אֲחִירַע
𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤓𐤏
Achira
H299 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Ahira, an Israelite chieftain named as the son of Enan and leader of the tribe of Naphtali at the time of the wilderness wanderings. The name means 'my brother is evil' or 'brother of evil,' but in biblical contexts it functions as a personal name rather than conveying a literal description of character. The structure of the name is a theophoric or descriptive compound typical of Israelite personal naming conventions.
Semantic Range
proper name (Ahira), used exclusively for the Naphtalite chieftain in the wilderness narratives; literally, 'brother of evil,' but only as a personal name in all attested usages
Root / Etymology
From אָח (ach, 'brother') + רַע (raʿ, 'evil, bad, harm'). The name is a contracted construct phrase. Root meanings: אָח – to be a brother, kin; רַע – to be evil or harmful. The proper name derives from these two elements, but the precise intent of such name compounds in the ancient Israelite context is uncertain and could have familial, circumstantial, or symbolic significance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ahira (אֲחִירַע) appears in the Torah (Numbers 1:15; 2:29; 7:78, 83; 10:27) as the leader of the tribe of Naphtali during the wilderness period. Names incorporating negative elements like רַע ('evil') are relatively rare but attested in the Hebrew Bible, possibly reflecting circumstances of birth, prayer against evil, or traditional naming customs. Such names do not necessarily imply that the individual is evil; rather, they invoke protection from or remembrance of evil, or reflect complex social or familial realities. Later Jewish and Christian English translations often render the name as 'Ahira' without reflecting its literal meaning. No evidence suggests that the word was used outside of a personal name in the biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָח and רַע; brother of wrong; Achira, an Israelite; Ahira.
Bantu Hebrew
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אח רע (ʾ-ḥ / r-ʿ) — brotherhood, kinship; evil, harm, badness
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H299-01 |
אֲחִירַ֖ע | achira | HNp |
Ahira | Ahira | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H299-01 |
Numbers 1:15 | אֲחִירַ֖ע | achira | HNp |
Ahira | Ahira |
H299-01 |
Numbers 2:29 | אֲחִירַ֖ע | achira | HNp |
Ahira | Ahira |
H299-01 |
Numbers 7:78 | אֲחִירַ֖ע | achira | HNp |
Ahira | Ahira |
H299-01 |
Numbers 7:83 | אֲחִירַ֖ע | achira | HNp |
Ahira | Ahira |
H299-01 |
Numbers 10:27 | אֲחִירַ֖ע | achira | HNp |
Ahira | Ahira |