◄ 1274. beri ►
Lexical Summary
beri: Fat, choice, or select

Original Word: בְּרִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: briy
Pronunciation: beh-REE
Phonetic Spelling: (ber-ee')
KJV: fat
Word Origin: [from H1262 (בָּרָה - eat)]

1. fat

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
fat

From barah; fat -- fat.

see HEBREW barah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
see ri.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[בְּרִי], בִּרְיָה see בִּרִיא below II. ברא.



Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 1274 (בְּרִי, bĕrî) appears in the lexical tradition as a shortened form of a more common proper name built on the root “well” (בְּאֵר, beʾer). Although it is catalogued in the lexicons, the form without the aleph is not preserved in the canonical Hebrew text. The name nevertheless belongs to the circle of compound “well-” names that were familiar in the formative eras of the patriarchs and the tribes, and it bears theological and historical weight through its connections and cognates.

Textual Setting and Variants

The longer spelling בְּאֵרִי (“Beeri,” Strong’s 882) is attested in Genesis and Hosea as the name of individuals in the patriarchal and prophetic periods. By contrast, the shortened spelling under discussion survives only in variant readings found in some early manuscripts and ancient versions. Modern critical editions and most translations adopt the longer form wherever the name is encountered, explaining why Strong’s 1274 is not cited in standard verse lists. The absence of the shorter form from the primary text assures readers that no inspired wording is missing; rather, the lexeme is preserved as a witness to scribal habits and orthographic development.

Historical Associations

1. Patriarchal Era

The cognate בְּאֵרִי (Genesis 26:34) identifies the Hittite father of Judith, one of Esau’s wives. Jacob’s family history therefore bears indirect relevance to בְּרִי, reminding readers that marriages outside the covenant line produced grief (Genesis 26:35) and that wells—literal and figurative—play a recurring role in Genesis (Genesis 26:18-22).

2. Prophetic Era

Hosea opens with the prophet’s lineage: “The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri…” (Hosea 1:1). The message entrusted to Hosea springs from that “well” of divine revelation. Although the shorter spelling is not used, the common root highlights Yahweh as the true source of life-giving water (Jeremiah 2:13).

3. Tribal Genealogies

Chronicles lists a descendant of Asher whose name appears in some textual traditions as בְּרִי. The Chronicler’s purpose in rehearsing tribal lines was to affirm Israel’s identity after the exile, situating every family within the covenant promise. Whether spelled with or without the aleph, the name contributed to that theological goal.

Thematic Significance

• Wells as Divine Provision

Names built on “well” evoke places where God intervened—Beer-lahai-roi (Genesis 16:14), Beer-sheba (Genesis 21:31). Each episode testifies that the Lord both sees and supplies. Consequently, even an unattested spelling such as בְּרִי reinforces the biblical motif of Yahweh’s abundant provision in barren places.

• Memory and Identity

Genealogical names preserve covenant memory. Israel’s chroniclers ensured that no clan was forgotten, mirroring God’s unfailing remembrance of His people (Isaiah 49:15-16). The presence of בְּרִי in lexical catalogs signals that human memory seeks completeness, echoing the divine insistence on recording every believer’s name in the “book of life” (Philippians 4:3).

• Scribal Faithfulness

The fact that a form never appearing in the Masoretic text is still numbered and defined demonstrates reverence for Scripture’s transmission. Scribes, lexicographers, and translators have carefully differentiated between attested and unattested forms, thereby guarding the integrity of the text—a model for meticulous ministry today (2 Timothy 2:15).

Practical Ministry Reflections

1. Preaching and Teaching

The root idea—“well” or “spring”—invites gospel application: Jesus offers “living water” that becomes “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). Linking obscure Old Testament name forms to Christ’s invitation enriches expository preaching.

2. Discipleship

Wells are gathering points. Ministry leaders can draw on the imagery behind בְּרִי to encourage believers to become “springs” for others through hospitality, counsel, and prayer (Proverbs 18:4).

3. Apologetics

The careful cataloging of unattested forms underscores the reliability of Scripture’s preservation. Apologists may cite Strong’s 1274 to show that nothing has been hidden or lost; even marginal spellings are documented, fulfilling Jesus’ assurance that “not the smallest letter, not a stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear” (Matthew 5:18).

Conclusion

Though בְּרִי never surfaces in the received Old Testament text, its inclusion in the lexical tradition opens a window onto Israel’s naming practices, the thematic prominence of wells, and the scrupulous accuracy with which Scripture has been handed down. By tracing its cognates and contexts, believers are reminded that every “well” name ultimately points to the Lord, the fountain of living waters, whose faithfulness spans patriarchs, prophets, and the present church.

Links
Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts
1273
Top of Page
Top of Page