בְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקַן
𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤕 𐤁𐤍𐤉־𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤍
Bᵉʼêrôth Bᵉnêy-Yaʻăqan
H885 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Beeroth Bene-Yaakan is a toponym meaning 'Wells of the sons of Yaakan,' referring to a desert encampment or settlement associated with a group called the sons (descendants or clan) of Yaakan. The phrase designates a geographic location notable for its water sources (wells), particularly as a stop on wilderness journeys. The sons of Yaakan are identified as a clan or group, possibly of non-Israelite (Edomite or Horite) ancestry according to genealogical origins in other biblical passages. The name is a compound: the plural 'wells' (beeroth), a construct form indicating possession ('of the sons'), and the personal/clan name 'Yaakan.'
Semantic Range
wells, water sources, community or encampment associated with a group or clan, especially in reference to the sons/descendants of Yaakan, a specific place on Israelite desert itineraries
Root / Etymology
Beeroth בְּאֵרוֹת derives from the root באר (b-ʼ-r), meaning 'to dig a well,' referring to a water source. Bene בְּנֵי is from בן (b-n), meaning 'son,' used for both literal sons and broader group or clan membership. Yaakan יַעֲקָן is a personal or clan name of uncertain etymology, attested in genealogical lists as a descendant of Seir the Horite and thus connected to Edomite groups (see Genesis 36:27; 1 Chronicles 1:42). The entire name literally means 'Wells of the sons of Yaakan.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Beeroth Bene-Yaakan appears in lists of Israelite wilderness encampments, most notably in Numbers 33:31-32 and Deuteronomy 10:6, as a location encountered during the wilderness travels. The site signifies a water source managed or inhabited by the clan of Yaakan. The name's structure parallels other desert place names formed as 'wells of X' (e.g., Beer Sheba, Beer Elim), indicating the importance of water access and clan-based territoriality in the semi-nomadic context. In genealogical traditions (Genesis 36:27; 1 Chronicles 1:42), Yaakan is a descendant of Seir the Horite, situating the site outside core Israelite territory in the southern Transjordan or northern Arabah, though later biblical memory may project the location into Israelite travel routes. English translations often preserve the transliterated form or interpret as 'Beeroth of the children of Jaakan'; the word 'children' in this context means 'descendants' or 'members of the clan,' not minor offspring. The term's meaning remained stable over time as a place name; the identification of the group associated with Yaakan and the precise site location remain debated. The term does not denote Israelite identity but rather signals a non-Israelite or mixed site encountered during Israelite migration.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
xlit Bᵉêrôth corrected to Bᵉʼêrôth; from the feminine plural of בְּאֵר, and the plural contraction of בֵּן, and יַעֲקָן; wells of (the) sons of Jaakan; Beeroth-Bene-Jaakan, a place in the Desert; Beeroth of the children of Jaakan.
Bantu Hebrew
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באר, בן (b-ʾ-r; b-n) — to dig a well, provide water; son, descendant, clan member
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H885-03 |
יַעֲקָ֖ן | yaaqan | HNp |
Jaakan | Wells of the sons of Yaakan | 1 |
H885-01 |
בְּנֵי | beney | HNp |
the children of | sons of | 1 |
H885-02 |
מִ/בְּאֵרֹ֥ת | mibeerot | HR/Np |
from the wells of | from Wells of the sons of Yaakan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H885-02 |
Deuteronomy 10:6 | מִ/בְּאֵרֹ֥ת | mibeerot | HR/Np |
from the wells of | from Wells of the sons of Yaakan |
H885-01 |
Deuteronomy 10:6 | בְּנֵי | beney | HNp |
the children of | sons of |
H885-03 |
Deuteronomy 10:6 | יַעֲקָ֖ן | yaaqan | HNp |
Jaakan | Wells of the sons of Yaakan |