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H882 · Hebrew · Old Testament
בְּאֵרִי
Beeri
Proper Noun
Beeri; man of the well; father of Hosea and of Judith

Definition

Beeri (בְּאֵרִי) means 'man of the well' or 'my well,' derived from beer (H875, a well or cistern). It is the name of two distinct Old Testament figures: (1) Beeri the Hittite, father of Judith who became Esau's wife (Genesis 26:34) — a union that 'was a grief of mind unto Isaac and Rebekah' because it introduced foreign idolatry into the family line; (2) Beeri the father of the prophet Hosea (Hosea 1:1) — the only information given about this man, yet sufficient to anchor one of Scripture's most profound prophetic books.

Usage & Theological Significance

The name Beeri ('man of the well') resonates with the deep biblical symbolism of water, thirst, and refreshment. Wells in the ancient Near East were life-giving meeting places — where covenants were made (Genesis 21), marriages proposed (Genesis 24, 29), and strangers given hospitality (Exodus 2). That the father of Hosea — the prophet of God's unfailing love for wayward Israel — bore the name 'man of the well' is a fitting symbol: from a man of water sprang a prophet who would pour out divine covenant love on a spiritually thirsty people.

Key Bible Verses

Genesis 26:34 When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite.
Hosea 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri.
Genesis 21:19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.
John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
Isaiah 12:3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

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