith (from the marg.).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ברז (b-r-z) — to pierce, to bore, to make holes
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1269-01 |
בִרְזָֽיִת | virezayit | HNp |
Birzaith | Pierced-Places | 1 |
H1269-02 |
ברזות | vrzvt | HNp |
Birzaith | Pierced-Openings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1269-02 |
1 Chronicles 7:31 | ברזות | vrzvt | HNp |
Birzaith | Pierced-Openings |
H1269-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:31 | בִרְזָֽיִת | virezayit | HNp |
Birzaith | Pierced-Places |