אֲחִישַׁחַר
𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤓
Achishachar
H300 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'my brother is dawn' or 'brother of dawn.' Primarily used as a proper noun referencing a male individual in ancient Israelite genealogical texts. The semantic range is that of a name, not a common noun or verb, but its components reflect kinship and the time of dawn or morning.
Semantic Range
personal name, brother of dawn, brother at morning, male individual named in genealogical context
Root / Etymology
Compound formed from אָח ('ach, 'brother') and שַׁחַר ('shachar, 'dawn' or 'morning'). The name is a theophoric or poetic formation, typical in ancient Israelite onomastics, expressing a familial relationship to the dawn, either literally or figuratively.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name אֲחִישַׁחַר occurs as a named individual within genealogical lists (e.g., 1 Chronicles 7:10), identifying an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin. Compound names that invoke natural elements or times of day are not uncommon in Hebrew, possibly reflecting attributes, hopes, or symbolic connections valued by the family. There is no evidence that this name ever functioned as a title or as a designation for a group. English translations often render it as 'Ahishahar' or 'Achishachar,' but the literal nuance ('brother of dawn') has no practical sense outside its usage as a name. There is no religious or cultic significance attached to the term in the biblical texts. The specific meaning or reason for this name is not made explicit in the narrative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָח and שַׁחַר; brother of (the) dawn; Achishachar, an Israelite; Ahishar.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אח שחר (ʾ-ḥ; š-ḥ-r) — brother, kinship; dawn, morning light
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H300-01 |
וַ/אֲחִישָֽׁחַר | vaachishachar | HC/Np |
and Ahishahar | and Brother-of-Dawn | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H300-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:10 | וַ/אֲחִישָֽׁחַר | vaachishachar | HC/Np |
and Ahishahar | and Brother-of-Dawn |